Youth Sports

The DubTown baseball team won its third straight NorCal Palomino Super Region championship after battling out of the elimination bracket, yet again.  The 19U squad recorded five straight victories, including back-to-back wins against the Commanders 18U team of Modesto’s Bel Passi Baseball program on July...

SALINAS—The Watsonville Wildcatz defeated the Seteinbeck Tigers, 22-12, in the Monterey Bay Youth Football League Junior Peewee Sectional championship at Rabobank Stadium on Nov. 13. With the win, the ‘Catz advance to their first ever MBYFL Junior Peewee Super Bowl.  Giovanni Rivero finished with three rushing...

APTOS—It was only a matter of time for Gina Castañeda to become the new head coach of the Aptos High girls soccer program.    But there was always that burning question of when she would take the helm. The wait is over.      The school recently announced that Castañeda...

Santa Cruz native and local professional soccer star Walmer Martinez paid a special visit to Watsonville on Thursday morning to hang out with some potential talent of the future.  The Monterey Bay F.C. midfielder/forward spoke to a group of children who attended the annual Aztecas...

The Watsonville Jr Wildcatz Junior Pee Wee cheer team for a third consecutive year won a JAMZ Cheer and Dance Youth Nationals championship in Las Vegas.  A group of 11 local girls ages 7-8 took first place against nine other teams in the Division 8–Level...

Aptos native Nikki Hiltz captured their third consecutive USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships title after winning the 1,500-meters in 4 minutes, 03.15 seconds at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. on Aug. 2. The 30-year-old former Aptos High standout edged Sinclair Johnson (4:03.77) and Emily...

For years, the Little League Intermediate 50/70 Baseball Division has served as the bridge between the Majors and high school baseball in Santa Cruz County.  It gives kids the chance to develop even further before stepping onto the bigger field. In 2024, there was a new...

SALINAS—Watsonville Junior Wildcatz standout Giovani Rivero has been nearly impossible to contain in the Monterey Bay Youth Football League this season. He’s been using his agile legs to juke opposing defenses and zipping past offensive lineman for quarterback sacks.  Rivero used his swiftness once again to...

The Cover 3 Sports Ticker highlights pivotal matchups in the Games of the Week, and provides updates on local athletes in the Local Stars and Pajaro Valley Little League sections. Games of the Week Aptos vs. Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley, baseball, Friday at 4:30pm: The Mariners (21-6,...

SANTA CRUZ—The DubTown 18-U baseball team out of Watsonville faced elimination not once, but four times during this past week’s NorCal Super Regional Palomino Tournament.  With their backs against the wall, DubTown defeated the Santa Clara Red Sox twice on Sunday to capture the championship...