High School Sports

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...

APTOS—Aptos High junior Eddie Alvarez has been slowly making a name for himself as one of the premier soccer players in the area. The Mariners’ superstar forward made a case for himself Tuesday night in a 3-0 shutout win over perennial powerhouse Watsonville High in...

WATSONVILLE—Pajaro Valley High athletic director Joe Manfre is entering his second season as head coach of the football team.  When he took over the program, the process of having to coach in an abbreviated Covid-19 season was still a whirlwind to him.  Manfre said this season...

WATSONVILLE—Last week was a rollercoaster ride for St. Francis High football coach John Ausman.  A day before their season opener against King City High on Aug. 27, he broke the news to the team that the game would be postponed.  The excitement came back when they...

MOUNTAIN VIEW—Aptos High went into Friday night’s Central Coast Section Division I quarterfinals in what some were calling an unwinnable game from the beginning. For a while, it seemed like the No. 8 Mariners were on the verge of pulling off a David versus Goliath...

WATSONVILLE—The St. Francis High softball team remains unbeaten after its first week of play thanks to another power pitching performance by Alicia Mendez.  The senior pitcher racked up 11 strikeouts and did not give up a walk for the Sharks in their 4-1 win against...

SAN JOSE—At the start of the season, Pajaro Valley High senior Ignacio Aguado called out a pair of schools and challenged them if they ever got the chance to meet in the Central Coast Section boys soccer playoffs. His wish came true once he found...

St. Francis High sophomore Liam Rawson was named the Pacific Coast Athletic League Santa Lucia Division's Offensive Player of the Year for the 2023-24 boys soccer season. The coaches within the league voted for Rawson during the annual end-of-the-season meeting. Rawson had 11 goals...

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...

APTOS—Aptos High football coach Randy Blaneknship has won countless league titles throughout his illustrious career, including six straight Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League crowns since joining the program. But for the first time since joining the Pacific Coast Athletic League in 2017, the Mariners won...