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INTRA-CITY RIVALS CLASH
CHS football team ends seven-year skid against CV squad
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Bulldog running back Brent Bussard (34) hurdles a pair of Hawk defenders. Bussard and Ceres Highs varsity football team eliminated Central Valley from playoff consideration with a 24-7 victory. - photo by DALE BUTLER/The Courier

Crosstown-rivals Ceres High and Central Valley squared off in six varsity sports this fall.

The Bulldogs enjoyed success against the Hawks in football, girls golf and cross country during the Western Athletic Conference dual season.

Central Valley defeated Ceres High in girls tennis and volleyball.

The Hawks' and Bulldogs' boys soccer squads were evenly matched.

FOOTBALL
Ceres High snapped a seven-year losing streak versus Central Valley with a 24-7 victory at Bulldog Stadium.

The win eliminated the Hawks from playoff consideration during the final day of the regular season.

Brad Bussard passed for 186 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions while making his final start at quarterback for Ceres High.

Juan Anderson and sophomore Marcellus Boykins had TD receptions of 57 and 6 yards, respectively.

Anderson also booted a 20-yard field goal and made all three of his point-after kicks.

Junior Johnni Smith-Willis rushed for 129 yards and one touchdown on 31 carries.

The Bulldogs racked up 354 yards of total offense.

Ceres High's Daniel Raya filled the stat sheet with two tackles, two interceptions, two pass deflections and two fumble recoveries.

The Hawks mustered just 172 yards and committed a season-high seven turnovers.

All-purpose player Moses Ghiorso accounted for Central Valley's lone touchdown.

Ceres High (3-7 overall) and Central Valley (5-5) tied for fourth place in the Western Athletic Conference standings with identical 2-4 marks.

GIRLS GOLF
Ceres High won both of its matches against Central Valley thanks in large part to the play of Caitlin Pfaff, Abigail Nou, Erica Hogner, Brittany Turnbow and Hannah Smith.

The Bulldogs earned 130-165 and 141-180 victories against the Hawks.

Janita Vongphoumy, Arriana Ayala, Else Smith and Soraida Felix posted scores for Central Valley.

Ceres High won all 12 of its WAC dual matches.

The Bulldogs also placed first at the conference's mid-season and year-end tournaments.

CROSS COUNTRY
Christian Linarez, Manuel Baez, Efren Ramirez, Nick Burt and Angel Macias helped propel Ceres High's boys team to a 19-39 win over Central Valley at Ceres River Bluff Regional Park.

Linarez (19:10), Baez (20:43), Ramirez (20:45), Burt (21:21) and Macias (22:01) took first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.

The Hawks top finishers were Ben Saldana (second, 19:10), Gilberto Alvarez (seventh, 22:14), Diego Andrade (ninth, 22:24), Alejandro Espinoza (10th, 23:22) and Anthony Carrillo (11th, 23:23).

Ceres High and Central Valley compiled identical 2-4 records while tying for fourth place during the Western Athletic Conference regular-season dual-meet season.

Ceres High won the girls competition by forfeit, 15-50, due to Central Valley's thin roster.

The Bulldogs (5-1) placed second in the WAC.

Central Valley (1-5) finished in sixth place.

GIRLS TENNIS
Central Valley swept the season series (2-0) and improved their all-time record versus Ceres High to 3-15.

The Hawks earned a pair of 5-4 victories against the Bulldogs.

Chelsea Flores, Princess Pe, Amy Nguyen, Vanessa Monroy, Emely Amaya, Jadah Jackson, Teresa Diaz and Celest Lepe led the way.

The second-place Hawks (10-2) of the Western Athletic Conference secured their first-ever playoff berth.

The third-place Bulldogs (8-4) also advanced to the postseason.

VOLLEYBALL
A pair of victories helped Central Valley even its head-to-head record against Ceres High to 9-9.

Ellysa Widas had 21 assists and one ace during the Hawks' 22-25, 25-8, 25-17, 20-25, 15-6 victory over the Bulldogs at CV.

Julia Ramsey collected 12 kills, five digs and one block.

Blanca Espinoza added 12 digs, one kill and one ace.

Lynaya Lerma chipped in with six blocks, three digs and three kills.

Elizabeth Olide totaled five digs and three aces.

Jessica Arreola led the Bulldogs with 21 digs.

Cameron Diaz had 16 assists and four aces.

Valerie Hamilton tallied 11 kills.

Kendall Meyer totaled seven blocks.

Central Valley defeated Ceres High 22-25, 25-8, 25-10, 25-15 at Phil de la Porte Gym.

Ramsey accumulated 13 kills, six digs, two blocks, two aces and one assist.

Lerma tallied eight blocks, one kill, one dig and one ace.

Alyssa Costa had six kills.

Ally Hailey led the Bulldogs with 16 digs.

Meyer tallied 11 blocks.

Diaz collected eight assists and two aces.

Central Valley (8-5) qualified for the playoffs for the first time.

The Hawks secured the Western Athletic Conference's third and final postseason berth.

Last-place Ceres High compiled a 1-11 record in WAC play.

BOYS SOCCER
Central Valley and Ceres High tied twice (2-2, 1-1).

The Bulldogs overcame a two-goals-to-none deficit during the second meeting.

Cristopher Torres and Adrian Espinoza both scored for Ceres High.

Giovanni Avalos and Angel Aguilar accounted for the Hawks' goals.

Bulldog goalkeeper Martin Reyes stopped a penalty kick in the second half when the two teams met for the first time this season.

Torres gave Ceres High a 1-0 lead midway through the first half.

Central Valley's sideline and cheering section erupted less than 10 minutes later when Juan Martinez tallied a goal.

Central Valley (7-0-5) and Ceres High (6-3-3) placed second and fourth, respectively, in the Western Athletic Conference standings.

The Hawks failed to capture their seventh straight conference title.

The Bulldogs had their streak of consecutive playoff appearances snapped at six seasons.