High School Sports

Aptos turned some heads during its improbable run in the Central Coast Section playoffs after it pulled off back-to-back stunning wins to reach last week’s Division III championship game. However, the storybook tale came to a close after the No. 7 seed Mariners fell short...

Pajaro Valley High announced Friday that it has hired Darren Jackson as the new head coach of the girls’ basketball team. Jackson will replace Mark Harris who stepped down from the same position after spending four years at the helm. “My plan is to build off...

Monte Vista Christian was bumped into a higher division this past offseason after coming off a successful title run in 2023. For some teams, it can take time getting adjusted to a much higher level of play.  The Mustangs seem to be handling the competition...

APTOS—Aptos High senior Trent Nosky spent time over the summer logging in dozens of miles in hopes to improve on his endurance.  It’s something that he's seen as a weakness in the past. “I have a lot of speed but I don't have as much strength...

This week’s edition of the Central Coast Preps Sports Ticker highlights local prep athletes for their performances during the week of March 25-31.    Preps of the Week Boys: St. Francis High junior Nash Horton batted a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run—his third of the season—to...

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...

SCOTTS VALLEY—It was the intense rematch rivalry game basketball fans wanted to witness—Aptos and Santa Cruz battling it out for the league title in what was sure to be an epic finale. Except, reality often doesn’t meet expectations. The Cardinals imposed their will upon the Mariners...

A group of six local high schools unofficially kicked off the 2024 fall season at this past weekend’s Santa Cruz County football jamboree at Cabrillo College. Aptos, Harbor, San Lorenzo Valley, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Watsonville high schools took part in scrimmages in front...

APTOS—Aptos High football coach Randy Blankenship joined the state’s 300-win club last year, becoming one of a dozen coaches who have reached that feat. Prior to that he brought home four Central Coast Section championships to the Mariners’ program since he arrived in 2010.  But the...

APTOS—It’s been nearly a year since Aptos High junior Diego Hernandez was denied a league crown after coming up short to Harbor High’s Christian Cruz in last season’s wrestling finals. On Wednesday, he got a chance at some redemption against his newly formed Santa Cruz...