Ceres High re-established its rivalry against Central Valley in cross country last week.
Ceres High’s and Central Valley’s boys placed seventh and last, respectively, during the Western Athletic Conference’s first cluster meet of the 2024 season on Sept. 11 at Ceres River Bluff Regional Park.
The Hawks competed in the Central California Conference prior to returning to the WAC this fall as part of the Sac-Joaquin Section’s league realignment plan.
“There is a little bit of pressure because they’re the crosstown team,” Ceres High head coach Owen Brown said. “There’s competition. But there’s friendship. It’s fun for the kids.”
“It’s a rivalry,” Central Valley leader Michael Mrgudic said. “But not a mean rivalry. All of our runners know each other. They like each other. Me and Owen get along. It helps in how the kids see each other.”
Ceres High’s and Central Valley’s boys posted team scores of 168 and 216, respectively, while finishing behind Beyer (29), Grace Davis (63), Pacheco (64), Livingston (110), Lathrop (119) and Johansen (159).
“We got an early jump on them,” Brown said. “We’ll see how things go the next meet.”
“We’re going to try hard to beat them next time,” Mrgudic added.
Sergio Torres was the Bulldogs’ top finisher. He took 18th with a time of 18 minutes, 52 seconds on the 3-mile course.
Ceres High teammates Martin Bolanos Aleman (20:03), Andres Marcial (20:20), Christian Valdez (22:56), Ivan Rodriguez (23:45) and Issac Bravo (28:26) placed 27th, 34th, 47th, 54th and 67th, respectively.
“We did pretty well,” Brown said. “We’re definitely going in the right direction.”
Frankie Klino was the Hawks’ top finisher. He took 31st (20:14).
Hawk teammates Alexis Landa (20:36), Joshua Michelena (24:06), Jackson Stokes (24:32), Mauro Mendoza Rosales (25:35) and Marco Coria (27:51) placed 36th, 55th, 57th, 63rd and 66th, respectively.
“They did okay,” Mrgudic said. “They’re getting back into shape.”
Ceres High’s varsity girls posted a team score of 105 en route to a last-place finish.
Livingston (43), Beyer (56), Pacheco (59) and Lathrop (82) took first, second, third and fourth, respectively.
Central Valley isn’t fielding a varsity girls team this season.
Jaden Stahl was the Bulldogs’ top finisher. She took 14th (24:56).
Ceres High teammates Katie Amezcua (26:34), Stephanie Espinoza (27:01), Brooke Kiser (27:13), Giselle Contreras (29:05) and Samira Mendoza (32:55) placed 21st, 23rd, 25th, 30th and 33rd, respectively.
Alyssa Ontiveroz was Central Valley’s top finisher during the WAC’s first junior-varsity cluster meet. She posted a time of 16 minutes, 41 seconds on her way to a first-place finish on the 2.1-mile course.
Hawk Milianna Rios (22:40) and Bulldog Jocelyn Hurtado Nunez (25:28) placed seventh and ninth, respectively.
Central Valley’s Miguel Garrido (18:46) and Ceres High’s Abraham Santana (20:01) took ninth and 10th, respectively, in the JV boys division.
Manroop Kaur was Central Valley’s top finisher in the frosh-soph girls division. She took third (17:45) during the 2.1-mile race.
Hawk teammates Karen Magallon (19:31), Aubrey Tyler-Pannell (20:12) and Courtney Crane (20:17) placed eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively.
Ceres High’s Isabella Sabala (23:29) finished 18th.
Central Valley’s frosh-soph boys finished last with a team score of 148.
Pacheco (33), Beyer (34), Livingston (98), Grace Davis (114), Lathrop (129) and Johansen (138) placed first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.
Enoc Reyes was the Hawks’ top runner. He took 14th (14:08).
Central Valley’s Felix Mendez (14:09), Javier Contreras (14:47), Isaiah Ramos (18:38), Felix Ramirez (18:44) and Alejandro Rodriguez Arroyo (18:46) finished 15th, 31st, 56th, 58th and 59th, respectively.
Ceres High’s frosh-soph boys didn’t post a team score due to a thin lineup.
Eliji Villamarin was the Bulldogs’ top runner. He took 38th (15:23).
Ceres High’s Lionel Villanueva (15:32) placed 40th.
The WAC’s second cluster meet will be staged on Oct. 2 at O’Neill Forebay.
