Sports

Monterey High’s sophomore infielder Michael Mugan belted a three-run homer in the Toreadores’ four-run first inning, and M.V.C.’s late push fell short in its 9-5 league-opening loss on Tuesday.

Blankenship, now a nine-time section champion and 285-game winner, will probably be fine-tuning the Mariners’ depth chart for the 2019 season while his family unwraps presents on Christmas morning. And he’ll probably be watching game film of the incoming senior and junior classes as the ball drops in Times Square to ring in the new year.

With 10 players back, including four starters, from last year’s regional quarterfinalist team, Aptos knows this could be the year the program does something it has not since the 1982-83 season: play for a California Interscholastic Federation Northern California championship.

The racing action returns to the Ocean Speedway on Friday after a week-long break from the Independence Day holiday. This weekend’s lineup will feature the Taco Bravo Sprint Cars along with the IMCA Modifieds, Four Bangers, South Bay Dwarf Cars and Police N’ Pursuit.

Justin Sanders captured his third 30-lap Taco Bravo Sprint Car Main Event victory Friday night at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville.

Aptos High dedicated its baseball diamond to brothers Paul and Robert Bailey on Tuesday before the Mariners’ Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League game against Soquel High.

WATSONVILLE—The Monte Vista Christian football team had been looking for ways to get back on track after two consecutive losses to begin Pacific Coast Athletic League Mission Division play. The Mustangs galloped their way back with a 34-24 win over North Salinas in front of...

The No. 5-seeded Mariners punctuated their improbable CCS-title run by exacting some sweet revenge on the No. 2-seeded Soquel Knights with a 71-59 win on Saturday to capture their first section title since 1983.