Ceres High’s varsity track and field program has high hopes heading into the 2019 season.

The Bulldogs will compete in the new-look Western Athletic Conference.

Powerhouse Livingston moved to the Trans Valley League as part of the Sac-Joaquin Section’s realignment plan.

“We enjoyed competing against Livingston,” Ceres High coach Brett Johnson said. “We’re not sad to see them go because it opens the door for other teams to be successful.”

Shania Evans (Sr.), Azar Harrison (Sr.), Alyssa Stiles (Sr.), Catryna Marquez (So.), Destiny Suarez (Sr.) and Mercedez Wood (So.), Allison Stiles (So.) and Mya Robinson (Jr.) will lead Ceres High’s girls team, which took second in the 2018 WAC dual-meet standings (4-1).

“I’m confident our girls can compete with anybody in our league,” Johnson said. “They’re a talented group. They work hard.”

Evans placed second in the triple jump at the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-IV Championships last spring. She took second in the triple jump and fifth in the long jump at the WAC finals.

Harrison set a personal record while placing fourth in the 400 at Divisionals. She took seventh in the 200. Harrison finished third in the 200 and 400 at the conference championships.

Stiles placed fourth in the triple jump and 10th in the long jump at Divisionals. She took first in the triple jump and third in the long jump in league.

Marquez placed sixth in the triple jump at Divisionals. She took fourth in league.

Suarez placed seventh in the 1,600 at Divisionals. She took third in the 1,600 and seventh in the 800 in league.

Wood placed ninth in the discus at Divisionals. She took fourth in the discus and fifth in the shot put in league.

Daniel Yepez (Sr.), Aaron Alarcon (Sr.) and Luis Yepez (So.), Bryan Erenas (Jr.), Isaac Vizcaino (Sr.) and Samar Singh (So.) will lead Ceres High’s boys team, which tied for second place in the WAC dual-meet standings (3-2) last year.

“We should be extremely competitive every week,” Johnson said. 

A newcomer to track and field in 2018, Daniel Yepez tied for 19th place in the 300 hurdles at the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Championships. He took fourth in the 300 hurdles and eighth in the triple jump at the Division-IV meet. Yepez finished third in the 300 hurdles and triple jump, and fourth in the 110 hurdles at the league finals.

Alarcon placed seventh in the 800 and 10th in the triple jump at Divisionals. He took second in the 800 and triple jump in league.

Luis Yepez placed fourth in the triple jump and 10th in the 200 in league.

Ceres High’s WAC schedule includes dual meets against Los Banos, Pacheco, Beyer, Grace Davis, Johansen, Lathrop and Mountain House.

The conference championships will be staged on May 4 in Los Banos.

“It’s nice to see new competition,” Johnson said. “It’s going to be a longer grind this year because there are more teams. We have a dual every single week except for spring break.”