Ceres High’s boys soccer team extended its unbeaten streak to seven games this past week.

The first-place Bulldogs notched a pair of wins to improve to 10-5-0 overall and 7-1-0 in the Western Athletic Conference standings.

“We are really focused this year on what we want to accomplish,” head coach Gilbert Zamora Jr. said. “Our goal is to win sections. We’re headed in the right direction We need to stay focused.”

Ceres High defeated host Lathrop 12-2 on Friday.

“Everybody got playing time,” Zamora said.

Bulldog Isaac Arana netted four goals and dished out two assists against the Spartans.

Enrique Murillo tallied three goals and two assists.

Luis Flores had two goals and one assist.

Sergio Gonzalez had one goal and two assists.

Eduardo Savala had one goal and one assist.

Jesse Villalobos had one goal.

Noah Zamora, Gilbert Zamora III, Noah Trevino and Joshua Yepez all contributed one assist.

Villalobos made two saves at goalkeeper.

Ceres High outscored Lathrop 8-0 during the first half.

The Bulldogs earned a 3-1 win while battling the Grace Davis Spartans on Wednesday at CUSD Stadium.

“It’s not easy to score against Davis,” Zamora Jr. said. “Their defense is really strong.”

Arana scored a game-high two goals versus the Spartans.

Gonzalez had one goal and one assist.

Murillo and Antonio Medina chipped in with one assist apiece.

Villalobos (two saves) and Alfredo Toledo (one save) both logged playing time at goalkeeper.

Ceres High will play host to Beyer today and Johansen on Friday.

The Bulldogs won the first meetings by scores of 11-1 and 5-0.

“The kids are having a lot of fun this season,” Zamora Jr. said. “When we play as a team, good things happen.”

“If we stay healthy and positive, it’s going to be a good year for Ceres,” he added. “It might be as good as 2018.”

Ceres High claimed the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-III crown during the 2018-19 school year.

Hawks secure split

Central Valley High School’s boys soccer team managed to win one of its two league games this past week despite competing shorthanded.

“We had five starters out due to COVID,” Hawks’ second-year head coach Horatio Garcia said. “We had only three players on the bench. We asked every player to play as best as they could. They gave 100 percent.”

Central Valley shut out fourth-place Golden Valley 2-0 in Central California Conference play on Friday in Merced.

“I’m really happy with how everybody played,” Garcia said. “Our constant pressure really paid off.”

The second-place Hawks improved to 12-5-1 overall and 5-2-0 in the CCC standings.

“With all the absences that we’ve had, we’ve been doing really well,” Garcia said. “Players have stepped up.”

Central Valley’s Alexis Cervantez scored twice against Golden Valley.

Miguel Serrano and Jose Cazares both tallied one assist.

Alexis Abrego (four saves) and Oscar Mercado (one save) split playing time at goalkeeper.

Visiting Central Valley put up a fight in the opening half before losing 4-1 to first-place Patterson on Wednesday.

The Hawks trailed 2-1 at intermission.

“Patterson has a really good team,” Garcia said.

“We played well in the first half,” he added. 

Cervantez accounted for Central Valley’s lone goal.

Cazares assisted.

Mercado made four saves.

The Hawks will play host to the third-place El Capitan Gauchos today at 5:45 p.m.

The top three teams in the CCC will advance to the playoffs at the end of the regular season.

“I’m really happy with where we’re at,” Garcia said. “We just need to finish the season strong.”

GIRLS SOCCER

Central Valley girls soccer head coach Miguel Larranaga knows his team needs to start stringing wins together sooner rather than later.

“We still have a chance at playoffs,” he said. “But I need everybody to come back. That will make a difference.”

The Hawks (7-4-3, 1-3-2) accumulated one loss and two ties in Central California Conference play this past week while competing with a thin roster.

“We basically had one sub,” Larranaga said. “We got tired.”

Kalli Hoffman (injury), Isabella Barajas (injury), Aundrea Perez (injury), Niome McMurray (illness) and Daniela Rodriguez (vacation) were sidelined during Central Valley’s 3-0 loss to Golden Valley in thick fog Friday in Ceres.

Malina Keomuangchanh (injury) played sparingly.

Hoffman, McMurray, Rodriguez and Keomuangchanh are starters.

“We had three starters that normally start out,” Larranaga said. “It changed the whole lineup and game plan. You have to do some things different and don’t know if it will work. It’s tough. But it’s part of the game. I’m sure other schools are dealing with the same situation.”

The Hawks and Cougars battled to a scoreless tie in the opening half.

Golden Valley took control by tallying three goals in a 15-minute span after intermission.

“The first half was pretty even,” Larranaga said. “We actually created more chances to score but didn’t put them in. The second half was a disaster. We got smoked. I tried to motivate the girls. They lost focus.”

Central Valley tied visiting Patterson 1-1 on Wednesday.

Hoffman, Barajas, Perez, Rodriguez and Michelle Soto (injury) missed the game.

“I think Patterson has the best team in league,” Larranaga said. “They have very good players. We competed until the end. It was very even.”

Isabella Gudino accounted for the Hawks’ lone goal.

Emely Fernandez dished out the assist.

Central Valley goalkeeper Yukari Mendoza tallied three saves.

The Hawks outscored the Tigers 1-0 during the first half.

Central Valley and Buhach had to settle for a 3-3 draw during their CCC matchup on Jan. 5 in Ceres.

Emely Fernandez led the Hawks with one goal and one assist.

Hoffman and Gianna Silva chipped in with one goal apiece.

Keomuangchanh and Ally Singh both contribute one assist.

Mendoza and Magnolia Tavison each tallied two saves at goalkeeper. 

Bulldogs roll

Ceres High’s girls soccer team continued its run of excellence against Western Athletic Conference competition.

The Bulldogs extended their winning streak to five games with a 5-1 victory over Grace Davis on Jan. 12 in Modesto.

Ceres High improved to 9-4 overall and 7-2 in the WAC standings.

The Bulldogs had four different players score goals against the Spartans, including Arianna Diaz, Paris Moreno, Alyssa Quinones and Jasmine Ravelo, 

Monica Castillon and Kristina Corbin each collected one assist.

Ceres High edged Lathrop 1-0 on Jan. 10 at CUSD Stadium.

Diaz tallied the winning goal.

Abi Prado delivered the pass.

Host Ceres High shut out Los Banos 2-0 o Jan. 5.

Diaz and Quinones both tallied one goal.

Castillon and Prado collected one assist each.

Blevins totaled nine saves.