Head coaches Sebastian Huerta Alvarado and Stephen Dias believe Ceres High’s boys and girls water polo programs are headed in the right direction.
Expect to see growth from Bulldog players this fall as they have fun while learning how to play together.
“This year, we only have one returning varsity player that’s a senior,” said Stephen Dias, leader of the girls team. “A few of the girls are new to the sport. It’s a training season.”
“We have quite a few returners,” stated Huerta Alvarado, first-year coach of the boys team. “It’s good to see familiar faces. We’re building a foundation. The kids work hard. They have great attitudes.”
Ceres High’s girls team has a roster size of 15 players: Marie Cadriel (Sr.), Kaylie Clindaniel (Sr.), Yaretzly Cactillo (Sr.), Eva Onsurez (Sr.), Savanna Quintana (Sr.), Lalya Abraham (Jr.), Jessie Blevins (Jr.), Jazmain Corrales (Jr.), Mariana Cortez (Jr.), Layla Gomez (So.), Jennifer Sasser (So.), Jaelyn Silva (So.), Heaven Vasquez (So.), Kayla Hernandez (Fr.) and Rhylie Houtchen (Fr.).
Abraham, Blevins, Cadriel, Clindaniel and Onsurez are returners.
Cactillo, Quintana, Corrales, Cortez, Gomez, Sasser, Silva, Vasquez, Hernandez and Houtchen are newcomers.
Cactillo, Corrales, Gomez, Quintana, Silva and Vasquez competed at the junior-varsity level last year.
“My team is good at working with each other,” Dias said. “The girls build each other up.”
Abraham, Clindaniel and Blevins have been named team captains.
Blevins tallied 10 goals while earning Western Athletic Conference honorable-mention recognition as a junior. She was selected to the WAC Second Team as a freshman.
“They’ve really shown dedication in being there,” Dias said.
Ceres High’s boys team has a roster size of 12 players: Zalan Arvai (Sr.), Mateo Gonzalez (Sr.), Jonas Hayes (Sr.), Abel Samaniego (Jr.), Aiden Cisneros (So.), Jose Gomez Hernandez (So.), Lorenzo Gradilla (So.), Julian Hernandez (So.), Rowan Ramirez (So.), Elijah Rodriguez (So.), Jesus Sanchez (So.) and Jaxon Merrill (Fr.).
Gonzalez, Samaniego, Cinseros, Hernandez, Ramirez, Rodriguez and Sanchez are returners.
Arvai, Hayes, Gomez Hernandez, Gradilla and Merrill are newcomers.
“The team is young,” Huerta Alvarado said. “I’m hoping to have them learn the game and love it. They just have to keep working.”
Samaniego has been named team captain.
He earned WAC honorable-mention recognition as a sophomore.
Samaniego tallied a team-high 14 goals.
“He’s been playing since freshmen year,” Huerta Alvarado said. “He’s a smart, hard-working kid. He’s a leader. He loves the program.”
Arvai is a foreign-exchange student from Hungary. This is his seventh year playing water polo.
“It’s a blessing to have him on the team,” Huerta Alvarado said. “He’s strong. He’s fast. He knows the game. He’ll be one of our biggest contributors.”
Ceres High’s girls and boys teams finished fifth (6-7-1) and last (0-12), respectively, in WAC play last fall.
The conference will look different this year due to the Sac-Joaquin Section’s league realignment plan.
Ceres High, Beyer, Grace Davis, Johansen, Lathrop and Pacheco remained in the WAC.
Los Banos and Mountain House relocated to the WAC and Valley Oak League.
Previous members of the Central California Conference and Trans Valley League, Central Valley and Livingston moved to the WAC.
Crosstown-rival Central Valley is fielding its first-ever varsity boys and girls water polo teams.
“It’s going to be fun to finally have a crosstown rival,” Dias said. “It’s a big deal for the kids.”
“It’s something I missed in the pool when I played in high school,” Huerta Alvarado said. “I think it’s great for the community.”
Ceres High’s girls and boys teams made their last playoff appearances in 2019 and 2017, respectively.
Dias has led the girls team to five postseason berths (2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) during his coaching tenure.
“I’d love to see where we can get to a point where we can fight for a playoff spot,” Dias said.
Ceres High’s boys team made its last playoff appearance in 2017.
Huerta Alvarado is the Bulldogs’ fourth different head coach in the past four years. The 2018 CHS grad earn a promotion after younger sister Angelique stepped down following one season at the helm due to a conflicting schedule.
Sebastian and Angelique (class of 2021) are both former Ceres High players.
“I’m pretty excited,” said Sebastian, an assistant in 2023. “Not everybody gets a chance to coach varsity. I’m lucky to have the trust of coach Stephen Dias. I want to bring a winning culture back to CHS. I hope to get the program back to a playoff contender. It’s not going to be easy.”
