Ceres High School’s Izaiah De La Torre, Andre Pina, David Flores and Ethan Oiterong earned all-league honors during the boys volleyball season.
De La Torre, Pina, Flores and Oiterong helped lead the Bulldogs to the Western Athletic Conference’s third-and-final playoff berth.
“They were all key players on the court,” Ceres High head coach Kelly Heese said.
Delatorre and Pina were both named to the WAC First Team.
Delatorre, a senior setter, led Ceres High in assists with 301.
He also had 39 digs and 17 aces.
Delatorre was also one of the Bulldogs’ team captains.
“He was a completely different player this year,” Heese said. “His mindset really changed. He was way more consistent. He found confidence in himself.”
Pina, a junior outside hitter, ranked first on the team in kills with 138.
He also had seven aces.
“He became an all-round player,” Heese said. “Every time he stepped on the court, he progressed. A lot of it was confidence.”
Pina excelled while playing a different position.
He contributed at middle blocker as a sophomore.
“He did great this year,” Heese said. “He grew leaps and bounds. I knew he was going to be a good outside hitter. I probably should have started training him at outside last year.”
Flores, a senior libero, was named to the WAC Second Team.
“He’s one of the most coachable, respectable kids I’ve ever coached,” Heese said. “He busted his tail day in and day out on the court.”
Oiterong, a senior team captain, earned WAC honorable-mention accolades for the second year in a row.
He contributed at outside hitter and on the back row.
“He has a love for the game like no other,” Heese said. “He worked hard for me. He could play pretty much any position on the court if I needed him to.”
Ceres High experienced a major turnaround this spring thanks in large part to the play of De La Torre, Pina, Flores and Oiterong.
The Bulldogs amassed a 12-6 overall record, placed third in the WAC and qualified for the Division-II playoffs.
Ceres High finished 2-17 and last in league play with a 1-14 mark last year.
“They were all crucial to our success,” Heese said. “They influenced everybody else.”
