Nicholas Dominguez has been named Central Valley High School’s Male Golden Hawk Award winner for the class of 2025.

“It’s one of the greatest awards I’ve ever received,” he said. “I’m grateful to be named it. It’s a privilege.”

“The goal wasn’t to win the Golden Hawk award,” Dominguez added. “The goal was to better myself and make my parents proud.”

A point system taking into account athletic achievement determined the winner.

Dominguez’s name  will be displayed on a banner inside Central Valley’s gymnasium, along with Joey Zuniga (2024), Jayson Casias (2023), Ruben Valenzuela (2022), Isaiah Hidalgo (2021), Thomas Carrillo (2020), Ryan Palecek (2019), Estevan Barragan (2018), Oso Fregoso (2017), Moses Ghiorso (2016), Jaron Dickson (2015), Ja’Quan Gardner (2014), Abraham Navarro (2013), Daniel Ochoa (2012), Tyree Jones (2011), Vince Lopez (2010), Trevor Mew (2009) and Mike Tubera (2008).

“It’s pretty surreal,” he said. “Me and my dad talked about it since freshman year. He told me he wanted my name up there.”

Dominguez earned five varsity letters during his prep athletic career, including two in both baseball and football, and one in basketball.

“Looking at my whole career, I definitely exceeded my expectations,” he said. “All of my coaches (Brad Bussard, Derrick Goblirsch and Mike Rodriguez) pushed me. They inspired me to be a better man. They helped me set up good foundational skills for life. They wanted the best for me.”

Dominguez’s main sport was baseball.

“It’s been my passion since I was younger,” he said. “I’ve been playing baseball since I was six.”

Dominguez was a standout pitcher at Central Valley.

He had a combined record of 13-3 with a 1.47 earned-run average, 111 strikeouts and 49 walks in 114 innings.

He earned first-team all-conference honors senior and junior years.

Dominguez posted a perfect 7-0 record with a 1.03 ERA, 62 strikeouts and 26 walks during his final season with the Hawks.

“I’m pretty proud of what I was able to do,” he said. “Coach Dudley helped develop me.”

Dominguez helped lead Central Valley to its best season to date this spring.

The Hawks compiled a program-best 21-9 overall record, claimed their first league title and secured their first home playoff win.

Central Valley won all 14 of its games en route to a first-place finish in the Western Athletic Conference standings.

Sixteenth-seeded Central Valley topped 17th-seeded Franklin of Stockton 8-3 during their Division-I Playoff Play-In Game and lost 4-2 to top-seeded/eventual runner-up St. Mary’s in the first round.

Dominguez surrendered just one earned run and four hits with three strikeouts and two walks in 41/3 innings versus St. Mary’s.

“Going into the season, I knew we’d have success,” Dominguez said.

The Hawks amassed a 36-23 overall record (22-4 in league) and qualified for the playoffs twice during Dominguez’s two-year stint on the team.

Central Valley won all four of its matchups against crosstown-rival Ceres High.

“I had such a good time,” he said. “I built bonds with every guy on the team for life.”

Dominguez contributed on both offense and defense in football.

He caught six passes for 74 yards and two touchdowns at tight end this past fall.

He had 17 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble at defensive end.

Dominguez started at tackle on Central Valley’s offensive line junior year.

He collected seven tackles, one interception and half a sack at defensive end.

Dominguez’s teams amassed a 5-15 record (2-11 in conference).

“Even though we didn’t get the outcome we wanted, we still had a great time,” he said. “It was really fun.”

Dominguez played basketball senior year.

He averaged 3.3 points and 2.1 rebounds at center for the Hawks, who went 16-13, finished third in the WAC standings (10-4) and qualified for the Division-I playoffs.

He scored a career-high 10 points in a 61-56 win over Riverbank.

“It’s not my best sport,” he said. “But I had a lot of fun with my teammates. Coach Rodriguez was a good motivator.”

Dominguez had a cumulative grade-point average of 3.52 at Central Valley.

He took a total of six Advanced Placement classes, including statistics, government, history, pre-calculus, literature and Spanish. He earned six college credits.

“It was definitely a challenge to balance life, sports and school,” Dominguez said. “My parents and coaches pushed me to get it done.”

Dominguez will continue his baseball career and further his education at Merced College. He’ll major in science.

“They have a really good baseball program over there,” Dominguez said. “It’s close to home. I still want to be around my family.”