Youth Sports

Steve Okamura was a big contributor for kickstarting the annual Apple Cider Classic wrestling tournament at Watsonville High in 2010. The longtime Wildcatz wrestling assistant coach also helped pave the way for dozens of girls who were hesitant to step on the mat in a...

The 12th Annual Reggie Stephens Foundation Central Coast All-Star Basketball Game is set to tip off this weekend, continuing a long-standing tradition of highlighting the top basketball talent from Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.  The best high school senior boys and girls along with 8th...

Aptos 12U All-Stars continue to stay alive in the Little League NorCal Tournament following an 8-0 victory over host Petaluma National at Luchessi Park on Tuesday evening.  Starting pitcher Kiran Yager allowed three hits and three walks while tallying five strikeouts in five innings for...

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...

WATSONVILLE—For two weeks, the District 39 Little League baseball organization used Franich Park to host a pair of the largest tournaments in Northern California.  Twelve of the best teams from Hollister to Eureka battled in the Majors Section and NorCal All-Star tournaments on Ruso Field—home...

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 Capitola-Soquel Majors All-Stars team made some history earlier this month following a thrilling win to capture the District 39 championship for the first time in nearly a decade.  Ace pitcher Ryan Huffaker helped add one more chapter in their memorable run after he recorded...

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...

WATSONVILLE—A team of local youth equestrians brought some national acclaim back to the Central Coast after putting on a strong performance nearly 3,000 miles away from home.  The Belmont Training Stables team, based out of Monte Vista Christian School, placed third at the Interscholastic Equestrian...

ORLANDO—The Santa Cruz Seahawks Pop Warner football team had been on a mission since the season started in August.  They beat the Morgan Hill Raiders to capture the Pacific Northwest Regional title and earned a trip to Florida to play the nation’s best teams. They capped...