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CHS cant keep pace with LB
Tigers outscore Bulldogs 21-0 in second half
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Ceres Highs Ricky Valenzuela (21), Aaron Black and Caleb McDade (54) gang tackle Los Banos David Walker during the first half of Fridays Western Athletic Conference clash. The Bulldogs lost 35-10 to the visiting Tigers. - photo by DALE BUTLER/The Courier

The members of Ceres High's varsity football team trotted off the field at Bulldog Stadium after the final seconds ticked off the clock.

Bulldog all-purpose player Juan Anderson's 24-yard field goal cut the deficit to 14-10 at the end of the first half.

Los Banos shut out the Bulldogs the rest of the way while pulling away for a 35-10 victory Friday night in Ceres.

"I didn't think we'd be 1-4 at this point of the season," Ceres High head coach Bret Durossette said. "I thought this year was our year. But we're young. The kids are still learning. They're not used to winning. We're trying to change the culture."

The Bulldogs dropped to 1-4 on the year and 0-1 in the Western Athletic Conference.

Los Banos improved to 3-2 and 1-0.

Ceres High amassed 299 yards of offense.

Bulldog quarterback Brad Bussard tossed for 201 yards and one touchdown with one interception versus the Tigers.

Bussard completed just 13 of his 25 pass attempts.

Sophomore Marcellus Boykins caught five passes for 92 yards and one TD.

Austin Stiles hauled in three passes for 44 yards.

Anderson added 35 yards on two receptions.

Junior Johnni Smith-Willis rushed for a team-high 65 yards on nine carries.

Ceres High's Caleb McDade had 11 tackles and one pass deflection.

Aaron Black had 10 tackles.

Brent Bussard had eight tackles, one pass deflection and half a sack.

Ramon Coral had seven tackles and one pass deflection.

Adrian Torres had three tackles and half a sack.

"We didn't execute, offensively," Durossette said. "Our defense did very well at times."

Boykins and Brad Bussard combined for a 35-yard TD in the opening half.

Stiles' 35-yard catch in traffic put Ceres High in field-goal range just before halftime. Anderson split the uprights as time expired and appeared to give the Bulldogs some momentum.

Livingston outscored Ceres High 21-0 in the second half.

"They made some good adjustments at halftime," Durossette said. "And we didn't. They kept the ball out of our hands. I take my hat off to Los Banos. They're a good football team. We haven't beaten them since the 1990s. We didn't lose the game because of penalties. When we could have capitalized, we didn't. We had a letdown."

Ceres High will try to spoil Livingston's homecoming this Friday. The Wolves (4-1, 1-0) and Bulldogs will battle at 7 p.m.

"They got some athletes," Durossette said. "I've seen them on film."