Ceres High’s boys volleyball team showed flashes of excellence last season.
The Bulldogs will focus on improving their consistency this spring.
“Every time we step on the court, we want to be better than the time before,” Ceres High fifth-year leader Kelly Heese said.
The Bulldogs have an 11-person roster.
Antony Estrada (Sr.), Manuel Ortega (Sr.), Gio Sio (Sr.), Joshua Tagle (Sr.), Jael Mendoza (Jr.), Geramiah Sio (So.) and Daniel Quijon (so.) returned to the team.
Fernando Aguilar (Sr.), Ernesto Alvarez (Sr.), Kiahn Bacon (Sr.) and Ismael Pulido (Jr.) are newcomers.
Aguilar, Bacon and Pulido competed at the junior-varsity level last year.
Alvarez is a first-year player.
Andre Pina and Mario Valadez were lost to graduation.
“Athletically, it’s probably one of the strongest groups I’ve had,” Heese said. “I just want them to go out there and compete.”
“We’re going to continue to grow,” she added. “If the kids take the sport serious, we’ll see a big change in the program.”
Tagle and Gio Sio are team captains.
“They’ve worked very hard to get to this point,” Heese said. “They’re very competitive. They care the most.”
Ceres High will compete in the new-look Western Athletic Conference beginning this season, along with Central Valley, Beyer, Grace Davis, Johansen, Pacheco, Lathrop and Livingston.
Central Valley moved from the Central California Conference to the WAC as part of the Sac-Joaquin Section’s league realignment plan.
Livingston previously competed in the Trans Valley League.
Former WAC teams Los Banos and Mountain House departed for the CCC and Valley Oak League, respectively.
“Every year is different,” Heese said. “I think we can finish in the top four.”
Ceres High amassed a 6-19 overall record and tied for fifth place in the WAC standings with a 5-9 mark in 2024.
The Bulldogs beat Johansen and Grace Davis twice, and Los Banos once in conference play.
Ceres High lost once to Los Banos, and twice to Lathrop, Mountain House, Beyer and Pacheco.
The Bulldogs and crosstown Hawks will battle for more than just bragging rights this season as members of the WAC.
Ceres High posted an 0-2 record versus Central Valley in preseason play last spring. The Bulldogs lost by scores of 3-0 and 3-1.
“I’m happy to have them back in our league,” said Heese, former head coach of Central Valley. “That’s where they belong. The kids enjoy the rivalry. It’s always fun. I train a lot of their kids in the offseason.”
Ceres High made its last playoff appearance in 2023. The Bulldogs went 12-6 and finished third in the WAC (9-5).
“We want to beat teams we’ve never beaten like Beyer and Lathrop,” Heese said. “Momentum is huge in this sport. It’s very easy to turn around. Trying to get them to understand to play the game consistently makes a huge difference. Communication is key.”
