Central Valley’s baseball program enjoyed its best season to date last spring.

Ceres High also had a memorable year.

The Hawks and Bulldogs enter the 2026 campaign full of optimism.

“It took a long time to build Central Valley into one of the better programs in our area,” fourth-year head coach Brad Bussard said. “We do everything possible for these kids to be successful. We give them as good of an experience you’re going to get. The word is getting around and people want to be a part of it.”

“We have an opportunity to do well,” Ceres High head coach Bret Durossette said. “We got a great group of kids. They work hard every day. They love the game of baseball.”

The Hawks have an 18-person roster.

Central Valley returns eight players from a season ago, including Fernando Dominguez (Sr.), Carter Hernandez (Sr.), Caden Mendonca (Sr.), Samuel Rubio (Sr.), Isaias Valdovinos (Sr.), Mason Whitworth (Sr.), Tyson Hunt (Jr.) and Ezequiel Verduzco (Jr.).

Central Valley has 10 newcomers: Isaac Lopez (Sr.), Nathan Cazares (Jr.), Dominic Delatorre (Jr.), Xavier Felix (Jr.), Julian Magana (Jr.), Marcus Olivas (Jr.), Adrian Vega (Jr.), Adrian Delahoya (So.), Noah Maldonado (So.) and Isaac Fletcher (Fr.).

“We have a lot of talent this year,” Bussard said. “Pitching, we have guys that throw strikes and compete. Offensively, we’re deeper with our lineup. Defensively, we return pretty much our whole infield.”

Whitworth and Hunt are team leaders.

Whitworth was voted the Western Athletic Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year as a junior.

He batted .500 from the plate with two doubles, seven RBIs, 16 runs and nine stolen bases in 14 games.

He ranked first on the team in hits, second in batting average, doubles, runs, walks and stolen bases, and fifth in RBIs.

Mendonca, Hernandez and Fernando Dominguez were selected to the WAC First Team.

Mendonca batted .514 with one triple, three doubles, eight RBIs, 11 runs and 12 stolen bases.

Hernandez batted .342 with one double, 15 RBIs, seven runs and five stolen bases.

Dominguez batted .333 from the plate this year with one home run, one double, 13 RBIs, 12 runs and three stolen bases.

He had a fielding percentage of 1.000.

Verduzco was named to the WAC Second Team.

He batted .379 with three triples, three doubles, eight RBIs, 11 runs and five stolen bases.

“Mason is a lead-by-example type of guy,” Bussard said. “Tyson is vocal. He brings extra energy to the team.”

The Bulldogs have an 11-person roster.

“Hopefully, more kids will want to play baseball (in the future),” Durossette said.

Ceres High returns six players from last season’s team, including Ashton Urena (Sr.), Junior Sombrerero (Jr.), Anthony Trevino (Jr.), Mario Vargas (Jr.), Isaac Moreno (So.) and Jake Oliver (So.).

The Bulldogs have five newcomers: Gabe Malagon (Jr.), Malyki Reedy (Jr.), Jose Ortiz (So.), Isaiah Reyes (So.) and Steven Burciaga (Fr.).

“They’re all great kids,” Durossette said.

Urena, Trevino, Vargas and Moreno are team leaders.

Urena was voted the WAC Utility Player of the Year as a junior.

He batted .409 with two doubles, 10 RBIs, nine runs, five walks and four stolen bases in 14 games.

He had on-base, slugging and on-base plus slugging percentages of .460, .455 and .915, respectively.

He ranked second on the team in batting average, hits, RBIs, slugging percentage and on-base plus slugging percentage, and third in on-base percentage.

Urena posted a 3-2 record at pitcher with a 4.05 ERA, 29 strikeouts, 10 walks and one no-hitter in 272/3 innings.

Trevino was named to the WAC Second Team as a sophomore.

He batted .306 with four RBIs and seven runs.

Central Valley compiled a 21-9 overall record, finished first in the Western Athletic Conference (14-0) and bested one of two opponents in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-I playoffs a year ago.

The Hawks also experienced success at the junior-level. Cazares, Delahoya, Delatorre, Felix, Lopez, Magana, Maldonado, Olivas and Vega led Central Valley’s JV team to a 20-7 mark and the conference title (14-0)

Ceres High posted a 19-9 overall record, placed second in the WAC (10-4) and advanced to the Division-III playoffs.

The top three teams in league were awarded postseason berths.

Central Valley made history in 2025 by setting a program record for wins in a single season and claiming its first league title.

Ceres High enjoyed its best season to date since 2016-17.

The Bulldogs will be vying for their 11th playoff appearance in 16 years this spring.

Central Valley will look to continue its run of recent success.

“We have a talented team,” Bussard stated. “We’re very goal-oriented. The league title is the expectation. Our goal is to win playoff games.”

“The expectation is to buy into playing baseball and do the right things to be competitive,” Durossette added.