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JV soccer team wins league title
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The Ceres High JV boys soccer team did it again.

For the second year in a row, the Bulldogs went undefeated.

Ceres extended its unbeaten streak in league to 33 games with a 2-2 tie against Beyer in Modesto on Friday.

The Bulldogs finished first in the Modesto Metro Conference with a 13-0-2 record. Last season, they won the Central California Conference title with a 16-0-2 record.

This year's team had just three returners, including A.J. Salgado, Edwin Chavez and Jesse Tang.

"I'm proud of the guys," said Ceres coach Armando Martinez.

"We played together."

Added Ceres varsity coach Joe Byrne: "To go undefeated for that long is quite an accomplishment."

Beyer almost ended Ceres' streak. The Patriots led 2-1 at intermission as they converted a penalty kick in the 18th minute and scored on a header off a cornerkick in the 28th minute.

Ernesto Plancarte accounted for the Bulldogs' lone goal in the first half. He scored from 10 yards out off a pass from Samuel Saldate in the 15th minute.

"I wasn't worried," Martinez said. "I told the guys at half, 'If you want this game, you got to work.'"

The Bulldogs responded and outscored the Patriots 1-0 in the second half.

With five minutes remaining in the match, Chris Marlin scored from eight yards out off an assist from Julian Arias. He collected a pass at midfield, dribbled into the box, faked the goalie and booted the ball into the right corner of the net.

"He made it look easy," Martinez said.

Ceres' Eddy Salinas had a breakaway chance in the 62nd minute but fired a shot right at Beyer's goalie.

Edgardo Yepez had five saves in goal for the Bulldogs.

"We could have beat them easily if I had all of my players," Martinez said. "Three starters (Salgado, Ariel Martinez and Francisco Romero) were out."

So how will next year's team do?

"I'll be losing a lot of players to the new high school and the varsity team," Martinez said. "That doesn't mean we're not going to have a good team.

"We could do it (go undefeated) one more time." - By DALE BUTLER / Reporter of the Ceres (Calif.) Courier