Youth Sports

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...

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...

The Padres of Pajaro Valley Little League celebrated on the field after capturing the Majors Division championship following a 14-1 crushing win against the White Sox on June 3 at Ruso Field in Watsonville. With the win, the Padres will compete in the District 39...

SANTA CRUZ—It took two days and just about every last ounce of effort from the DubTown 16-U Colt baseball team out of Watsonville to win the 2021 Santa Cruz Colt Baseball Tournament.   The No. 4-seeded DubTown crawled their way back going from the losers’ bracket...

A pair of teams from the PV United soccer club got the opportunity of a lifetime this week to showcase their skills in front of hundreds of soccer enthusiasts in Sweden. The 2006 girls’ and 2010 boys’ soccer teams competed in the Gothia Cup, an...

St. Francis High senior infielder Noel Aquino hit a game-changing home run that helped lift the Sharks baseball team past Watsonville High on Monday. Aquino’s three-run blast in the bottom of the fourth inning was the difference in a 5-4 win against the Wildcatz in...

Watsonville High senior Rylee Gomez once again lit up the scoreboard with just one crack of the bat for the Wildcatz softball team.  The nifty short stop launched a two-run home run in Monday’s 9-5 victory against North Salinas High in Pacific Coast Athletic League...

Aztecas Youth Soccer Academy held one of its week-long soccer camps that brought out nearly 150 youngsters to the pitch at Freedom Elementary School on July 21-25 for drills and a World Cup-style tournament.   Program founder Gina Castañeda said providing the camp for at-risk youth...

APTOS—Aptos High student Taj Gleitsman set a goal to make the USA Gymnastics National Team one way or another. The 16-year-old Corralitos native is now just one of seven athletes that earned a spot after a brilliant performance at the USA Gymnastics Tumbling & Trampoline...

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...