Recent St. Francis High graduate Chase Watkins was named the Division V Boys Athlete of the Year in the state of California by Cal-Hi Sports, the website recently announced.
Watkins was an All-Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League First Team Selection in basketball and baseball after leading both teams deep into the Central Coast Section playoffs.
He was also recently named the Pajaronian Male Student-Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive school year and an all-state selection in baseball for small schools by Cal-Hi Sports.
“It’s all kind of crazy,” said Watkins, who is set to play NCAA D-I baseball at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo. “I didn’t really expect any of this and they just kept coming. It’s kind of overwhelming.”
A 6-foot-4 left-handed pitcher, Watkins wowed on the mound in the spring. He posted a 1.83 earned run average and a 6-3 record while also leading the team in strikeouts (85).
His 13-strikeout performance in the CCS D-III semifinals against Palma High advanced the program to its second-ever section final appearance.
Clutch performances in big games were never out the ordinary for Watkins, according to St. Francis baseball coach Kenny Nakagawa.
“He’s got that competitive side to him, and he’s got the will to win,” the coach said. “Even back in his junior year he’d say to me, ‘coach, I want to pitch against the best teams.’ That’s who he is. He wants to be the best. In order to be the best, he knows he has to beat the best.”
St. Francis basketball coach Ed Kelly said Watkins’ mental toughness in important moments were a product of his life experiences. Watkins lost his older brother to cancer a decade ago, and the family tragedy helped put sports into perspective.
“Chase has had some things in his life that has allowed him to keep things in perspective,” Kelly said. “That’s why he’s never overwhelmed, why he can play well in the big moments…He’s had plenty of ups, but he’s also had some downs. He’s showed he can handle both. He understands that it’s a game, and he’s out there playing and having fun.”
Watkins averaged 18 points, eight rebounds and two assists for the Sharks’ basketball team, which finished 20-6 overall, took second in the SCCAL and advanced to the CCS D-V semifinals.
Kelly said he was most impressed with Watkins’ ability to adapt during his senior season. An early season abdomen injury robbed Watkins of his efficiency from beyond the arc, so the bruising forward drove to the bucket more often and earned several trips to the free-throw line.
“He adjusted the way he played accordingly and not many players can make that adjustment,” Kelly said. “It takes a lot of physical ability, but also a lot of mental strength.”
Watkins finished his basketball career at St. Francis with the second-most points (1,320) in program history despite missing nearly half of his senior season with the aforementioned injury. He was also the leading scorer on the 2016-17 basketball team that won league, section and regional titles en route to an appearance in the D-V state championship at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
The success in both sports over the last two school years catapulted Watkins into the discussion of greatest athletes in school history. Both Kelly and Nakagawa said Watkins has to at least be in the conversation with the greats.
“He’s got to be in that first tier,” Kelly said. “There aren’t many kids that make the first team in multiple sports, and are in the conversation at the CCS and state level.”
Added Nakagawa: “He’s just different. We’ve always known he was special. It wouldn’t surprise me if you turn the TV on in a few years and you see him. He’s got that chance.”
