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Hawks top Dawgs for consolation title at Pitman tourney
CV girls post 7-7 record during preseason
ahaynes.tiff
Central Valleys Adriana Haynes draws contact while attempting to score inside against Livermore in the first round of the Pitman Tournament. The Hawks lost 48-45 to the Cowboys. - photo by DALE BUTLER/The Courier

Central Valley High School's varsity girls basketball team faced off against Ceres High for the first time this season last week.

The Hawks improved their all-time record versus the crosstown Bulldogs to 9-10 with a 29-17 win in the consolation finals of the Pitman Tournament on Wednesday.

"I'm not a Ceres person," said Central Valley head coach Jesse Padilla, who resides in Turlock. "It's just another game."

The Hawks compiled a 2-1 record on their way to a fifth-place finish at the Turlock event.

Ceres High, which dropped two of three games, placed sixth.

"They have an all-around good team," Bulldogs head coach Kristen McClure said. "They're physical. They play hard. I do give them a lot of credit. If both of us played to our potential, it would have been more competitive."

Mikayla Mabie, Central Valley's top player, managed to score just eight points against Ceres High.

Alyssa Costa and Adriana Haynes added six and five points, respectively.

Teresa Diaz and Adria Robinson both tallied three points.

Blanca Espinoza and Simi Sahota collected two points each.

Bulldog standout player Nicole Bates mustered just five points.

Jasmine Moore also had five points.

Breanna Moreno collected three points.

Ariel Knights and Jade Moore finished with two points each.

Central Valley and Ceres High combined to score just 46 points.

The Hawks outscored the Bulldogs 10-1 in the opening eight minutes en route to building a 12-8 lead in the first half.

Ceres High trailed 23-14 at the end of the third quarter.

The Hawks limited the Bulldogs to just three points in the final period.

"Everyone was missing everything," Padilla said. "It was an ugly game."

Central Valley will begin Western Athletic Conference play this week.

The Hawks (7-7) will play at defending WAC-champion Patterson on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

"I'm glad preseason is over," Padilla said. "We played some pretty good teams. We did okay. Now, we can get ready for league. We just got to play together as a team, communicate, finish at the hoop and make our free throws."