Four years removed from claiming its second Sac-Joaquin Section championship, Ceres High’s boys soccer team is determined to add to the program’s rich history.
“Everybody knows Ceres High School has a good program,” head coach Gilbert Zamora Jr. said. “This year, we have a solid team. We got the players to make it to playoffs if we play as a team. We remind them every day at practice.”
The Bulldogs return 11 players from last year’s team, including Luis Flores (Sr.), Alexander Lopez (Sr.), Mario Valadez (Sr.), Christopher Vega (Sr.), William Duran (Jr.), Fabian Montanez (Jr.), Enrique Murillo (Jr.), Samuel Vargas (Jr.), Leonel Baez (So.), Jayson Trevino (So.) and Fernando Galvan (So.).
“They’ve improved so much,” Zamora said. “They’re stronger and faster.”
Ceres High has seven newcomers: Diego Bernal (So.), Eli Lopez (So.), Andres Marcial (So.), Delqui Altunar (Fr.), Angel Perez (Fr.), Jesus Torrez (Fr.) and Mario Vargas (Fr.).
“They’ll help make the team better in the future,” Zamora said.
“We have a starting lineup,” he added. “All the positions are open. We try to be fair. The harder you work, the better you get.”
The Bulldogs lost two all-Western Athletic Conference players to graduation in Benjamin Larranaga and Joshua Yepez.
Murillo and Lopez both earned all-league honors a year ago.
Murillo was selected to the WAC First Team.
He tallied seven goals and nine assists.
Lopez was named to the WAC Second Team.
He was a newcomer to the varsity level.
Murillo, Lopez and Flores will share team-captain duties this season.
“They’re leaders. They’re great teammates. They help the other players. They never miss practice.”
Murillo, Lopez and Flores also play club soccer.
“They know what it takes to be a good player,” said Zamora.
Former Central Valley High School soccer star Ozzie Ramos will serve as an assistant coach on Zamora’s staff.
The two-time WAC Most Valuable Player competed at the NCAA Division-I level as a member of San Diego State’s and Seattle University’s programs.
Ramos played at the professional level with Central Valley Fuego FC and Forward Madison FC during the 2023 USL League One season.
“Ozzie brings a lot to the team. I have a lot of confidence in him. I trust him a lot. We’re happy he’s around.”
Zamora believes Ceres High will experience a bounce-back season this winter.
The Bulldogs posted a 6-12-4 overall record and finished in sixth place in the WAC with a 4-7-3 mark during the 2022-23 school year.
Mountain House (9-3-2), Grace Davis (9-3-2), Lathrop (8-3-3), Pacheco (5-5-4) and Los Banos (5-6-3), Johansen (3-6-5) and Beyer (1-11-2) took first, second, third, fourth, fifth, seventh and last, respectively.
Zamora filled roster spots with JV talent during the second half of the 2022-23 season. The Bulldogs lost a handful of varsity players for various reasons, including Flores and Nicholas Vieyra. Flores and Vieyra stopped playing high-school soccer so they could play for Academy teams.
“If we stay healthy, we’ll be one of the top two teams in our league."
Ceres High claimed its last league title in 2020-21. The Bulldogs placed first in the WAC South standings. Playoffs were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Bulldogs amassed a 20-2-4 overall record and claimed the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-III championship in 2018-19.
Ceres High has made three postseason appearances in the past five years.
“I’d be surprised if we didn’t make playoffs this year."
