Aptos’ boys’ tennis team remains undefeated in Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League play following a 5-2 win over Scotts Valley in league action Thursday afternoon.
The Mariners’ Tyler Thomas beat Lincoln Verinsky 6-2, 6-0 at No. 3 singles, while George Jertberg defeated Garvasis Kuriakuse 6-1, 6-2 at No. 4. With the win, Aptos improved to a 2-0 record in league play.
Scotts Valley’s Eli Diamond beat Dane Victory 6-4, 6-0 at No. 1 singles, and teammate Aditya Hannon defeated Aptos’ Nico Salinas in straight sets 6-0, 6-2 at No. 2.
In doubles action, Aptos’ Isaiah Ackerman and Nami Banks were victorious in straight sets 6-0, 6-0 over Jacob Bodeman and Freddie Padilla at No. 1.
The Mariners’ Dylan Wood and Kal Bhugra beat Christian Estrada and Steve Saji in straight sets 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2. Scotts Valley defaulted at No. 3.
Aptos kicked off the league season with a 6-1 win against San Lorenzo Valley. Victory won at No. 1 singles over SLV’s Sawyer Amos 6-0, 6-2, while Salinas beat Jacob Aufdermeyer in straight sets 6-0, 6-1.
In doubles action, Ackerman and Love Granstrom were victorious 6-0, 6-0 against the Schipper brothers—Oscar and Zach at No. 2. SLV’s Asher Schwarzbach and August Hughes beat Jertberg and Thomas in straight sets 6-4, 6-1.
Next up, Aptos (2-0, 2-0) will host Soquel (2-0, 2-0) in SCCAL play March 25 at 4:30pm. Scotts Valley (1-2, 1-1) will host Santa Cruz (1-1, 1-1)
Scotts Valley 7, at Harbor 0: The Falcons opened SCCAL play with a sweeping victory on the Pirates’ home courts Tuesday afternoon. Scotts Valley swept all four singles matches in straight sets, while a shorthanded Harbor squad defaulted all three doubles matches.
In singles action, Scotts Valley senior Elijah Diamond defeated Harbors’ Abraham Bachar 6-1, 6-2 at No. 1, while junior Aditya Hannon beat Harbors’ Andres Martinez 6-0, 6-1 at No. 2. Falcons junior Garvasis Kuriakose beat Luke Griffin 6-1, 6-0 at No. 3, and teammate junior Jacob Bodeman defeated Harbors’ Malik Hall 6-0, 6-0 at No. 4.
High school baseball
St. Francis extends win streak to three: The Sharks brought out the brooms en route to a pair of wins over Soledad for the sweep in Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division play this week.
Seniors Nash Horton and Mason Borrego combined for seven strikeouts in St. Francis’ 7-0 victory over the Aztecs on Thursday afternoon. Teammate senior Donovan Dominguez batted 2-for-3 with two RBIs and scored one run, while freshman Noah Magaña had one hit and scored twice for the Sharks.
Senior Javier Fonseca and sophomore Nick Fantl each had a pair of RBIs in the Sharks’ 5-3 win against the Mariners in non-league action Wednesday afternoon. Horton had one hit and two walks while scoring twice.
Senior pitcher Evan Dyer allowed three runs—two earned—on three hits while tallying eight strikeouts in six innings pitched to pick up the win. Fonseca had two strikeouts in one inning pitched and was credited with the save for the Sharks.
Fantl had another big game with a pair of hits and three RBIs in an 11-7 win against Soledad on Tuesday. Fonseca batted 3-for-3 with four RBIs and three runs scored, while freshman Jeremiah Mendez had two hits and two RBIs for the Sharks.
St. Francis (5-3, 2-2) plays at Hollister in league action March 25 at 4pm.
High school softball
At Scotts Valley 7, Aptos 2: Sofie Seese allowed two runs on six hits while tallying three strikeouts in the Falcons’ win over the Mariners in SCCAL action Thursday afternoon. Teammate Taylor Wilson batted 4-for-4 with three singles and one home run, and Gracie Delgado had two home runs and a pair of RBIs.
Jazzy Doubek had two hits and one RBI for Scotts Valley (7-3, 1-0), which plays at Harbor on March 25 at 4:30pm.
Mya Najera-White allowed seven runs on 13 hits while recording three strikeouts for the Mariners. Teammates Lilly McGee and Makenzie Lashley each had one RBI.
Aptos (2-2, 0-1) plays at Monte Vista Christian on Saturday at 8:30am.
At Carmel 7, Monte Vista Christian 6: Juliana Lopez batted 2-for-3 with one double and a pair of RBIs in the Mustangs’ loss to the Padres in PCAL Mission Division action Thursday afternoon.
Teammates Kayla Fullalove-Silveira, Ava Alvarado, Gianna Johnson, Harper Ealy Whitby and Addie Boles each had one base hit for MVC (4-6, 0-3), which hosts Aptos and Presentation on Saturday at 8:30am and 1pm, respectively.
At Pajaro Valley 8, Seaside 7: Elena Barron batted 3-for-4 with one triple, three RBIs and a pair of runs scored in the Grizzlies’ win over the Spartans in PCAL Cypress Division play Wednesday afternoon.
Teammate Jaqueline Alvarez had three hits to go along with one RBI and one run scored, while Nathan Carbajal-Toledo batted 3-for-3 with three runs scored. Hailey-Marie Erskine had one hit and two RBIs, and Hemeria De La Torre had a pair of hits including one double, one RBI and one run scored for the Grizzlies.
Pajaro Valley (1-3, 1-0) will host Greenfield (1-7) in league action March 26 at 4:30pm.
Boys golf
Nowark and the Mariners off to a hot start: Aptos senior and team captain Ben Nowark shot a 2-over-par 37 from the back tees at DeLaveaga Golf Course in an SCCAL match against Soquel on Thursday.
Nowark shot 5-over-par 35 at Seascape Golf Club in the Mariners’ 208-252 victory over Harbor in league play on Tuesday afternoon.
Teammate sophomore Nick Bjorn shot a 38 to earn medalist honors, followed by Colby Culbertson (41), Leland Blankenship (42) and Will Byers (47).
Harbor’s top finisher was Kaden Dunton (39), followed by, Kyler Samples (47), Gunther Krueger (49), Jake Locknane (58) and Niko Marinovik (59).
