The much-anticipated matchup between Central Valley’s and Ceres High’s girls soccer teams took place this past week.
The Hawks extended their winning streak to 12 games with a 2-0 victory versus the crosstown-rival Bulldogs Thursday evening at CUSD Stadium.
“Overall, I thought we played really well,” Central Valley head coach Miguel Larranaga said. “It was a very competitive game. They played good defense. It took us a while to score a goal. They gave us a big challenge. They never gave up. I have to give them credit for that.”
“The girls were happy with their performance,” Ceres High leader Rudy Jimenez stated. “The outcome could have been better. I think we’ll give them a run for their money the next time we play.”
The first-place Hawks improved to 14-1-1 on the season and 7-0-0 in the Western Athletic Conference.
The third-place Bulldogs dropped to 6-6-1 overall and 4-2-1 in the WAC standings.
Central Valley notched its seventh shutout in league play.
“The whole team is working so hard, especially our defense,” Larranaga said. “They’re doing an amazing job. I’m so proud of them. I’m lucky to have all of these talented players. Our goal is to win sections. It’s not going to be easy. We need to keep working hard and fix all of the little mistakes.”
“Our team is different this year,” Jimenez stated. “A lot of the girls played together last season. The chemistry is a lot better.”
Aaralyn Jauregui and Amirrah Cornielle both scored one goal for the Hawks.
Kenia Acevedo collected one assist.
Magnolia Tavizon totaled four saves at goalkeeper.
Cornielle’s close-range goal off a corner kick gave Central Valley a 1-0 lead late in the opening half.
“You can’t take anything away from CV,” Jimenez added. “They know how to play very well together.”
Bulldog goalie Braidynn Mott had 11 saves.
“She did great,” Jimenez said.
Ceres High competed shorthanded against Central Valley as starters Jessie Blevins (ankle) and Itzel Torrez (knee) were sidelined with injuries.
Their presence on the field was missed.
“They play their positions very well,” Jimenez said.
Central Valley has accumulated eight wins, five losses and two ties against Ceres High since 2014-15.
“The girls look forward to this game every year,” Larranaga said. “The past few years, we were in a different league. We played friendly matches. This year, we’re playing in the same league. It makes it more fun and interesting.”
“A lot of the girls are friends and teammates outside of school,” Jimenez added.
