Monte Vista Christian adds two new head coaches to athletics department
Monte Vista Christian announced the addition of two new head coaches for the upcoming 2024-25 prep sports year.
The school’s athletics website posted in June that Juan Diego Alvarez and Al Toney were brought on board to lead the girls’ soccer and boys’ basketball programs,...
Longtime Watsonville High wrestling coach Steve Okamura dies
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...
Watsonville High taps alumna Becky Clark as school’s newest athletic director
A little more than two decades ago, Becky Clark was one of the most passionate wrestlers to compete for Watsonville High. She made a name for herself after finishing runner-up at the California Interscholastic Federation State Wrestling Championships in 2001.
Clark, who will turn 40...
Top moments for the 2023-24 sports year
With the 2023-24 sports year officially in the books, it’s time to reflect on some of the best moments that took place throughout this past year.
Watsonville native selected in MLB Draft
A lifelong dream came true for Watsonville native Luke Keaschall, who was selected by...
St. Francis’ Aaliysah Gomez named Pajaronian Girls Athlete of the Year
St. Francis High graduate Aaliysah Gomez had an incident when she was 2 that had doctors saying she would be blind and never able to see out of one eye.
Years later, she managed to overcome that obstacle and never let her foot off the...
Watsonville’s Ruben Mora named The Pajaronian’s Boys Athlete of the Year
No pain, no gain.
It’s an idiom often used by athletes for motivation during some of the most grueling moments of their lives.
Watsonville High graduate Ruben Mora had his fair share of those moments while donning a Wildcatz uniform. Whether it was overcoming injuries or...
Watsonville’s Amelia Martinez commended as Mission Division’s top pitcher | All-PCAL softball
Watsonville High sophomore Amelia Martinez was named the Pacific Coast Athletic League Mission Division’s Pitcher of the Year for the 2024 regular season.
The Wildcatz’s star pitcher finished with a 13-2 overall record in 20 appearances in the circle. She had a 1.59 ERA with...
SV’s LaRiviere named MVP, Aptos’ Espinoza earns Pitcher of the Year | All-SCCAL baseball
Blake LaRiviere had the initial plan of playing for both the Scotts Valley High football and baseball teams to close out his senior year with a bang. Instead, he decided to opt out of the football season so he could focus on baseball and...
Scotts Valley’s Taylor Wilson recognized as league’s top player | All-SCCAL softball
Scotts Valley High junior Taylor Wilson earned the league’s top honors as the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League’s Player of the Year for the 2024 season.
“This award means a lot to me because it was my goal from the beginning of the season and...
St. Francis’ Nash Horton named co-MVP of Gabilan Division | All-PCAL baseballÂ
St. Francis High junior Nash Horton missed the 2023 baseball season due to a major injury to his pitching shoulder.
While still in an arm sling, he was told to jot down any goals he had in mind.
What started as a short list turned into...
Homicide suspect arrested in Switzerland
A Santa Cruz man was arrested recently in Switzerland in connection with the death of his father, 90-year-old Robert Smallwood.
