Ceres High’s softball team plans to continue its tradition of excellence this spring.
The Bulldogs will compete under the direction of new head coach Josie Heacox.
The Ceres native/Ceres High special education teacher/2013 Central Catholic grad replaced Mike Corsaut, who led the Bulldogs to eight league title and nine playoff appearances during his 11-year tenure (2019-24, 2002-06).
Heacox was voted Most Valuable Player of the Western Athletic Conference during her senior year at Central Catholic.
She played four seasons of softball at the college level, including three at Cal State Bakersfield and one at Utah Valley University.
“This is my first year coaching,” Heacox said. “It’s a whole, new dynamic. I’m trying to find my own philosophy. I’m going to do my own research and ask for advice from other coaches. I’m a teacher. I want my players to apply what they learn in real life. I want them to be accountable, do the little things right, have each other’s backs and have fun.”
Kylie Bond (Sr.), Alizae Cole (Sr.), Ava Montesdeoca (Sr.), Tatiana Ortiz (Sr.), Nani Sagapolu (Sr.), Illianna Saldana (Sr.), Madeline Schultz (Sr.), Bella Bravo (Jr.), Elizabeth Figueroa (Jr.), Gabriela Ortiz (Jr.), Amaia Pritchett (Jr.), Kyleigh Robinson (Jr.), Samantha Alcarez (So.) and Emma Hernandez (So.) make up Ceres High’s 14-person roster.
“For me to come in as a new coach, they’ve totally bought in,” Heacox said. “They’re really passionate. They want to get better. They want to win. We’re all on the same page.”
The Bulldogs returned 12 players from a season ago, including Bond, Cole, Montesdeoca, Sagapolu, Saldana, Schultz, Bravo, Figueroa, Pritchett, Robinson, Tatiana Ortiz and Gabriela Ortiz.
Ceres High has three newcomers, including Robinson, Alcarez and Hernandez.
Alcarez competed at the junior-varsity level as a freshman.
Hernandez transferred from Central Catholic.
Ceres High lost just one player to graduation in three-year standout Isabela Giraldes.
She earned first-team all-WAC honors as a senior. She batted .574 from the plate with 10 doubles, 27 RBIs and 27 runs.
Giraldes committed no errors while at first base in 14 league games.
Heacox has two assistant coaches in Nikole Ferrel and Arianna Mata.
“We have a lineup where they really complement each other,” Heacox said.
Montesdeoca, Cole and Bond are team leaders.
Montesdeoca and Cole committed to Stanislaus State and Cal State Northridge, respectively.
“They do the little things right,” Heacox said.
Cole was voted WAC Pitcher of the Year as a junior. The Cal State Northridge commit also earned first-team all-conference honors.
Cole compiled a 12-1 record with a 1.70 earned-run average, 86 strikeouts, nine complete games and one shutout.
She batted .556 from the plate with one home run, three triples, four doubles, 22 RBIs and 16 runs.
Montesdeoca and Sagapolu were both selected to the WAC First Team as juniors.
Montesdeoca batted .571 with two home runs, two triples, three doubles, 16 RBIs, 31 runs and eight stolen bases.
Sagapolu batted .447 with three doubles, 15 RBIs and 10 runs.
Figueroa was named to the WAC Second Team.
She batted .395 with two doubles, 13 RBIs and 18 runs.
Cole, Figueroa and Alcarez will split playing time inside the circle.
“This year, we’re focusing on having a pitching staff,” Heacox said. “They’re all so different. We work that to our advantage.”
Ceres High will be vying for its third straight consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section playoff berth this spring.
The Bulldogs amassed a 14-9 overall record, won 13 of 14 games on their way to capturing their second straight Western Athletic Conference title and lost 5-3 to Rosemont in the Division-III postseason tournament in 2024.
“I love the tradition and players that have come before us,” Heacox said. “I welcome the pressure. I’m going to embrace it and learn as much as I can.”
Ceres High will play home and away games against Central Valley, Beyer, Grace Davis, Johansen, Lathrop, Pacheco and Livingston during the 2025 WAC season.
Central Valley and Livingston moved from the Central California Conference and Trans Valley League, respectively, to the WAC as part of the section’s league realignment plan.
Former WAC members Los Banos and Mountain House relocated to the CCC and Valley Oak League.
The top three teams in the WAC will advance to the playoffs.
“We have some solid teams in our conference,” Heacox said. “Our goal is to win league and make it past the first round of playoffs. Nothing is going to be handed to us. We need to work hard and as a team. We need to communicate effectively. We’ll see how it goes.”
