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Dawgs medal at WAC finals
Arturo Estrada CHS
Arturo Estrada, pictured with Ceres High boys wrestling coaches Adam Borges and Casey Paulino, claimed the 132-pound title at the WAC Championships on Saturday in Los Banos.

The members of Ceres High’s youth-laden girls wrestling program are peaking at the right time.

The Bulldogs brought home seven individual medals from the Western Athletic Conference Championships.

The WAC finals were held on Saturday at Pacheco High School.

“They all wrestled tough,” Ceres High head coach Curtis Hulstine said while assessing the performance of his grapplers. “We had a bunch of placers. I finally got my first league champ. I’m really happy to see that. It shows the future of our program.”

Seeded third, Bulldog freshman Dayanna Alvarez claimed the 137-pound title.

“She definitely earned it,” Hulstine said. “It wasn’t a gimme.”

Alvarez accounted for 22 of Ceres High’s team points. 

She compiled a 2-0 record.

She topped Los Banos’ Angeline Tovar (decision, 8-3) and Pacheco’s Yasmin Jimenez (pin, 4:34).

Alvarez is a newcomer to the sport.

“She’s wrestling really well right now,” Hulstine said. “She’s strong, aggressive and works the technique. She’s just a hard worker. She’s a Dawg.”

Ceres High’s two other finalists were junior Makynzie Hale and freshman Elizabeth Boyd.

Hale placed second with a 1-1 record at 160 pounds.

Boyd placed second with a 1-1 record at 189 pounds.

Jaden Stahl (121s), Jayda Bryant (160s), Isabella Nungaray (101s) and Madeline Schultz (170s) all placed third in their respective weight brackets.

Stahl, a sophomore, posted a 2-1 record.

Bryant posted a 2-1 record.

Nungaray, a sophomore, posted a 1-1 record.

Schultz, a sophomore, injury defaulted to third place.

Ceres High totaled 94 points en route to a third-place finish in the team standings at the WAC Championships.

Los Banos (202) and Pacheco (134) took first and second, respectively.

“That was expected,” said Hulstine. “We only brought seven girls.”

Alvarez, Hale, Boyd, Nunguray, Stahl, Bryant, Schultz and Haro will compete at the Sac-Joaquin Section South Regionals this Friday and Saturday at Central Valley High School.


Bulldogs medal

Ceres High boys senior wrestler Arturo Estrada realized a season-long goal while competing at the Western Athletic Conference Championships on Saturday at Pacheco High School.

He won the 132-pound title.

“It’s something he’s been working for all year,” Bulldogs’ Coach Casey Paulino said. “He’s always wanted to be the best.”

Estrada and Bulldog teammates Dakota Adams and Joseph Alcala all secured individual berths to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-IV Tournament, to be staged this Saturday at Casa Roble High School.

The top four placers in each weight class at the WAC finals extended their seasons.

Ceres High’s Nathan Miranda and Parker Borges were named alternates for Divisionals.

Estrada compiled a 2-0 record at the WAC Championships.

He was the top seed.

“He’s wrestling really well. He’s focused. He tries to work every angle he possibly can. He’s not overthinking anymore. He always has another plan if something falls through. He’s having a lot of fun on the mat.”

Adams took second with a 1-1 record at 126 pounds.

A newcomer to wrestling, Adams was seeded fourth.

 “We knew he was going to be good. But I think he surprised himself. He’s very strong and athletic. That helps him out.”

Alcala took fourth with a 2-2 record at 147 pounds.

He bested Pacheco’s Christian De La O (pin, 3:27) and Mountain House’s Jordan Reynolds (decision, 4-2).

Alcala, a sophomore, was unseeded.

Miranda took fifth with a 2-3 record at 197 pounds.

Borges, a freshman, took fifth with a 2-2 record at 122 pounds.

Ceres High’s McCoy Adams (108s, 2-2), Jaylin Jackson (287s, 1-2) and Jaime Torres (172s, 1-2) all placed fifth.

Hunter Hammons (222s 1-3) and Calen Adams (115s, 0-3) both placed sixth.

“Everybody wrestled hard,” noted Paulino. 

The Bulldogs placed seventh as a team at the WAC Championships.

Ceres High (112 points) finished ahead of Mountain House (64).

“My hopes weren’t too high because we’re rebuilding. We have a lot of good parts in place. We have to keep nurturing their wrestling ability that way they get better.”


Dayanna Alvarez
Freshman Dayanna Alvarez, pictured with Ceres High girls wrestling coaches Jon Alba and Curtis Hulstine, placed first in the 137-pound bracket at the WAC Championships.