Sports

One of the deadliest offensive players in the Tri-County (Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito) last season, Hocom lived up to her reputation this winter while also making drastic improvements on the defensive end. The 5-foot-9 guard often blanketed the opposing team’s best guard for three quarters of the court, throwing their offensive game plan out of whack with her pestering reach and impeccable footwork.

Junior catcher hit three home runs, two triples and a double to knock in nine runs over five wins for the Wildcatz last week.

Hocom compiled a 78-36 overall record in his four years at Aptos, and helped the program capture its first Central Coast Section title since 1983 and first outright Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League crown since ’82.

His participation in track and field is somewhat of an act of defiance — internally and externally. He wants to push his limits as an athlete and person, and he also wants to challenge his peer’s beliefs of people with disabilities. Because of his condition, he uses a wheelchair, he has a speech impediment and his motor skills are disorganized at times. But he doesn’t want his cerebral palsy to define him. A straight-A student with a gigantic personality, Vasquez wants to break down barriers one shot toss at a time.