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CHS swim battles Mountain House, LB
Sports Round-up recap of high school sports
Reagan Hensley
Ceres High girls swim standout Reagan Hensley placed first in the 500 free and second in the 100 back against visiting Mountain House earlier this month in Ceres. - photo by Dale Butler

Central Valley’s baseball team dropped into a tie for fourth place in the Central California Conference standings this past week after being beaten twice by Buhach Colony.

“Getting swept puts a lot more pressure on us,” Hawks’ infielder Ryan Estermann said. “We have to sweep Golden Valley in order to get a playoff spot. It’s going to take a lot more mental toughness.”

Central Valley lost 12-2 in six innings at Buhach Colony on April 14.

“They capitalized on our mistakes,” Estermann said.

The Hawks led 2-0 at the end of the first inning.

Buhach Colony outscored Central Valley 12-0 the rest of the game.

“There were a lot of mental errors that cost us,” Estermann said. 

Central Valley fell to 8-11 overall and 4-6 in CCC play.

Hawk pitcher Gabrial Lopez (4-5) totaled eight strikeouts and no walks in 41/3 innings.

He gave up five earned runs and nine hits.

Estermann batted 1-for-3 from the plate with one run.

Roman Aguinaga batted 1-for-2 with two RBIs.

Samuel Wilson tallied one run.

Caiden Whittle singled.

Buhach Colony edged Central Valley 3-1 on April 13 in Ceres.

Lacking offensive support, Hawk southpaw pitcher Chris Garcia (4-3) earned a tough-luck loss.

He had six strikeouts and one walk in six innings.

Garcia allowed two runs and five hits.

“Going into the year, we didn’t know how he’d do because he’s a freshman,” Estermann said. “We have trust in him. He battles.”

Lopez scored once on offense.

Estermann singled.

“We’re not getting timely hits when needed,” Estermann said. “We’re stranding a lot of baserunners.”

The Hawks will close out the CCC season next month.

Central Valley will host fifth-place Golden Valley (9-10, 3-5) on May 4 and face the Cougars on the road on May 6.

The top four teams in league qualify for playoffs.

“Knowing what’s on the line, our team has to step up,” Estermann said. “There’s a lot of pressure. We have to win both games. We have to go out there and battle. We don’t have any wiggle room.”

Central Valley made program history last spring by claiming its first-ever conference championship and amassing a 14-4 overall record. The Hawks won eight of nine games against WAC South Division competition during the 2021 COVID-shortened season. 

“There are a lot better teams in the CCC,” Estermann said. 


LB sweeps CHS

Winners of seven of its previous eight league games, Ceres High’s baseball team scored just three runs while losing twice to Los Banos in Western Athletic Conference play last week.

The Bulldogs dropped to third place in the WAC standings following Thursday’s 5-0 loss to the host Tigers.

Ceres High fell to 8-12 overall and 7-3 in conference play.

Second-place Los Banos improved to 7-8 and 7-3.

Los Banos defeated Ceres High 8-3 on April 12 at Art McRae Field.

Noel Anaya (3-2) started at pitcher.

He surrendered seven runs and nine hits with three strikeouts and five walks in four innings.

Anaya chipped in on offense with one RBI.

Bulldog teammate Isac Cordova batted 3-for-4 with one double and one run.

Nick Villalobos batted 1-for-3 with one double and one RBI.

Landyn Hudson batted 1-for-3 with one double and one run.

Xavier Pompa batted 1-for-2 with one RBI.

Josh Prestridge scored once.

Reis Smith singled.


SWIMMING

Ceres High’s swim program suffered losses while competing against Mountain House and Los Banos during the week of April 4-8.

Ceres High’s girls team dropped to 1-5 in the Western Athletic Conference dual-meet standings after being beaten 122-40 by visiting Mountain House on April 8.

Bulldog Reagan Hensley placed first in the 500 free and second in the 100 back.

Amber Hopwood placed second in the 100 free and 100 breast.

Elise Cannella placed second in the 50 free.

Makayla Hair placed third in the 100 back and fifth in the 50 free.

Maci Farinha placed third in the 100 fly and fifth in the 100 breast.

Genesis Garcia placed fourth in the 100 free.

Karla Hinojosa placed sixth in the 50 free and 100 back.

The Bulldogs’ 200 medley relay team of Reagan Hensley, Amber Hopwood, Maci Farinha and Elise Cannella placed second.

The Bulldogs’ 200 free relay team of Hopwood, Farinha, Cannella and Berlin Kahl placed third.

The Bulldogs’ 400 free relay team of Kahl, Hair, Renteria and Hensley placed third.

Ceres High’s girls lost 118-41 at Los Banos on April 4.

Hensley placed first in the 500 free and second in the 100 back.

Brooke Trio placed second in the 100 free and fourth in the 50 free.

Hopwood placed third in the 200 IM and 100 breast.

Cannella placed third in the 50 free.

Hair placed third in the 100 back and fifth in the 50 free.

Farinha placed third in the 100 fly and sixth in the 100 breast.

Kahl placed fourth in the 200 free.

Jessica Potts placed fifth in the 100 breast.

Garcia placed fifth in the 200 free and sixth in the 100 free.

Renteria placed fifth in the 100 free and sixth in the 100 back.

Ceres High’s boys team fell to 1-5 in the WAC dual standings following its 139-5 loss to Mountain House.

The Bulldogs had just one individual competitor in Blake Barr.

Barr placed third in the 50 free, and fourth in the 100 free and 100 back.

Host Los Banos topped Ceres High 113-13 on April 4.

Bulldog Jesus Valdovinos placed second in the 100 breast, third in the 100 free and fourth in the 50 free.

Barr placed third in the 100 back and fifth in the 100 free.


Tigers top Hawks

Central Valley’s boys and girls swim programs closed out the Central California Conference dual-meet season with losses at Patterson on April 8.

Olivia Cervantes led Central Valley’s girls team, which compiled an 0-6 record against CCC competition this year.

She placed first in the 100 breast.

Hawk teammate Aylah Bristow placed second in the 100 back.

Central Valley’s boys team had one individual competitor.

Justin Alvarez placed second in the 50 free.

The Hawks went 0-6 during the CCC dual campaign.


VOLLEYBALL

Central Valley’s boys volleyball team dropped out of Sac-Joaquin Section playoff contention last week. 

The Hawks fell to 9-10 overall and 3-8 in the Central California Conference standings after losing to El Capitan and Golden Valley.

“We started the season with 11 players,” Central Valley head coach Donald Dudley said. “We’ve been playing with seven players since league started. Our roster took a hit for various reasons.”

“Volleyball is a chemistry sport,” he added. “You have to be able to work with the person next to you.”

Central Valley lost 3-0 (25-16, 25-16, 25-20) to visiting El Capitan on April 12 in Ceres.  

Guillermo Garibay had 12 assists, nine digs and three kills in defeat.

Yoshi Kumar had 10 digs, eight kills, one ace, one block and one assist.

David Luna had 10 digs.

Gerardo Pantoja had five digs, three kills, two assists and one ace.

Elias Vasquez had five digs, one kill and one ace.

Gage Mastropierro had four digs, one block and one assist.

Central Valley lost 3-0 at Golden Valley on Thursday.

“The kids were engaged in the match even though we were out of playoffs,” Dudley said. 

Four of the Hawks’ six starters were underclassmen as Dudley promoted two freshmen from the junior-varsity level.

“It was a sneak peek for next year,” he said.

Central Valley has lost its last six league matches.

“We got cold at the wrong time,” Dudley said. “We started really hot. We were 6-1 in preseason. We hit league and were 3-3. Everybody was beating everybody. We were doing pretty well. Our confidence was high. If we would have had our normal roster (the rest of conference play), we would have been more competitive.”

Central Valley will close out the 2022 season with a home match against Atwater on April 26.

“I’m proud of the kids,” Dudley said. “We’re competing every night. That means something. The effort has never changed. Every player has continued to get better. They’re hard-working kids. They’re dedicated. They have winning attitudes. We’re in a tough league.”

“As far as us falling short of our goals, we have a very young team,” he added. “I’m excited for next year.”


Bulldogs beaten

Ceres High’s boys volleyball team suffered a pair of losses last week.

The Bulldogs dropped to 2-13 on the season and 1-10 in the Western Athletic Conference standings following Wednesday’s 3-1 (28-30, 25-21, 25-22, 25-22) loss to the Los Banos Tigers at Phil de la Porte Gymnasium.

Visiting Grace Davis topped Ceres High 3-2 on April 11 in Modesto.


TRACK & FIELD

Central Valley’s track and field program competed at the Central California Conference’s #3 Cluster Meet on April 13 at Veterans Stadium in Merced.

The Hawks totaled six points while finishing in sixth place in the boys team standings.

Golden Valley (184), Atwater (179.5), Patterson (62.5), Merced (53) and Buhach Colony (31) took first, second, third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

El Capitan (3) was last.

Roberto Tiscareno led the Hawks with a third-place finish in the pole vault.

Joseph Alamo placed seventh in the long jump.

Daniel Soares placed 12th in the 3,200 and 32nd in the 1,600.

Alejandro Hernandez placed 13th in the long jump.

Kevin Lee placed 14th in the 3,200 and 31st in the 1,600.

Roberto Rosales placed eighth in the 300 hurdles and 17th in the 1,600.

Kaleb LaFountain placed 19th in the discus and 24th in the shot put.

Alex Contreras placed 19th in the 800 and 28th in the 1,600.

Sergio Mendoza placed 20th in the discus and 25th in the shot put.

Central Valley’s girls placed last.

The Hawks totaled eight points.

Atwater (168.33), Golden Valley (118), Patterson (82.33), El Capitan (59), Merced (56.33) and Buhach Colony (41) finished first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.

Central Valley’s Kalli Hoffman placed second in the 100.

Supria Singh placed 14th in the 400, 18th in the long jump and 21st in the 200.

Savannah Gomez placed 20th in the discus and 26th in the shot put.

Julia Roton placed 22nd in the discus and 23rd in the shot put.

Jake Olson
Jake Olson and Central Valley’s baseball team will compete at the Oakdale Tournament this week. The Hawks dropped a pair of league games to Buhach Colony last week. - photo by Dale Butler