The Central Valley girls flag football team’s playoff hopes took a major hit last week.

Ceres High was eliminated from postseason contention.

“It was a tough week,” Hawks’ head coach Tony Cordova said. “We were in the driver’s seat. If we won both of our games, we’re in second place and still have a really good chance at playoffs. We still have an outside shot.”

“Obviously, you plan to do your best,” Bulldogs’ leader Curtis Hulstine said. “Most of the games we lost were close. I’m proud of the girls. They’re hard workers no matter what.”

The Hawks dropped from second to fifth in the Western Athletic Conference standings following their 24-20 loss to the Johansen Vikings on Oct. 14 in Ceres.

Central Valley dominated the first meeting, 26-0.

The Hawks fell to 7-14 overall and 6-6 in the WAC.

The eighth-place Vikings improved to 2-12 and 2-10.

“I give Johansen a lot of credit,” Cordova said. “They refocused and took us out.”

Central Valley quarterback Nelmarie Diaz ran for 109 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries and threw for 63 yards and one score on five pass completions against Johansen.

Pearl Ramirez caught three passes for 28 yards and one TD.

Ayleen Apreza rushed for 56 yards on seven carries.

She returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown.

She totaled six flag pulls and two pass deflections.

Alicia Torres had four flag pulls and one pass deflection.

Central Valley cut an 18-point deficit to four points late in the game.

Down 24-20, Diaz threw what appeared to be a go-ahead touchdown pass to Apreza with less than one minute to play.

The TD was negated on a penalty.

Johansen ended Central Valley’s three-game unbeaten streak.

“It’s our fault,” Cordova said. “We didn’t play well the first three quarters. We only had six points.”

Central Valley lost 13-12 at Livingston on Oct. 12.

The Hawks compiled an 0-2 record versus the fourth-place Wolves (10-13, 6-6) in WAC play.

Livingston won the first meeting, 25-14.

“Livingston has a good team,” Cordova said. “We knew it was going to be a tough game. We were confident.”

The Hawks had an opportunity to take the lead in the fourth quarter during the rematch after Apreza intercepted a pass at the Wolves’ 30-yard line.

Central Valley’s offense stalled.

“We couldn’t punch it in,” Cordova said.

Diaz led Central Valley’s offense.

She rushed for 102 yards and one touchdown.

She also passed for 55 yards and one TD.

Apreza caught two passes for 29 yards and one touchdown and ran for 29 yards on eight carries.

She had one interception on defense.

Daniela Barajas had a team-high five flag pulls.

Ceres High dropped to 6-14 overall and seventh-place in the WAC standings with a 4-8 mark following its 40-6 loss to Grace Davis on Oct. 14 at Gregori High School.

The Bulldogs suffered their third consecutive loss and will miss the playoffs for the first time in their four-year history.

The third-place Spartans improved to 14-6 and 7-5.

Ceres High lost 14-0 to Grace Davis on Sept. 21 at Johansen High School.

The Spartans widened the competitive gap during the rematch versus the shorthanded Bulldogs.

“We were missing four girls due to an Ag event,” Hulstine said.

Ceres High quarterback Evelyn Sciosciole completed 8 of 15 passes for 52 yards with one touchdown.

Maria Bravo hauled in five passes for 32 yards and one touchdown.

Abigail Schultz rushed for 45 yards on four carries.

Sciosciole had a team-high six flag pulls on defense.

Gabriella Cole tallied a team-high two sacks.

Ceres High suffered a 39-21 loss while playing host to Pacheco on Oct. 12.

The Panthers battled back from a 13-0 deficit to spoil the Bulldogs’ Senior Night.

“We let mistakes alter our spirit,” Hulstine said.

Hulstine recognized eight Bulldog upperclassmen players before their second-to-last home game, including Bravo, Samantha Alcarez, Alyssa Arbaugh, Camila Felix-Ochoa, Maya Galvan, Jackie Guillory, Daisy Leon and Yaresly Lopez.

“They are a huge part of the history of the program and why it’s been successful,” Hulstine said.

Bravo ran for 100 yards and two touchdowns, both team-highs, on just four carries versus the second-place Panthers (10-6, 8-4).

She also had three receptions for 55 yards.

Sciosciole passed for 90 yards on 10 completions, rushed for 30 yards on two carries and hauled in two passes for 25 yards.

Central Valley and Ceres High will close out WAC play today.

The Bulldogs will play host to the Hawks.

Kickoff slated for 7:15 p.m.

Central Valley lost by two points, 20-18, to Ceres High at home on Sept. 28.

“The crosstown games are always competitive,” Hulstine said.

GIRLS TENNIS

Central Valley’s girls tennis team is inching closer to winning its third consecutive Western Athletic Conference title.

Youth-laden Ceres High has yet to break into the WAC victory column.

“The girls put in a lot of hard work to be in a position to win league,” Hawks’ head coach Nimrat Chahal said. “It’s a nice place to be as a program.”

Central Valley remained in a first-place tie atop the WAC standings with Beyer after shutting out Johansen 9-0 on Oct. 14 in Ceres.

The Hawks improved to 11-1 in conference play.

“We expected to be in this position,” Chahal said. “We brought back a strong team from last year.”

Central Valley swept all six singles and three doubles versus Johansen.

“We took care of business,” Chahal said.

Central Valley clinched its third straight playoff berth with a 7-2 victory at Livingston on Oct. 12.

“It was bound to happen the way our season has been going,” Chahal said.

The Hawks swept all six singles and won two of three doubles matches against the Wolves.

Ceres High put up a fight in losing 6-3 at Grace Davis on Oct. 14.

The Bulldogs fell to 0-12 in the WAC standings.

Ceres High won two of six singles and one of three doubles matches against Grace Davis.

Ceres High lost 7-2 to visiting Pacheco on Oct. 12.

The Bulldogs won two of three doubles matches versus the Panthers.

Ceres High dropped all six singles matches to Pacheco.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

Central Valley’s girls volleyball team topped Johansen for the second time this season and exacted revenge versus Livingston last week.

Ceres High was beaten by Grace Davis and Pacheco.

Nearly a month removed from suffering a 3-0 loss at Livingston, the Hawks earned a measure of redemption with a 3-1 victory over the Wolves in Western Athletic Conference play on Oct. 12 in Ceres.

Central Valley improved to 8-15 overall and moved into a tie for fifth place in the WAC standings with a 5-7 mark after cruising to a 3-0 win at Johansen on Oct. 14.

The last-place Vikings dropped to 0-14 and 0-10.

Central Valley shut out Johansen 3-0 earlier this season in Ceres.

The Hawks have won three of their last five matches since losing 3-1 to the crosstown-rival Bulldogs.

Ceres High closed the competitive game while suffering a 3-2 (26-24, 16-25, 25-23, 23-25, 16-14) loss to visiting Grace Davis on Oct. 14.

The Spartans won the first meeting, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-18).

Seventh-place Ceres High dropped to 5-14 overall and 2-8 in the WAC standings.

Fourth-place Grace Davis improved to 7-11 and 6-6.

Ceres High fell 3-0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-12) at third-place Pacheco (11-18, 7-5) on Oct. 12.