Ceres High’s boys volleyball team won back-to-back games versus league opponents last week.
The Bulldogs climbed to third place in the Western Athletic Conference standings.
The top three teams in the WAC will be awarded playoff berths at the end of the regular season.
“They understand the amount of hard work you have to put in to get there,” second-year head coach Kelly Heese said. “They do care.”
Ceres High improved to 10-4 on the season and 7-4 in the WAC with a 3-1 (22-25, 25-22, 25-11, 25-16) win against Pacheco on April 6 in Los Banos.
The Bulldogs avenged a 3-2 (4-26, 25-23, 25-22, 16-25, 16-14) loss.
Ceres High also extended its unbeaten streak to three matches.
“They were focused. Everything clicked.”
Isaiah De La Torre led the Bulldogs with 50 assists, eight digs and six kills.
Andre Pina had 15 kills and three blocks.
David Flores had 10 digs and one ace.
Izaiah Hernandez had seven digs.
Manuel Ortega had five digs, five blocks, four kills and two aces.
Ethan Oiterong had five digs, four kills, one block and one ace.
Gio Sio had five kills and two blocks.
Faiva Tuakalau had four aces, three digs, two kills and two blocks.
Bo Moring had one kill and one block.
With the victory, the Bulldogs remain in the hunt for a playoff berth.
“We needed to beat them,” Heese said.
Ceres High shut out Johansen 3-0 for the second time this season.
The Bulldogs prevailed, 25-20, 25-20, 25-12, while competing against the Vikings on April 4 in Modesto.
“They got the job done.”
De La Torre led Ceres High with 46 assists, three aces, two kills, one dig and one block.
Oiterong had 17 digs, five kills, two aces and one block.
Pina had 13 kills and two blocks.
Josh Tagle had nine digs, one aces and one assist.
Tuakalau had five kills, four digs, one ace, one block and one assist.
Ortega had five kills and four aces.
Hernandez had five digs, one ace and one block.
Moring had two kills and one block.
The Bulldogs are inching closer to securing their first-ever playoff berth under Heese’s guidance.
Ceres High finished 2-17 and last in the WAC standings with a 1-14 mark in 2022.
“There’s a huge difference this year. They learned how to play together as a team and not quit on each other.”
