Pajaro Valley senior Cesar Velazquez had one goal and three assists in the Grizzlies’ 6-0 crushing victory over Rancho San Juan in Pacific Coast Athletic League Mission Division boys soccer action Monday.
Juniors Raymond Mata and Andres Perez, along with freshmen Oscar Lopez, Julio Cruz and Adrian Ferrusca each had one goal for Pajaro Valley, which picked up its first league win of the season.
“They were hungry,” Pajaro Valley head coach Cesar Rojas said. “Our league is so competitive and I was just telling the boys if we win every game now, we can still go to [the Central Coast Section playoffs]. It seems like that’s the mentality of the boys. They really want to go to CCS.”
Junior Jesus Segura had a pair of assists, and freshman Edwin Perez was credited for one. Fellow teammates senior goalkeeper Luis Tellez Mejia had three saves for a Grizzlies team looking to bounce back after a rough start to the 2024-25 winter campaign.
Rojas began the season with 12 seniors but now he’s down to just two in Velazquez and Tellez Mejia.
“It opened a lot of space for my freshman to move up,” Rojas said.
Pajaro Valley has had seven freshmen including Emmanuel Perez on the active roster since mid December.
What impresses Rojas the most about this group is most of their matches have been close, losing by narrow margins between one and two goals or coming away with a draw.
“We’re just trying to hang in there,” Rojas said.
Rojas said he told his young Grizzlies group to block out any outside comments, and to believe in themselves as they head into the final stretch of the season.
“Don’t listen to what other people are telling you outside and in school,” Rojas said. “At the end of the day, you guys are here. You’re sticking out for the program and we’re pulling it through.”
Pajaro Valley (2-7-6, 1-2-4) plays at Salinas (6-6-4, 1-5-1) on Wednesday at 5:45pm.
At Aptos 6, Scotts Valley 0: Senior goalkeeper Noah Curran had three saves in the Mariners’ shutout win against the Falcons in Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League play Monday night.
Nami Banks and Damian Garcia each notched a pair of goals, while fellow teammates Nicolas Topete and Ricardo Ortiz each scored once. Love Granstrom and Josiah Siqueiros each had one assist for Aptos (8-3-1, 3-1), which hosts San Lorenzo Valley (3-3-2, 1-1-0) on Friday at 7pm.
Watsonville 3, at King City 0: Junior goalkeeper Adrian Fernandez had four saves in the Wildcatz’s shutout win against the Mustangs in PCAL Mission Division play Monday.
Fellow teammate junior Alexis Castillo-Perez notched a pair of goals, while fellow teammate Orlando Valtierra added one. Leo Flores was credited with one assist for Watsonville (5-3-6, 4-1-2), which plays Palma (9-3-2, 5-1-1) at Hartnell College in Salinas on Wednesday at 6:45pm.
Girls soccer
At Aptos 5, Santa Cruz 0: Emily Santiago and Alexa Castañeda each had a pair of goals in the Mariners’ win over the Cardinals in SCCAL action Jan. 23.
Teammate Scarlet Stateler added one goal and Gigi Zuñiga was credited with two assists. Evelyn Pini had three saves for Aptos (9-2, 4-0)—winners of seven straight—which hosts Harbor on Tuesday at 7pm.
Pajaro Valley 4, at North Salinas 0: Valeria Acosta recorded a hat trick with three goals as the Grizzlies notched a win over the Vikings in PCAL Mission Division play Jan. 24.
Fellow teammate Scarlet Gomez had one goal and two assists, while Leslie Carrisoza was also credited with a pair of assists. Kendra Rivas had four saves for Pajaro Valley (14-1, 6-0)—winners of 13 straight—which plays at North Monterey County (11-2-1, 4-1-1) on Tuesday at 5:45pm.
Boys basketball
St. Francis 77, at Pacific Collegiate 55: Robert Gomez Jr. and Nash Horton each scored 15 points in the Sharks’ win over the Pumas in PCAL Mission Division action Jan. 24.
Gomez Jr. added two rebounds, two steals and one assist, while Horton tallied 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block. Fellow teammate Jesse Navarro added 12 points, one assist and one steal.
Jacob Jimenez contributed 11 points and eight rebounds, Isaiah Villalobos had 10 points and a pair of steals, and Gabe Santos had nine points and seven rebounds for St. Francis (15-3, 6-0), which plays at King City (2-13, 1-5) on Tuesday at 7pm.
Girls basketball
Aptos 43, at Harbor 29: Emi Gansaver-Piltcher had a team-best 11 points, including three 3-pointers in the Mariners’ win over the Pirates in Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League action Jan. 25.
Teammate Abby Sherwood contributed 10 points and five rebounds, while Berkeley Ashby finished with eight points, six rebounds, three steals and four assists.
Victoria Macias added seven points, four steals, three assists and a pair of rebounds for Aptos (11-8, 3-2), which plays at Scotts Valley (15-2, 5-0) on Tuesday at 5:30pm.
Santa Cruz 58, at Aptos 56 (OT): Abby Sherwood recorded a double-double with 27 points and 12 rebounds in the Mariners’ overtime loss to the Cardinals in SCCAL action Jan. 23.
Teammate Berkeley Ashby added 21 points, three rebounds and two steals. Emi Gansaver-Piltcher and Eliya Chavez each added four points for Aptos.
St. Francis 51, at Pacific Collegiate 38: Freshman guard Liliana Whitmeyer had a game-best 20 points, including three 3-pointers in the Sharks’ win over the Pumas in PCAL Cypress Division play Jan. 24.
Whitmeyer added six rebounds, two assists, four steals and a pair of blocks, while fellow teammate senior Maeve Flynn added 11 points, five rebounds, one assist and one steal.
Freshman guard Keira Grio contributed nine points and one steal, and sophomore guard Maya Calfee had 9 points, seven assists, six steals, four blocks and one rebound for the Sharks—winners of seven straight.
Kat Buckley had a team-best 18 points for the Pumas, and teammate Addie Payne added 11 points.
St. Francis (14-2, 7-0) plays at King City (6-11, 5-2) on Tuesday at 5:30pm.
Watsonville 49, at Alisal 44: Freshman guard Isa Alvarez led the charge with 21 points, six rebounds and three steals in the Wildcatz’s win over the Trojans in PCAL Gabilan Division action Jan. 24.
Junior guard Stephanie Martinez had 15 points, nine rebounds and three steals for Watsonville, which improved to 5-1 in league play. Fellow teammate senior forward Fernanda Lazo added seven points, nine rebounds and four steals. Watsonville (15-3, 5-1) plays at Hollister on Tuesday at 7pm.
Coaches and athletic directors are encouraged to submit scores and highlights to jr****@we*****.com. Follow sports editor Juan Reyes (@jmreyes831) on Twitter for scores and news updates.
