Watsonville sophomore Noel Navarro had three rushing touchdowns, and the Wildcatz defeated Monte Vista Christian, 42-41, in Pacific Coast Athletic League Mission Division-North football action Friday night.
“This whole season he battled to get in the end zone and once that second time we called the power he scored,” Watsonville head coach Manny Contreras said. “I might’ve or might’ve not cracked a smile when he scored. That was huge, and then he went off and scored two more times.”
Navarro tallied 191 rushing yards, including a 76-yard sprint into the end zone that tied the score at 35-all in the third quarter.
In the opening stanza, Contreras said he called a power run play twice in the red zone, but Navarro failed to punch it in.
“He got to the 4-[yard line] and I said give it to him again,” Contreras said.
Navarro wound up scoring from 5 yards out for his first career touchdown at the varsity level.
“Super proud of him. Such an outstanding student-athlete,” Contreras said.
With the win, Watsonville finished with a 4-6 overall record. They placed fourth in the PCAL Mission-North standings with a 2-3 record in league play this season.
MVC dropped to 1-4 in league play, and finished with a 4-6 overall record.
The ‘Catz took their first and only lead midway through the fourth quarter when Edwin Cornejo connected with Tony “Tigre” Torres for an 11-yard TD pass.
Senior running back Mathew Silva compiled a total of 90 yards, while teammate senior Abraham “AB” Martinez had 33 rushing yards and a 5-yard touchdown.
Going into the game, senior defensive lineman Anthony Landa slipped on a log and sustained a cut on his leg that required stitches. He returned from the hospital just in time to celebrate the win.
“It’s so dark out there before the lights came on,” Contreras said. “As he was heading to the field to get taped and boom, I get the call saying Landa fell, cut his leg pretty badly.”
Landa’s presence on the field was missed. He had three sacks and several tackles for a loss in last week’s loss to San Lorenzo Valley.
MVC junior quarterback Evan Vessey completed 44 of 59 pass attempts for 406 yards and six touchdowns, including five in the first half.
Senior Isaac Loredo hauled in five receptions for 78 receiving yards and three touchdowns for the Mustangs, while teammate senior Boston Ashe finished with a game-best 15 receptions for 162 receiving yards and one TD.
Junior Johnny Finney had seven catches for 103 receiving yards and one touchdown for MVC, which led 35-21 going into halftime.
Watsonville scored 21 unanswered points in the second half, but MVC had a chance to tie the score or take the lead late in the game.
Vessey marched the Mustangs down the field with five minutes remaining, and found Loredo for a 10-yard TD pass. However, the special teams botched the snap on the ensuing extra point attempt and still found themselves trailing at 42-41.
“It was a great finish and glad we could get a huge win to end the season,” Contreras said.
North Salinas 30, at Aptos 6: The Mariners fell to 0-8 in PCAL Gabilan Division play following a defeat to the Vikings in the teams’ regular season finale on Friday night. Aptos finished with a 1-9 overall record for the 2025 fall campaign.
Boys cross country
Aptos’ Bliesner wins SCCAL championship: Aptos senior Brady Bliesner battled his way to win the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League championship race in 15 minutes, 34 seconds at Pinto Lake County Park in Watsonville on Thursday.
Bliesner edged teammate junior Sam Hansen (15:36) in second and Scotts Valley senior Aaron Weiss (15:42) in third.
Aptos as a team finished with a score of 42 points to secure its second straight SCCAL championship banner. Santa Cruz (44) took second, while Scotts Valley (52) placed third.
All three teams automatically qualified for the Central Coast Section Championships at Crystal Springs Cross Country Course in Belmont on Nov. 15.
The first race is scheduled for 10am, starting with the Division I boys field.
PCAL Championships: Pajaro Valley senior Erik Michi placed fifth in 17:25.9 in the Cypress Division race at the PCAL Championships at Toro Park in Salinas on Nov. 1.
Teammate senior Patrick Lopez (19:20.5) placed 15th, and will make the trek with Michi to next week’s CCS Championships at Crystal Springs in Belmont on Nov. 15.
Girls cross country
SV’s Decleve wins SCCAL finals: Scotts Valley senior Ava Decleve captured her second straight SCCAL championship after she won the race in 17:03 at Pinto Lake County Park in Watsonville on Thursday afternoon.
Decleve finished slightly ahead of Aptos’ Maya Schiro (17:04) in second and SV’s Hanna Shehorn (17:09) in third.
Scotts Valley finished with a team score of 33 points to help secure its fourth league championship banner in the past five years. Aptos took second with 41 points.
Both teams advanced into next week’s CCS Championships in Belmont on Nov. 15.
‘Catz place second at PCAL finals: Watsonville senior Azucena Sandoval took second in 19:09 in the PCAL Gabilan Division race at Toro Park in Salinas on Nov. 1.
Teammate senior Lizbeth Gomez Abrica (20:30.1) placed seventh, followed by junior Aileen Reyes (21:43.8) in 11th, senior Karen Martinez (22:30.3) in 19th and freshman Camille Corrales (22:43.6) in 20th.
Seniors Kurihani Carbajal-Vega (24:12.3) and Ximena Pimentel (25:55.4) placed 37th and 42nd, respectively, for the ‘Catz, who placed second as a team with a score of 59.
Watsonville earned a trip to next week’s CCS Championships in Belmont on Nov. 15.
Ceiba junior Melissa Arellano (22:54.4) placed fifth in the Cypress Division race to sneak her way into the section finals as an at-large entry.
Girls tennis
Aptos’ Safari wins SCCAL singles title: Aptos sophomore Kiana Safari defeated Scotts Valley senior Aila Papadopoulos in straight sets 6-2, 6-0 to capture the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League singles championship at Imperial Courts in Aptos on Thursday afternoon.
Safari, who entered the tourney as the top seed, finished with an 11-0 record in league matches played, including eight wins in the regular season.
Santa Cruz duo Francesca Garces and Julia Kennedy defeated Aptos seniors Isabella and Natalia Calderon in straight sets 6-1, 6-3 to win the SCCAL doubles championship.
SCCAL regular season champion Aptos will compete at the Central Coast Section Team Championships, which begins Nov. 10.
Safari earned a spot to compete in the CCS Singles Championships at Bay Club Courtside in Los Gatos, which begins Nov. 17. Garces and Kennedy qualified to compete in the doubles tournament starting on Nov. 18.
