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...

Aptos All-Stars pitchers Kiran Yager and Miles Lee combined their forces to put on a performance of a lifetime in a 9-0 win against Los Altos in the Little League Section 5 championship in Campbell on Wednesday evening.  “It's awesome, still waiting for it all...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

RICHMOND—A local Amateur Athletic Union girls’ basketball team won a competitive tournament in the Bay Area this past weekend.  Athletic Club Santa Cruz beat out teams from Oakland, Richmond and San Francisco to capture the championship that was held at a local gymnasium in Richmond. ACSC...

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...

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...