Youth Sports

SANTA CRUZ—Aptos Little League All Star pitcher Dominik Castillo has suffered defeat on three different occasions when it came to the District 39 Championship round. The 12-year-old ace right-hander wasn’t about to let it happen again as he gave up just two runs while recording...

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...

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 St. Francis vs. Carmel, baseball, Friday at 4pm: The No. 4 seeded...

The DubTown 18-U Palomino baseball team was faced with a pair of difficult tasks during their recent trip to the 2023 PONY West Zone tournament. Manager Andy Garcia said they were more than ready to take on anything thrown their way but in the end...

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...

The Mexican Football Federation, also known as Federación Mexicana de Fùtbol, will be in town this weekend in search of young and fresh soccer talent.  Pajaro Valley High School will host a group of scouts from Mexico who are making the trek to Watsonville on...

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...

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 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...

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...