High School Sports

WATSONVILLE—It’s been a shaky start for the Pajaro Valley High football team after it lost two straight non-league games to begin the season.    The Grizzlies are far from giving up, however, and head coach Joe Manfre said a lot of the goals they set at...

A sense of pressure was evident throughout the gymnasium when the Monte Vista Christian girl’s basketball team visited Soledad High in last week’s battle for first place in the Mission Division. The Mustangs had to win in order just to keep their league title hopes...

WATSONVILLE—Prior to the season, Pajaro Valley High senior Isaac Rojas changed the shoelaces on his red cleats and it turned out they weren’t exactly the right length.   No matter how many times he tied them they just came apart, continuously stepping on them yet never...

WATSONVILLE— The Saint Francis High boys’ soccer team struggled throughout the preseason to barely get just enough players on the pitch to begin a match. It’s been quite the challenge for Sharks’ first-year coach Valentin Barrelleza, who saw roster numbers reduced to as little as...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville High football team retained the Belgard Kup with a 22-17 win over cross-town rival Pajaro Valley High. The Grizzlies had a 3-2 lead over the Wildcatz going into halftime. The first two quarters were riddled with penalties and turnovers that stalled promising drives...

Watsonville High sophomore Katelyn Ruiz won the Gabilan Division title at the Pacific Coast Athletic League Cross Country Championships on Oct. 29. She finished the 3.1-mile race at Palo Corona Regional Park in Carmel in 20 minutes, 31.2 seconds.  “I felt a little nervous because it’s...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville High senior Xitlali Montesino was faced with a difficult challenge of having to compete against some of the best teams in the grueling Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division this season.  However, the standout Wildcatz guard was more than up to the task following...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville High seniors Adrian Arevalo and Matthew Flores ran for scores in their final home game at Emmett M. Geiser Field, helping the Wildcatz to a 22-6 win against Rancho San Juan High in Pacific Coast Athletic League Cypress Division action on Thursday night.    Senior...

APTOS—The high school football season unofficially kicked off this past weekend with the Santa Cruz County Jamboree at Cabrillo College. St. Francis, Pajaro Valley and Watsonville high schools along with four other schools within the county scrimmaged for the first time this season at...

Steve Okamura was a big contributor for kickstarting the annual Apple Cider Classic wrestling tournament at Watsonville High in 2010. The longtime Wildcatz wrestling assistant coach also helped pave the way for dozens of girls who were hesitant to step on the mat in a...