Three weeks removed from losing 14-8 to crosstown-rival Ceres High in boys water polo, Central Valley’s inaugural team exacted revenge during the rematch.
The Hawks spoiled the Bulldogs’ Senior Night with a 17-15 double-overtime victory in front of a large crowd on Oct. 23.
“It was so fun,” Central Valley head coach Tyler Bolton said while talking about needing extra time to beat Ceres High for the first time. “At that point, it takes a lot of endurance to complete a game. It takes a lot of grit. Your adrenaline is so high. Every play matters. There’s no margin for error.”
“I got to give their coach and players kudos,” Ceres High leader Sebastian Huerta Alvarado said. “They trained to beat us. They were ready to play right out of the game.”
Central Valley and Ceres High tied for sixth place in the Western Athletic Conference standings with identical 3-11 records.
The Hawks and Bulldogs beat each other once and Lathrop twice.
“We constantly improved,” Bolton said. “We took a lot of Ls along the way. Every team we played, the second time we got better.”
Bulldog senior players Mateo Gonzalez, Jonas Hayes and Zalan Arvai were honored prior to competing in their home pool for the last time.
Gonzalez was a four-year contributor.
“He was definitely the heart of the team,” Huerta Alvarado said. “He was the first one at practice. Nobody was more committed.”
Hayes and foreign-exchange student Arvai were newcomers.
“Jonas was one of our most improved players this season,” Huerta Alvarado said. “He never stopped working. He set an example. Zalan set the standard. He was vocal. He always worked hard. He meshed with all the other guys. He helped lead the way. We’ll miss his game play.”
Phillip Esparza tallied a game-high eight goals during Central Valley’s overtime win against Ceres High.
Caleb Beckhart added three goals. Nick DeLeon and Ari Luman both scored two goals. Ezekiel Castorena had one goal. Bulldog Abel Samaniego tallied a team-high seven goals versus the Hawks last week.
Arvai added three goals.
Hayes and Rowan Ramirez both scored two goals.
Jaxon Merrill had one goal.
Competitive from start to finish, Central Valley outlasted Ceres High in thrilling fashion during the rematch.
“The first time we played them, it was close,” Bolton said. “If we kept on improving, I knew it would be closer when we played them again. I was preparing the team for this game three weeks out. We were hyper focused.”
“It was really competitive,” Huerta Alvarado said. “We tried our best. We didn’t match their energy in the beginning. They capitalized on our mistakes and scored. Our cohesiveness could have been a lot better.”
The Hawks managed to beat the Bulldogs despite competing shorthanded.
DeLeon fouled out during the third quarter.
“That was a huge adjustment,” Bolton said. “Emilio (Castillo Galeana) and Krish (Deo) both really stepped up. They had some crucial defensive stops and steals.”
The Hawks and Bulldogs battled to a 14-14 tie in regulation.
Central Valley outscored Ceres High 3-1 during the extra periods.
“We wanted to end the season on a win,” Bolton said.
Ceres High tripled its victory total from the 2023 season. The Bulldogs were winless last fall.
“They were hungry,” Huerta Alvarado said. “The effort was a lot different. They wanted to be there. Their stamina was better. I swam them a lot. They competed against each other. We can only hope to build on this.”
The Hawks will return a host of talent next year. Central Valley will lose four players to graduation, including Esparza, Elijah Avina, Kyle Crum and Anthony Diaz.
“We’re headed in the right direction,” Bolton said.
Dawgs 17, Hawks 7
Ceres High’s and Central Valley’s girls water polo programs faced off for the second time in program history this past week.
The Bulldogs improved their head-to-head record against the Hawks to 2-0 with a 17-7 win on Senior Night at Ceres High on Oct. 23.
“It was a hard-fought game,” Central Valley head coach Kayla Himmist stated. “Neither team made it easy for the other. The refs let the girls battle it out.”
Ceres High and Central Valley placed fifth and last, respectively, in the Western Athletic Conference standings with 3-9 and 0-12 records.
The Hawks showed improvement during the course of their first season of water polo.
“Although we didn’t win any games, I’m proud of what we did,” Himmist said. “They wanted to learn and played hard. It was great to see the progress throughout the season. We have some strong players. We just need to build our numbers. I expect us to be winning a good amount of games in the next two to three years.”
Ceres High’s Layla Abraham and Jessie Blevins both scored a team-high six goals versus Central Valley last week.
Marie Cadriel added two goals. Eva Onzurez, Jennifer Sasser and Heaven Vasquez all contributed one goal.
Sophomore Lilyanna Madrigal accounted for all seven of Central Valley’s goals.
The Hawks trailed 8-4 at halftime.
CV was outscored 9-3 the rest of the match.
“Our second game against Ceres was better than the first one,” Himmist said. “I liked how our girls competed. Our girls did a good job of matching their energy. We tried to show everything we learned over the season to win. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen.”
Ceres High and Central Valley will move forward with new-look rosters next season as a combined nine players will be lost to graduation.
The Hawks will lose five players, including Emilia Barragan, Brianna Barraza, Cristina Carmona, Madyson Daniels and Alexa Sedano.
The Bulldogs will lose four players: Onsurez, Kaylie Clindaniel, Yaretzly Cactillo and Savannah Quintana.
“They really stepped up,” Himmist said. “They were leaders of the team. They were dedicated. They pushed themselves. They encouraged everybody.”
Central Valley will have a talented core of players to build around as Madrigal, Natalie Southavongsa (Jr.), Joellene Roton (So.) and Audrey Rhinehart (Fr.) will return to the team next fall.
“They’re going to be beasts during their junior and senior years,” Himmist said. “We need more supporting players to make it possible. Going into the future, I’m looking to recruit and build the program more.”
