Dawgs, Hawks volleyball teams beaten

Ceres High and Central Valley boys volleyball squads fall to top WAC opponents

Apr. 15, 2026 at 1:06am

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a high school volleyball match, with the players and court broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes in vibrant colors.The geometric fragmentation of a heated high school volleyball rivalry captures the competitive intensity and strategic complexity of the sport.Ceres Today

Ceres High's and Central Valley's boys volleyball programs faced two of the top three teams in the Western Athletic Conference last week, with both teams suffering losses. The fifth-place Hawks dropped to 4-17 overall and 2-7 in the WAC standings after falling 3-0 to third-place Lathrop, while the fourth-place Bulldogs lost 3-0 to second-place Beyer.

Why it matters

The losses for Ceres High and Central Valley highlight the competitive nature of the Western Athletic Conference boys volleyball standings, with the top teams proving too strong for the lower-ranked squads. The results also provide insight into the development of the volleyball programs at these schools and the challenges they face in building competitive teams.

The details

The Hawks were swept 3-0 by Lathrop, with Central Valley head coach Julio Madrigal noting that the Spartans have a more established program with players who 'live volleyball year-round.' The Bulldogs also fell 3-0 to Beyer, with the Patriots improving to 22-5 overall and 9-1 in league play.

  • On April 8, Central Valley lost 3-0 to Lathrop.
  • On April 8, Ceres High lost 3-0 to Beyer.
  • On March 13, Central Valley lost 3-0 to Lathrop.

The players

Julio Madrigal

Central Valley's head boys volleyball coach.

Lathrop

The third-place team in the Western Athletic Conference boys volleyball standings.

Beyer

The second-place team in the Western Athletic Conference boys volleyball standings.

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What they’re saying

“Lathrop earned the win. They have a better program. They have kids that have played together for some time. They live volleyball year-round. That's what it takes to build good programs.”

— Julio Madrigal, Central Valley head coach

“The first time we played, we fared better. We were more aggressive. We competed more.”

— Julio Madrigal, Central Valley head coach

The takeaway

The losses for Ceres High and Central Valley demonstrate the challenges smaller high school volleyball programs face in competing against the top teams in their league. Building a successful program requires consistent player development and a year-round commitment to the sport, which the more dominant teams in the Western Athletic Conference have been able to achieve.