Ceres High's varsity girls basketball team moved into a two-way tie for third place in the Western Athletic Conference this past week.
The Bulldogs improved to 4-4 in the WAC standings following Thursday's 51-46 win at fourth-place Livingston.
Eight different players scored for Ceres High.
Natalia Cortez drained four treys and totaled a team-high 15 points.
Rayohna Sagapolu, Kaylee Holloway and Camryn Silva added 10, nine and eight points, respectively.
Harmen Bahia, Angelina Ursua and Shelby Veuve all contributed two points.
Leena Bassi had one point.
The Bulldogs outscored the Wolves 30-21 during the first and fourth periods.
Host Ceres High lost 61-31 to first-place Patterson on Jan. 31 at Phil de la Porte Gymnasium.
The Bulldogs had just one player score in double figures.
Silva paced Ceres High with 11 points.
Veuve tallied seven points.
Ayannah O'Neal totaled six points.
Ursua chipped in with three points.
Cortez and Sagapolu mustered just two points apiece.
The Bulldogs never posed a threat.
Ceres High fell behind by 16 points, 29-13, in the opening half.
Ceres High and Los Banos (4-4) trailed Patterson (18-4, 8-0) and Central Valley (10-11, 6-2) in the WAC standings as of Monday.
The Bulldogs will close out the WAC season at crosstown-rival Central Valley this Thursday.
The contest will begin at 7:30 p.m.
CV girls secure split
Central Valley's varsity girls basketball team sought to wins its second consecutive Western Athletic Conference crown this winter.
The Hawks' title hopes took a major hit this past week.
Los Banos exacted revenge by beating visiting Central Valley 37-29 on Jan. 31.
The Hawks defeated the Tigers 61-57 earlier this season in Ceres.
Central Valley pounded Pacheco, 48-13, on Thursday in Los Banos.
The second-place Hawks (10-11, 6-2) trail unbeaten Patterson (18-4, 8-0) by two games in the WAC standings.
Conference-rivals Ceres High (4-4) and Los Banos (4-4) are also battling for playoff berths.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Ceres High's varsity boys basketball team lost twice in Western Athletic Conference play this past week.
The Bulldogs dropped from first to third in the WAC standings following Friday's 75-60 loss to host Livingston.
Host Patterson avenged a 56-54 loss with a 71-59 win over Ceres High on Wednesday.
The Tigers have reeled off five straight victories since losing to the Bulldogs.
Ceres High (13-11, 5-3) will close out the WAC campaign this week.
The Bulldogs will play host to Pacheco (1-7) today and crosstown-rival Central Valley (6-2) on Friday.
Both games will begin at 7:30 p.m.
WRESTLING
A total of 78 high schools were represented at the Tim Brown Memorial Varsity Boys Wrestling Tournament, Jan. 13-14, in Sacramento.
Ceres High racked up 77 points on its way to a respectable 16th-place finish.
Buchanan (251.5), Del Oro (199.5) and Elk Grove (151.5) placed first, second and third, respectively.
"It's not a surprise to me," Bulldogs 152-pound grappler John Alba said while talking about his team's success. "We have a lot of quality wrestlers."
Alba finished in third place.
He won five of six matches.
"This is the best I've wrestled all year," said John, a 2016 CIF State Meet qualifier. "I trusted my instincts. I listened to what my coaches had to say. That helped me get to the next level."
Alba took seventh at the Brown tournament his junior year.
"It shows I'm improving," he said.
Jaden Cooper posted a 4-2 record at 145 pounds.
Cooper picked up wins against Sonora's Kellen Phillips (pin), Galt's Erik Peterson (decision), Del Oro's Mason Wilcox (pin) and Elk Grove's Hassan khan (decision).
Aiden Moore compiled a 3-2 record at 170 pounds.
Moore picked up wins against Roseville's Santino Jordan (pin), Coming's Joey Caputo (pin) and Lassen's Hunter St. Andre (decision).
Diego Diaz (182s), Ethan Letras (160s), Brian Becerra (138s) and Tyler Fleming (132s) all had identical 2-2 records.
Diaz picked up wins against Turlock's Adelo Fields (decision) and Buchanan's Luke Malloy (pin).
Letras picked up wins against Napa's Isaac Castrillo (pin) and Oakmont's Eugene Shaydale (pin).
Becerra picked up wins against Quincy's Josh Greene (decision) and Franklin's Kobe Efhan (pin).
Fleming picked up wins against Casa Roble's Maxwell Haban (major decision) and Tamalpais' Joseph Salas (pin).
Conner Johnson (195s) and Andrew Gibson (182s) both won one of three matches.
Johnson's lone victory came against Pleasant Valley's Anthony Butcher (pin).
Gibson's lone victory came against Foothill's Dameion Victorian (decision).
Luis Camarillo dropped both of his matches at 132 pounds.
CV 49th in Sacramento
Central Valley's varsity boys wrestling program placed 49th at the Tim Brown Memorial Tournament, staged Jan. 13-14, in Sacramento.
The Hawks totaled 29.5 points at the 78-team event.
Heavyweight David Lezama was Central Valley's top individual performer.
Lezama posted a 4-3 record on his way to an eighth-place finish.
He earned wins against Patterson's Dylan Baker (pin), Livermore's Adam Lebish (pin), Orland's Andy Myers (pin) and Ponderosa's Tanner Lewis (pin).
David was unseeded.
Christian Oliver (138 pounds) and Tyler Beckhart (220s) both compiled identical 2-2 records.
Oliver earned wins against Rodriguez's Niko Cruz (decision) and Anderson's Anthony Smith (decision).
Beckhart earned wins against Roseville's Mark Dutka (decision) and Anderson's Joe Carrillo (decision).
Kyle Hendrix (113s), Will Sprouse (132s) and Severo Vazquez (145s) had 1-2 marks in their respective divisions.
Hendrix earned a win against Windsor's Brenan Tomayo (pin).
Sprouse earned a win against Ceres High's Luis Camarillo (decision).
Vazquez earned a win against Lincoln's Lorenzo Duenas (major decision).
Anthony Voss (106s), Antonio Castillo (120s), James Murphy (152s), Nate Curry (170s), Natanael Lezama (182s), Angel Rico (195s) and Thomas Delgado (195s) all dropped both of their matches.
