Perhaps no other player in the Monterey Bay is having a better start to the season than Pajaro Valley’s Jayleen Solorzano.
The Grizzlies’ senior point guard is nearly averaging a triple-double (30.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 6.8 steals) and has scored 394 points in only 13 games.
No other player in the state is averaging more points per game than Solorzano, according to the stats kept by MaxPreps.com. She is also eighth in the nation in points per game, and is the only player in the Central Coast Section averaging at least 20 points, eight rebounds and six steals per game.
Her hot start has helped Pajaro Valley get off to the best start in program history (9-4). The Grizzlies are also only three wins from breaking the program’s record for most wins in a single season.
Pajaro Valley starts Pacific Coast Athletic League Santa Lucia division play today at Monterey at 7 p.m.
The Grizzlies are riding a five-game losing streak against league opponents that dates back to last season.
In other girls’ basketball action from Jan. 3-9:
• NMC 34, St. Francis 32 – Janessa Yniguez had 15 points for St. Francis in its preseason loss to North Monterey County.
St. Francis (4-9) opens PCAL-Cypress play tonight against Soledad at 7 p.m.
• Ceiba 27, Marina 26 – Fenesia Braga nailed a 3-pointer in the final seconds to lift Ceiba to its first PCAL-Arroyo win of the season on Tuesday night.
Braga also had 10 rebounds and four blocks. Summer Hashimoto finished with five points, five rebounds and five steals.
• Aptos 57, Scotts Valley 21 – Natalia Ackerman had 14 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and four steals to help the Mariners capture their 21st consecutive Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League regular season win on Tuesday.
Gabby Giuffre chipped in 10 points and eight boards for Aptos (11-4, 2-0), which hosts Soquel tonight at 5:30 p.m.
• Carmel 35, Watsonville 15 – The Wildcatz suffered a non-league blowout loss on Monday.
• NMC 44, El Camino 38 – Alyssa Torres (13) and Ashlen Ransome (11) scored in double figures for the Condors in their non-league win on Monday.
• MVC 53, San Mateo 25 – Alea Rafat (9), Mackenzie Tellez (8) and Madison Hill (8) combined for 25 points in the Mustangs’ non-league rout on Jan. 5.
• ND-Salinas 53, St. Francis 36 – Janessa Yniguez scored 16 points for the Sharks in their non-league loss on Jan. 4.
Grace Kovacs and Tanya Gallo had seven points apiece.
• Aptos 66, Santa Cruz 25 – Natalia Ackerman had 19 points, eight rebounds and two blocks as the Mariners cruised in their SCCAL opener on Jan. 4.
Hannah Hocom (12) and Abby Pardue (11) also scored in double figures for Aptos.
• Pajaro Valley 61, Watsonville 28 – Jayleen Solorzano flirted with a triple-double (38 points, 13 rebounds and eight steals) in Jan. 3’s non-league win over cross-city rival Watsonville.
Michelle Ibarra added 13 points and nine boards.
LINE OF THE WEEK (Jan. 3-9)
• Jayleen Solorzano, Pajaro Valley – 38 points, 13 rebounds and eight steals against Watsonville on Jan. 3.
UPCOMING GAME OF THE WEEK (Jan. 11-17)
• Aptos vs. Soquel; Jan. 11, 5:30 p.m. – Mariners battle rival Knights in meeting of past two SCCAL champions.
