The Courier highlights the success of prep athletes that excelled in their respective sports this past year with this recap.

1. Senior Brianna Espinoza made program history by becoming the first female wrestler from Central Valley High School to medal at the CIF State Championships for the second time. She placed eighth in the 235-pound weight bracket. Espinoza stands alone as Central Valley’s all-time greatest wrestler, female or male. She ranks ahead of Nayeli Pelayo, Giana Breshears, Brianna Quiroz, Malynda Lomeli, Rose Moore, Alicia Espinoza, Lexy (Cordova) Zuniga, Carla Martinez, Michael Miller, Ruben Valenzuela, David Lezama, Luis Saucedo and Adrian Vizcaino. Espinoza amassed a 47-13 overall record during her final season. She advanced to state for the third year in a row. She finished second at the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Tournament. She claimed her third consecutive South Regional title. She won her fourth straight league championship, including first in the Western Athletic Conference. She was a three-time Central California Conference champion. Espinoza also accomplished another first in team history by collecting 100 career wins. She won a combined 119 matches her final three seasons.

2. Senior Harkiran Sandhu made history by becoming Central Valley’s first-ever singles league champion in girls tennis. She won all four of her matches at the Western Athletic Conference Tournament. Sandhu earned first-team all-WAC honors for her outstanding play. She amassed a near-perfect 17-1 record versus conference competition this year. She started at No. 2 singles during the regular season. A No. 1 doubles player as a sophomore, Sandhu won all 12 of her league matches while contributing at No. 6 singles as a junior.

3. Senior Aleena Higle made history by becoming Central Valley’s first outright conference Most Valuable Player in girls tennis. Emely Amaya was voted the WAC’s co-MVP in 2024. Higle won all 14 of her matches while starring at No. 1 singles during the 2025 regular season. She bested three of four opponents en route to a second-place finish at the WAC Singles Tournament. Higle posted a 7-5 record as the Hawks’ top player as a junior. She was selected to the WAC First Team. Higle contributed at No. 3 singles as a sophomore and doubles as a freshman.

4. Chris Garcia joined elite company by becoming just the third baseball player from Central Valley to earn Most Valuable Player honors. The senior pitcher was voted MVP of the Western Athletic Conference following the conclusion of the 2025 season. Garcia posted a 6-0 record on the mound with a 0.00 ERA, 64 strikeouts and just six walks in conference play. He batted .300 from the plate on offense with one double, eight RBIs, 17 runs, seven walks, 13 hit by pitches and four stolen bases. Garcia totaled 11 strikeouts and one walk in Central Valley’s 8-3 victory against Franklin of Stockton in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-I playoffs.

5. Senior Mariah Zamora enjoyed her best season to date with Ceres High’s girls track and field team. Zamora placed first in both the triple jump (35-103/4) and long jump (16-31/4) at the Western Athletic Conference Championships. She broke the WAC finals record in the triple jump. She also set a personal record in the event. Zamora finished third in the triple jump (35-3) and ninth in the long jump (15-5) at the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-IV meet. She placed 15th in the triple jump (33-81/2) at Masters. Zamora will be remembered as one of Ceres High’s greatest triple jumpers.

6. Central Valley’s Giana Breshears compiled a 1-2 record in the 130-pound weight bracket while making her third appearance at the CIF State Girls Wrestling Championships as a junior. Breshears won 32 of 41 matches on the season. She finished fourth at the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Tournament. She placed first at South Regionals for the second time in three years. Breshears took second at the Western Athletic Conference finals.

7. Central Valley girls wrestling standout Alicia Espinoza won one of three matches while making her second appearance at the CIF State Meet. The 190-pound junior posted a 24-13 overall record. She finished third at Masters and second at South Regionals. Espinoza won her third straight league championship. 

8. Ava Montesdeoca was voted the Western Athletic Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year during her final season of softball at Ceres High School. The senior shortstop also earned first-team all-conference honors for the fourth time. Montesdeoca batted .609 this past spring with three homers, seven triples, seven doubles, 30 RBIs, 41 runs and 19 stolen bases. She committed just two errors on the year en route to posting a fielding percentage of .944. Montesdeoca set career-high marks in batting average, triples, RBIs, on-base plus slugging percentage, slugging percentage and on-base percentage.

9. Ceres High girls flag football star Lilly Staggs was voted the Western Athletic Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year. The senior running back/receiver totaled 1,051 yards and 19 touchdowns. Staggs was also a standout in girls basketball. She earned first-team all-WAC honors for her outstanding play at point guard. She averaged 13.8 points, 3.3 steals, 2.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. Staggs ranked first on the team in points per game, steals per game, field goals made, 3-pointers made, total points, total assists and total steals, second in assists per game, third in free throws made and total blocks, and fifth in rebounds per game and total rebounds.

10. Senior Angel Melgoza made program history by becoming just the second male wrestler from Central Valley to win 100 career matches. The fourth-year grappler compiled a 41-5 overall record while competing in the 215-pound weight division during his final season with the Hawks. Melgoza placed first at the Western Athletic Conference Championships and second at the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-IV Tournament. He finished in the top 12 at Masters. He won two of three matches before withdrawing from the tournament with an elbow injury. Melgoza ranked sixth in the Section and 35th in the state heading into Masters.

11. Aaralyn Jauregui filled the stat sheet while starring on Central Valley’s girls soccer team as a sophomore striker. Jauregui was voted the Western Athletic Conference’s Most Valuable Player. She collected 26 goals and 10 assists on the season.

12. David Rodriguez Ochoa enjoyed a breakout season with Ceres High’s boys track and field team as a junior. He swept the 110 hurdles (15.43) and 300 hurdles (41.52) at the Western Athletic Conference Championships. He set personal records in both events. Rodriguez Ochoa set a personal record while finishing second in the 110 hurdles (15.27) at the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-IV meet. He took 19th in the 110 hurdles (15.75) at Masters. Rodriguez Ochoa ranks eighth in the event in program history.

13. Four-year team captain Madeline Schultz will be remembered as one of Ceres High’s all-time greatest female wrestlers despite having her final season cut short by a left leg injury. Schultz compiled a program-best 22-5 overall record senior year. She made history by becoming one of the first female grapplers from Ceres High to bring home a medal from the Sierra Nevada Classic. She placed fifth with a 4-2 record in the 190-pound weight bracket. Schultz collected nine wins and no losses while claiming titles at the Super Girl Showdown (Ceres High), Women’s Havoc in the Hawksnest (Central Valley), Doug Severe Classic (Beyer) and Pitman Rumble Tournament. She also finished third at the Bristow Brawl (Atwater) and fifth at the Lady Apache Invitational (Sanger). Schultz was ranked fourth in her weight division in the Sac-Joaquin Section prior to suffering a career-ending injury.

14. Elizabeth Boyd etched her name in the record books by becoming one of the first female wrestlers from Ceres High School to medal at the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Championships, along with Bulldog teammate Dayanna Alvarez. The junior finished sixth with a 4-3 record in the 170-pound weight class. Boyd fell one victory shy of becoming the Bulldogs’ first-ever state-qualifier. Boyd took fourth at South Regionals (3-2) and second at the Western Athletic Conference finals. She also made program history as Ceres High’s first medalists (sixth place) at the Sierra Nevada Classic.

15. Ceres High’s Ashton Urena was named the Western Athletic Conference’s Utility Player of the Year following a productive junior campaign of baseball. He logged playing time at pitcher, third base and shortstop. Urena batted .353 on the year with four doubles, 17 RBIs, 17 runs, eight walks and nine stolen bases. He posted a 5-4 record on the mound with 3.06 earned-run average, 53 strikeouts, 15 walks, one no-hitter and two complete games.

16. Dayanna Alvarez made program history by becoming one of the first female wrestlers from Ceres High to medal at the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Tournament. The 145-pound junior won four of six matches en route to a seventh-place finish. Alvarez took second at South Regionals (3-1).

17. Senior Zack Esparza placed first in the 100 fly and 100 back while representing Central Valley’s boys swimming program at the Western Athletic Conference Championships. He set personal records in both events. Esparza finished the WAC season undefeated in the 100 back and lost just once in the 100 fly. He avenged his lone loss at the league finals.

18. A multi-sport athlete, Central Valley senior Anantah “Kai” Sivongxay garnered first-team all-Western Athletic Conference recognition in both boys soccer and boys tennis. Sivongxay’s main position in soccer was defensive midfielder. He also contributed at winger, center back, left back and right back. Sivongxay had five goals and five assists. He led the Hawks in steals with 202. It didn’t take long for Sivongxay to ascend to the top spot in Central Valley’s tennis lineup. A No. 3 doubles player as a freshman, Sivongxay started at No. 1 singles during his final two seasons with the Hawks. He logged playing time at No. 4 singles as a sophomore.

19. Central Valley’s William Montez excelled in two sports, including football and boys golf. Montez earned first-team all-Western Athletic Conference recognition during his final season on the gridiron. The left tackle anchored the Hawks’ offensive line. Montez was a second-team all-conference selection on the links as a junior. He ranked ninth in the WAC’s individual standings. Montez accomplished a first in his prep golf career by securing an individual berth to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-IV Tournament.