High School Sports

APTOS—The Aptos High boys’ basketball team might actually get its chance to play a rubber match against league rival Santa Cruz High in the upcoming Central Coast Section postseason.   The Mariners and Cardinals, co-champions of the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League, split their regular-season meetings...

Watsonville High this week announced it promoted Patrick Rodriguez as the newest head coach for the softball team. The 37-year-old Watsonville native will take the helm after former coach Pete Legorreta told the school he was retiring from coaching following the 2024 spring season. Rodriguez was...

This week’s edition of the Pajaronian Sports Ticker highlights local prep athletes for their performances during the week of Jan. 30 - Feb. 5.  Coaches and athletic directors are encouraged to submit scores and stats to [email protected]. Follow sports editor Juan Reyes on Twitter @jmreyes831...

Baseball season is finally upon us. Besides the recent rain storms, it has been all smiles at Watsonville High as the baseball team works its way back. The Wildcatz are led by second-year head coach Tige McSwain Sr. at the helm. In his first season...

ATHERTON—When a high school soccer team scores the go-ahead goal in the 70th minute, it usually goes on to win. Sometimes, it will end in a tie and rarely does it ever end in defeat. But the latter situation is exactly what unfolded for...

WATSONVILLE—There were times last year when St. Francis High sophomore Johnny Croghan was the lone Shark practicing in the wrestling room.   The Sharks anticipate a different story this season after the program saw a bigger turnout of wrestlers who continue to show up on a...

Monte Vista Christian senior James Ponzio won the Gabilan Division race at the Pacific Coast Athletic League Cross Country Championships on Oct. 29. The Mustangs standout set a course record in the 3.1-mile race at Palo Corona Regional Park in Carmel in 16 minutes, 46.90...

It wasn’t too difficult to spot Aptos High senior Dante Aranda anytime he made his way onto the football field or a wrestling mat.  So much so, during his junior year he slowly started earning the moniker “The Bus” whenever he took off with the...

APTOS—It’s typically difficult to identify an MVP-type caliber soccer player when they primarily play in the defensive backfield and it’s the attackers producing all of the highlight reels with the goals and assists. Aptos High senior defensive midfielder Summer Jacob recorded just one goal and...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville High senior Brooklyn Llamas and the Wildcatz girls’ tennis team last year reached new heights after a successful run to a league championship. The ‘Catz clawed their way through the Pacific Coast Athletic League season undefeated, 12-0, in Cypress Division play and captured a...