The Denair High boys soccer team – the two-time defending Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI champions – are in prime position to hang another banner this season.

The Coyotes are 17-5-2 overall and 8-1-2 in the Southern League after Tuesday’s 3-1 victory over Gustine on Tuesday. With three games left in the regular season, Denair is one point behind Delhi (17-3-3, 9-0-3) in the SL standings and, perhaps more importantly, is far and away the presumptive No. 1 seed among Division VI schools with the playoffs beginning Feb. 9.

“They’re playing very good,” said Denair Coach Antonio Padilla. “I’m very happy. They’re having fun. We’re looking forward to the playoffs.”

The win over Gustine was Denair’s sixth in its past eight matches since a 3-2 non-league loss to Turlock before Christmas. The only times the Coyotes didn’t win they played to 1-1 ties against Gustine and Delhi.

The Jan. 19 match against Delhi could have gone either way. The Hawks led 1-0 at halftime before Denair’s Goliath Padilla tied the score with a goal midway through the second half. The Coyotes threatened again later in the game, but Diego Padilla hit the post with a shot.

“We controlled most of the game,” Antonio Padilla said. “We just ran out of time.”

Goliath Padilla, a sophomore, leads the team with 31 goals and 15 assists. His older brother Diego, a senior, has 13 goals. Another senior, Justin Hernandez, has six goals, including two in Tuesday’s win over Gustine. Senior goalie Sergio Torres also has had a strong year, highlighted by stopping three penalty kicks and posting five shutouts.

Denair’s latest victory did come with a cost, however. Diego Padilla strained his right hip flexor and could be sidelined until the playoffs. 

“At the end of the day, we are a team. I told the boys that we could still do it,” said Antonio Padilla. “I need Diego to rest and be ready for the playoffs.”

Denair finishes the regular season with three away matches – Friday at Waterford (11-9-1, 6-5-1), Monday at Ripon Christian (6-12-3, 3-6-2) and Tuesday at Orestimba (13-8-4, 7-1-3). The Orestimba game was postponed from Jan. 23 because of a wet field.

Playing on back-to-back days the same week the playoffs begin isn’t Padilla’s preference, but it “doesn’t always go the way you want.”

The playoff pairings will be announced Wednesday and, unless they stumble, the Coyotes appear to be in line for the No. 1 seed. In the current rankings on MaxPreps, Denair is first, followed by Esparto (9-6-1), Bradshaw Christian (9-8) of Sacramento and Delta Charter (6-3-1) of Tracy. Ripon Christian  — Denair’s opponent Monday – is ranked fifth. The other top SL schools – Delhi, Orestimba and Gustine – all are in Division V.

“The next three games mean something for league and playoff seeding,” Padilla said. “We’re only one point behind Delhi in league; if they tie or lose, we could win league. We’ll see how it goes.”

The application period has begun for parents who would like to enroll their children into kindergarten and transitional kindergarten for the next school year at Denair Elementary Charter Academy.

Interested parents can pick up a registration packet for the 2024-25 school year at the DECA office at 3773 Madera Ave. between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Families do not need to live in Denair to enroll their children at DECA.

Transitional kindergarten/kindergarten registration day is on Wednesday, Feb. 7 from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Parents must fully complete the registration packet and return it with the proper documentation on that day.

Here is the key information:

• Completed registration packets must include a copy of the child’s birth certificate, updated immunization records and proof of residency (such as a utility bill). 
• Parents registering children for the dual language immersion program also must attend an orientation meeting on the DECA campus, then complete a form denoting their understanding of and commitment to the program. The meeting dates and times are Feb. 21 at 8:30 a.m. and Feb. 28 at 4:30 p.m.

Students whose fifth birthday occurs by Sept. 1 are eligible to enroll in kindergarten. For the 2024-25 school year, students whose fifth birthday occurs between Sept. 2 and June 2 are eligible to enroll in transitional kindergarten.

Parents with questions are encouraged to call the DECA office at (209) 632-8887.

DECA features traditional as well as Dual Language Immersion (DLI) instructional tracks for kindergarten through fifth grade, plus a traditional transitional kindergarten program.

At DECA, students are exposed early on to the importance of attending college. There is a wide range of fun and important electives and after school activities, and an emphasis is placed on being safe, responsible, respectful and kind.

All this occurs on a pretty and well-maintained campus under the direction of an experienced staff who are passionate about educating students.

The dual immersion program will be heading into its 10th year next fall and is available at every grade through Denair Middle School.

Immersion means just that. In kindergarten, 90% of the instruction is in Spanish, in first grade it drops to 80%, then 70% in second grade, 60% in third grade, and 50% in fourth and fifth grades.

Dual immersion teachers in kindergarten through second grade only speak Spanish in front of their students. English instruction takes place with other teachers.

It’s not just DLI students who learn a second language. Students on the traditional track also receive Spanish instruction one to three times a week in the language lab.

In addition, DECA provides a variety of fun and challenging Academic Adventure electives, such as:

• Drama/Performing Arts
• Technology
• Engineering design
• Health and nutrition
• Art
• Horticulture
• Music
• Science

Denair Charter Academy has a unique dual mission within the Denair Unified School District. It works with home-school parents and their children in grades K-8 while also providing an independent study option for high school students for whom a traditional setting just isn’t the right fit. DCA fills an important niche within the district, offering a quality education option for students and their families.

At Thursday night’s meeting of the district’s Board of Trustees, first-year Principal Jamie Pecot gave a presentation about a “Day in the Life” at DCA. She was accompanied by six of her staff members and one student.

Pecot knows the DCA campus and culture well. She taught math at the school for nine years before becoming principal, and still teaches courses in Algebra and geometry.

Many outsiders may assume that most of the learning at DCA takes place remotely – at students’ residences for the 40 involved with home-schooling or also away from campus for the 129 high school students on independent study. That is true to a point, but as Pecot told trustees, there also are plenty of face-to-face interactions.

Home-school youngsters come to DCA once a week to meet with teachers. Some independent study students are on campus as many as three times a week. In addition to regularly scheduled meetings with instructors, there are classes in math, science, arts, music, history, careers, economics and physical education that are only offered on campus. Class sizes are small, with no more than a dozen students in any of them. Plus, there are two clubs that students may belong to that meet at school – Love in Action, which focuses on community service like feeding the homeless, and ROX (Ruling Our Experiences), which is about empowering girls and young women.

Freshman Maddie Veillon, who spoke Thursday night, belongs to both clubs. She estimates she’s on campus three days a week. She said she chose DCA based on the recommendation of her older brother. She said the DCA method allows her to balance her studies with her duties working at a local daycare center.

“It’s easier to focus,” Veillon said. “I have less stress in a small environment.”

Senior Mareli Calderon transferred to DCA this year and has thrived in the new setting.

“I really like my teachers, my classes and classmates,” she said via prepared remarks that Pecot shared with the audience. “Moving schools was the right choice. Thanks to this decision, I’m really enjoying my senior year.”

Pecot is proud of the work done by her 24-person staff as well as the academic achievement of her students. There are 52 seniors this year; many are on track to earn their diplomas despite stumbles earlier in their high school careers. DCA has allowed them to find a path to success that otherwise might not have been available.

That is a message Pecot would like to share with more families and students.

“DCA is a great place to work and go to school,” she said.

In other action Thursday, trustees:

•  Heard a report from Superintendent Terry Metzger about Denair’s performance as measured by the State Dashboard. Like many districts across the state, Denair is still grappling with chronic absenteeism and student achievement in English language arts and mathematics that has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. Metzger said that the dashboard results will inform the next three-year Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), which will be written this spring.

•  Listened as the principals at Denair High, Denair Middle School and DCA gave an update on first-semester grades and the impact of a new grading policy. In 2020-21, the number of students who earned one or more Fs during the distance learning year was a staggering 61%. The district has worked with Creative Leadership Solutions for the last three years to improve grading practices by clearly communicating success criteria and giving feedback that helps students progress toward standards mastery. As a result, the number of students receiving one or more Fs has fallen dramatically with only 13% in that category this fall.

• Listened as the principals at Denair High, Denair Middle School and DCA gave an update on first-semester grades and the impact of a new grading policy. The number of students who earned one or more Fs during the distance learning year was a staggering 61%. The district has worked with Creative Leadership Solutions for the last three years to improve grading practices by clearly communicating success criteria and giving feedback that helps students progress toward standards mastery. As a result, the number of students receiving one or more Fs has fallen dramatically with only 13% in that category this fall.
• Approved $2,000 bonuses for employees who notify the district by the end of January of their intent to retire at the end of this school year. The bonuses would be added to their final paychecks. The early notifications help the district plan for staffing and budgeting needs.
• Voted to hire KFI Engineers/LifeWings Peak Performance to begin work on ventilation and HVAC systems at the district’s campuses. The district will use two state grants worth a combined $172,000 to pay for the work. Bottom Line Utility Solutions also was hired for plumbing systems upgrades at Denair Middle School. A $125,000 state grant will be used to pay for that work.
• Approved a property easement that would allow the Turlock Irrigation District to reroute a water main to a new subdivision being built west of the Denair High baseball field. Work will start soon and be completed by the end of February. One of the side benefits is that the sidewalk on the northside of Monte Vista Avenue will be extended to Waring Road.
• OK’d an overnight trip to Sacramento on Feb. 9-10 for the high school wrestling team.
• Approved an agreement with Turlock Sports Park, whose staff will engage students in organized activities two Wednesdays per month to promote sportsmanship, social skills, self-regulation and guidance and enhancement of healthy choices and behaviors. The cost is not to exceed $48,380 and will be paid for from Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) funding the district receives.

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.