The Denair High girls soccer team has one major goal this season – to qualify for the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI playoffs. To do that, the Coyotes will have to live up to the potential they already have shown against some of the Southern League’s top schools, teams like Delhi, Orestimba and Gustine.

Heading into Friday’s home match against Le Grand, Denair sits in fourth place in the SL standings at 2-2 and is 5-5-1 overall. That record includes a 3-1 road victory over Delhi last month as well as a narrow 2-1 loss Tuesday in Newman to first-place Orestimba.

True to their .500 record, the Coyotes have spent much of the season alternating wins and losses. They have yet to lose two matches in a row, but their longest winning streak is only two games. The potential is there, second-year coach Mark Morphy believes, for Denair to get hot and go on a run.

“We are a well-balanced team,” he said. “We have an excellent goalkeeper and our defense is solid. We’re a small school playing mostly against larger schools. We only had one senior last year, but we have four this year, so we have more experience and our passing skills have improved.”

Senior goalie Maryfer Carillo anchors Denair’s defense. “She does a terrific job for us,” Morphy said.

Playing in front of Carillo are senior sweeper Yvette Rodriguez and junior fullback Andrea Vasquez. Morphy said Rodriguez’s quickness helps her skillfully defend the opponent’s top scorers week in and week out.

Offensively, freshman midfielder Jazmine Padilla leads the team with six goals while seniors Abigail Hernandez and Skylynn High have four each.

“Jazmine is an outstanding player. She also does a good job of distributing the ball,” Morphy said. “Abigail is an all-around good player and Skylynn is very good at passing and finishing.”

Denair’s improvement from last season to this one was evident Tuesday against Orestimba (6-1-2, 4-0). The Coyotes led 1-0 most of the first half before the Warriors tied it with about a minute remaining. The score remained 1-1 until late in the match when Denair was called for a foul and Orestimba was able to convert a free kick for the winning goal.

It’s that kind of effort that gives Morphy confidence that the playoffs are a realistic goal this season.

“It was a well-played game by both teams. I’m very proud of our girls for how hard they played,” he said. “There are lots of games left. We just need to beat some of the teams in front of us — which I think we can do – and we’ll have a chance to make the playoffs.”

When it comes to expectations, the Denair High boys soccer team has set the bar very high. That’s what happens when you win back-to-back Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI championships and twice qualify for the NorCal playoffs. The Coyotes know their reputation precedes them in every match; that no opponent will take them lightly.

Coach Antonio Padilla wouldn’t have it any other way.

“That’s OK. That’s what pushes you in life,” Padilla said of the expectations for this year’s team. “That’s one of the messages I send to the players. We are a team and I believe 100% that if you work hard, it pays off. No one is going to give you anything.”

So far, so good this season for the Coyotes, who have relied once again on a quick-strike offense led by Padilla’s two sons and an aggressive defense featuring playoff-tested players. Denair is 12-5 overall and 3-1 in the Southern League, with its only league blemish a 3-1 road loss to Delhi on Dec. 15.

Denair and Delhi tied for the league title last year and clearly are the favorites again this season. The two rivals will meet for the final time at Denair on Jan. 19.

“They have some very strong players. They are a solid team, but we also made some mistakes,” Padilla said of Delhi and the schools’ first game.

The match against Delhi actually began a rare three-game losing streak for Denair that included non-league losses to two larger schools – 1-0 to Pitman and 3-2 to Turlock (on a last-second goal in a rainstorm). Padilla said those defeats provided a teachable moment for him.

“It was a good wake-up call,” he admitted. “It showed me things I had to adjust on defense. We needed to attack the ball more.”

The Coyotes rebounded Tuesday against Orestimba, scoring three times in the second half to break a 1-1 tie and get back on the winning track. Senior captain Diego Padilla scored the first two goals for Denair, his younger brother Goliath added another and Azael Gil found the net late to lead Denair.

The offensive output continued a trend for Denair, which has tallied an impressive 23 goals while giving up just four in four Southern League matches. Delhi, by comparison, has scored 13 times in its first matches.

The Padilla brothers have played enough together, their father said, to be able to anticipate where the other might be at any time.

“They can handle the ball really well, especially Goliath. He can give Diego perfect passes,” Padilla said.

Gil and senior Justin Hernadez provide more offensive firepower while senior Eddie Verdugo is a force in the middle of the field.

“He’s very aggressive. He makes opponents’ lives impossible,” Padilla said of Verdugo. “I always say, ‘When you control the middle, you control the game.’ ”

Denair’s aggressive nature also pays off on defense, where seniors Manual Renteria and Nico Zavala, along with sophomore Johnny Tehandon, consistently put up a solid wall in front of senior goalie Sergio Torres.

“Defense is one of the biggest strengths we have,” Padilla said. “We have very aggressive players who are beating the (opponent’s) strikers to the ball.”

Padilla is pleased with how his team has responded to the challenge he put before them after the three consecutive losses.

“Now it’s looking a lot better,” he said. “I can see my players not holding anything back. We train hard and we have fun.”

If they can keep it up, that attitude and effort is likely to earn Denair a chance to defend its Section title later this year.

The “cute” factor was on full display at Thursday night’s meeting of the Denair Unified School District Board of Trustees, where nearly two dozen elementary school students used their bilingual speaking skills to charm and impress an enthusiastic audience comprised of proud parents, grandparents, teachers and administrators.

The Denair Elementary Charter Academy students – spanning grades from kindergarten to fifth – entertained the more than 150 people in attendance by speaking mostly in Spanish but also in English. Their demonstration generated plenty of smiles, laughs and maybe even a few tears, and dozens of photos and videos were taken that no doubt will be shared with family and friends over the holidays.

But make no mistake. Thursday night was more than a fun one-time performance. All the students are part of DECA’s Dual Language Immersion (DLIs) program, which aspires to help the youngsters achieve biliteracy, bilingualism and cross-cultural competence. 

The board meeting was a chance for the DECA staff as well as the district to celebrate a serious and life-changing program that has been an attendance magnet for Denair Unified since it was launched in 2015. Since then, it has grown to include Denair Middle School, where the first group of DLI kindergarteners are now eighth-graders.

“By almost any measure, DLI has been a huge success for the district, but most especially for the students and their families. We are very proud to be able to offer this important program,” said Denair Superintendent Terry Metzger. 

DECA Principal Laura Cardenas said 184 of her campus’ 564 students are enrolled in the dual language program. Under the immersion strategy, kindergarteners are taught in 90% Spanish and 10% English. The ratios are adjusted each year until they are 50-50 in fourth and fifth grade. There are two DLI classes in kindergarten through third grade and one class each in fourth and fifth grade. The focus is on enabling the students to become proficient in reading, writing, listening and speaking in both languages.

Ten of Cardenas’ DLI instructors attended Thursday night’s meeting, but it was their students who clearly stole the show. One grade level at a time – from youngest to oldest – the children introduced themselves in Spanish and then answered questions, also in Spanish, posed by fifth-graders Nayeli Gutierrez and Daniel De La Cruz.

The kindergarteners talked about their first day of school. The first-graders described what they like best about their DLI class. The second-graders showed off projects they made to celebrate Dia de las Muertes (Day of the Dead), which occurred Nov. 1-2, and related what they learned about the cultural holiday. The third-graders talked about how they use their Spanish to support their studies as complex ideas become comprehensible in both languages. The fourth- and fifth-graders spoke about how being bilingual will influence the kind of career or profession they may choose in the future.

At the end of the presentation, there were whoops and cheers, and clearly impressed board members invited the students to the front of the room for a group photo.

“You guys did a really great job. I’m so excited,” praised Trustee Carmen Wilson.

Trustee Kathi-Dunham Filson also complimented the students, saying: “You are all amazing. This was a wonderful Christmas gift to us.”

In other action Thursday, trustees:

• Approved the first interim budget report presented by Chief Business Official Daisy Swearingen. The report is a midyear update to the current fiscal year and a forecast for the next two fiscal years. Swearingen said enrollment is 1,272, 28 fewer students than a year ago. Most of that is due to fewer kindergarteners at DECA than expected. Average Daily Attendance districtwide, which is what state funding is based upon, is 93.2% — comparable to where it was at last year. By comparison, Swearingen said many districts in Stanislaus County are averaging at or below 90%. “Yes, we are not where we want to be when thinking about our individual sites, but it could be worse,” she said. For example, based on the current enrollment and ADA, she estimated the net loss in income to Denair Charter Academy at about $600,000 this year from what was projected at Budget adoption. Swearingen said schools are being proactive in addressing attendance concerns and have the opportunity to increase numbers between now and when final attendance reporting is due. 
• Heard a mental health report from Denair’s school counselors and mental health clinicians who work with students and their families on academic as well as social/emotional needs. The presentation in English and Spanish included stories from parents about how the program has benefitted their children.
• Discussed the possible timeframe to put a bond issue of as much as $22 million on the November 2024 election ballot. The bond – which would require 55% approval from voters – would help provide matching funds needed to qualify for state money to pay for future facilities needs across the district. Many steps must happen before trustees move ahead, including scheduling community meetings to explain the needs for the bonds. Trustees would have to make a decision by next spring in order to qualify for the November ballot. 
• Voted to accept two more CalSHAPE Ventilation program grants – one worth $119,790 for HVAC upgrades at DECA and a second worth $52,230 for heating and air conditioning upgrades at Denair Charter Academy. Since October, the district has received more than $500,000 from the state to pay for HVAC work. “We are exploring every option to fund our facility needs,” said Metzger.
• Approved a resolution of their intent to convey a property easement that would allow the Turlock Irrigation District to re-route a water main to a new subdivision being built west of the Denair High baseball field. If the board approves the deal at its January meeting, work would be completed by the end of February.
• Unanimously elected Trustee Crystal Sousa to be the board president and Trustee Kathi Dunham-Filson to be clerk for the next year. Trustee Carmen Wilson was honored for serving as president the past year.

There is a sign outside the weight room used by the Denair boys basketball team that neatly summarizes Coach Edwin Santiago’s philosophy: “The weight room isn’t for everyone, but then again, neither is playing time or winning.”

Physical conditioning, stamina and strength are essential in the style of basketball demanded of his players by Santiago. It’s called the Grinnell system after the small college in Iowa where it was first developed many years ago. It’s not unlike the run-and-gun offense famously used by Paul Westhead at Loyola Marymount University in the early ’80s. Starters play as fast and as hard as they can for three or four minutes at a time, then are replaced by five new players – not unlike a line change in a hockey game. If the second team gives up six points, then the starters are re-inserted.

The Grinnell system makes for a frenetic and definitely non-traditional game, which Santiago admits can puzzle and even frustrate some players and fans.

“It’s entertaining, but it’s also challenging,” he said.

Santiago expects his players to shoot quickly on offense, within the first 12 seconds that they have the ball. Players reluctant to shoot will join Santiago on the bench.

“Our mentality is, ‘If you’re open for a shot, take it. If you’re not, drive to the basket.’ The last option is pass it,” he said. “That was hardest lesson to learn.”

The Coyotes seem to have gotten the idea. Through their first nine games this season, they have attempted about 40 shots a game, but Santiago would like to see that rise to 50. By comparison, the national average is about 28 shots in a 32-minute game.

All those shots lead to plenty of misses, so Santiago drills his players to aggressively pursue the rebound – hence, the need for strength built lifting weights. Denair averages 11 offensive rebounds a game, about twice the national average.

“The system is based on offensive rebounds,” Santiago explained. “We’re not expecting to make the first shot, but the second or third shot. From a slightly contested first shot, you get a calm, cool second or third shot. But if the team is not getting more offensive rebounds, they’re not going to be successful.”

Size is important when it comes to rebounding, but attitude and desire also play an important part. Santiago wants his players to outwork their opponents for rebounds, no matter how tall they are. That’s where the time spent in the weight room has paid off.

“If you’re going to offensive rebound, you better be strong,” Santiago said. “We work on positioning quite a bit in practice, more on the physicality part of it. … We’re not crybabies on fouls. We expect to be hit under the basket.”

So far, the uncommon style has served Denair well, despite a couple of lopsided losses. The Coyotes – who host Stone Ridge Christian on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. – are 5-4 in their non-league schedule, a major improvement from the 3-23 record Denair posted last year in Santiago’s first season as coach.

Players like 6-foot-5 sophomore power forward Koby Cervantes (16.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game), senior point guard and team captain Landon Borges (8.9 ppg, 2.5 assists per game) and 6-4 senior center Wyatt Barber (6.9 rpg) have adapted to Santiago’s system. They’re the leaders of a young squad that includes just three seniors.

Santiago said the unconventional system takes time for many players to become comfortable in – including the points system he uses to evaluate performance and determine playing time.

“You lose points for turnovers, but not for taking a shot,” Santiago said. “There’s not a shot I don’t like. Blocks, steals, deflections and defensive rebounds … they’re all ways to earn points.”

On school sites with hundreds of students, it’s inevitable that some of them will not always get along. Three principals in the Denair Unified School District – Breanne Aguiar (high school), Gabriela Sarmiento (middle school) and Laura Cardenas (elementary school) – recently addressed the issue of peer conflict on their campuses and the strategies they use to diffuse situations.

Question: What does peer conflict look like? What’s the difference between students simply not getting along and the kind of conflict that requires intervention by you or another staff member?

Answer: Peer conflict is a type of social friction between peers and can be posed in a variety of ways — from a student making comments about another student due to “hearing” about what they believe was shared about them to an instance of sharing misinformation on social media. Often, we have observed peer conflict that results from miscommunication, false information being shared and assumptions. Peer conflict is unavoidable and oftentimes provides an opportunity for growth and reflection among students through mediation and restorative practices. Peer conflict is much different than bullying. Bullying is when a student or group of students repeatedly and aggressively target another student’s and create an imbalance of power. 

Q: How do you become aware of potentially serious peer conflict? What is the best way for students to alert you if they or someone they know has a problem?

A: Oftentimes, students share information with a trusted adult or report serious conflicts with the campus supervisor, administration or office staff. Across DUSD school sites, use of the STOPit application or connecting with a trusted adult has been the most effective way to notify staff about a conflict to ensure this is addressed immediately. 

Q: Please explain how the STOPit app works?

A: The STOPit application has been implemented universally across the district since the 2019-20 school year. We want to promote the use of the anonymous STOPit reporting tool to ensure students and families are aware of how to report instances of peer conflict or concerns across campus. Additional information on STOPit can be found on the district webpage at https://www.denairusd.org/ParentsStudents/STOPit/index.html.

Q: Recognizing each situation is unique and respecting individual privacy, can you talk about some specific examples of the kinds of conflicts you’ve dealt with and how they were resolved?

A: At the site level, peer conflict may look like one student sharing information about another student. The information is then altered and shared with other students, thus causing social friction. This type of behavior can result in the continuation of misinformation being shared and lead to further conflict at school, as well as on social media. In this instance, students would engage in a structured mediation to resolve the conflict. 

Q: How big of a role does social media play in peer conflict today?

A: Social media has a significant impact on peer conflict today. Information and misinformation alike can be shared within a matter of seconds. This has a direct impact on the number and frequency of peer conflicts seen across schools today.  

Q: What should parents know about how you approach peer conflict? Are they notified? 

A: Every incident of peer conflict is unique. Schools notify parents based on the severity of the conflict and the needs of individual students. As educators, we strive to equip students with the necessary skills to navigate and resolve peer conflict on their own, when appropriate.

Q: What role can/should parents play in identifying solutions?

A: Monitoring your child’s activity outside of school and talking with your child about how to address conflict is important. Reporting instances of conflict via STOPit or directly to office personnel is the first step to ensuring school staff address concerns promptly and mediate issues. Together, we can create and promote a positive and safe learning environment for all students.