Reis Smith has been named Ceres High School’s 2024-25 Male Bulldog Athlete of the Year.

“I was honestly surprised and incredibly honored when I found out I was named Male Bulldog Athlete of the Year,” said Smith. “I heard the news during the Senior Awards Night, and it was one of those moments that really made everything feel worth it. It felt great to be recognized not just for one sport, but for everything I put into representing Ceres High over the years.”

“A lot of it (success) comes down to hard work, staying consistent, and having the right people around me. My coaches pushed me to improve every season. My teammates made every game and practice more meaningful. And my family always supported me. Balancing sports and school wasn’t easy. But I had a strong support system.”

Smith earned seven varsity letters during his prep athletic career, including three in both football and track and field, and one in baseball.

“I definitely feel like I exceeded my expectations. When I first started high school, I had goals. But I never imagined I’d accomplish everything I did both athletically and academically. I’m proud of how I grew in every sport and as a person.”

“Each sport taught me something different. In football, I developed leadership and toughness. Track and field pushed me individually and helped with my speed and conditioning. I’m proud of the milestones I hit in each, especially being able to contribute consistently and make it to playoffs or league honors.”

A standout cornerback during his first two seasons of football as a junior and sophomore, Smith made a name for himself at receiver during his final year with the Bulldogs this past fall.

“He was such a dynamic weapon,” Bulldogs’ head coach Brett Johnson said. “Teams knew he was the go-to receiver and still couldn’t cover him.”

Smith led Ceres High in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

Smith was voted the Western Athletic Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year.

He also earned first-team, all-league honors.

Smith caught 40 passes for 539 yards and eight touchdowns in nine games.

“He’s just an explosive player,” said Johnson. “He’s fast and athletic. He’s strong. He runs good routes and has good hands. He’s an intense competitor.”

“I attribute my success to my coaches and teammates,” Smith added. “They’ve always been there for me through thick and thin. Coach (Debin) Cowell had a big impact on me as a receiver in the way that I ran routes. He made sure I ran them to a T and finished strong. Coach Conner (Johnson) was also a huge factor in my growth as a receiver.”

Smith also started at cornerback for the third straight year.

He had 39 tackles, two interceptions, six pass deflections, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Smith played through finger, groin and toe injuries during the course of the season.

“I feel I met expectations,” commented Smith. “There are some factors that slowed me down a bit but that’s a part of the game.”

Smith was a first-team all-WAC defensive back junior and sophomore years.

He totaled 74 tackles, five interceptions and 14 pass deflections.

Ceres High’s football program experienced a major turnaround thanks in large part to Smith’s production on the field.

He helped lead the Bulldogs to a combined record of 18-14 (12-9 in league), two runner-up finishes in the WAC standings and a pair of Sac-Joaquin Section playoff berths 

Ceres High also won two of three games versus crosstown-rival Central Valley. The Bulldogs prevailed by scores of 36-7 and 21-20.

Smith enjoyed his best season to date in track and field senior year.

He ran the first leg on Ceres High’s 4x100 relay team, which set meet and school records while finishing in first place at the WAC Championships on May 3 at Bulldog Stadium.

Smith, Joseluis Arreola, Nathaniel Macias and Tre Karriem posted a time of 43.34 seconds in the event.

They broke school (43.75) and WAC (43.36) finals records set in 1982 and 2012, respectively.

Smith also set a personal record while placing third in the long jump (20-83/4).

Smith, Arreola, Macias and Karriem claimed the 4x100-relay title (43.42) at the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-IV Championships.

They ran the fourth-fastest time in school history (43.80) while finishing 21st in the event at Masters.

Smith was a starting outfielder on Ceres High’s playoff-qualifying baseball team as a freshman.

He batted .259 from the plate with three doubles, 10 RBIs, 15 runs and three stolen bases.

He posted a 1-0 record at pitcher with a 0.00 earned-run average, two strikeouts and two walks.

Smith’s team amassed a 13-16 overall record and finished third in the WAC with a 9-5 mark.

Smith had a cumulative grade-point average of 3.7 at Ceres High. He took Advanced Placement precalculus and biology.

“The most challenging part was definitely managing time,” he said. “Between practices, games, travel, and studying, I had to stay really disciplined. But it taught me about balance and time management.”

Smith plans to attend Modesto Junior College this fall. He would like to become a firefighter.