Aptos High two-sport athlete Shane Modena on Wednesday signed his national letter of intent to play football at NCAA Division III Whitworth University in Spokane, Wash.
Modena played varsity football and basketball for Aptos over the last two seasons, helping the school’s teams reach a Central Coast Section championship game in both sports.
In football, Modena this season led the Mariners in receptions (18), yards receiving (363) and receiving touchdowns (4), as Aptos won the CCS Open Division III title and advanced to a CIF Northern California bowl game. He also played linebacker for the team’s stout defense.
On the hardwood, Modena was a key rotation player for Aptos, which won a share of the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League title and finished runner-up in the CCS D-III playoffs.
In other local sports action from Feb. 21-27:
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FOOTBALL
• Tinsley signs – Monte Vista Christian two-sport athlete Scott Tinsley on Feb. 21 announced his commitment to play football at NCAA Division II Azusa Pacific University in Southern California.
Tinsley played football and baseball at M.V.C., but really shone on the gridiron as a senior last fall. He started at running back and free safety, as the Mustangs finished second in the Pacific Coast Athletic League Mission division and advanced to the CCS D-V playoffs.
Monte Vista Christian football players Scott Tinsley (9) and Emileo Padilla-Chavez (74) recently signed their national letters of intent to play football at Azusa Pacific in Southern California. — Contributed
Tinsley will join teammate Emileo Padilla-Chavez, a tough-nosed lineman, at Azusa Pacific. Padilla-Chavez signed with the Cougars earlier this month.
Teammate Daniel Brierley, a receiver, running back and linebacker, also recently committed to a college football program, signing with NAIA Rocky Mountain College in Montana.
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HS SPORTS
• Kelly named PCAL Scholar-Athlete – St. Francis two-sport athlete E.J. Kelly was named the PCAL’s CCS Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the league recently announced.
Kelly, a star for the school’s cross country and basketball teams, won a $500 scholarship for the honor, and will be in consideration for the CCS Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, which rewards two student-athletes with a $1,500 scholarship.
Kelly was a four-time state qualifier for the cross country team, and won the PCAL Santa Lucia division championship as an individual last fall.
Kelly also helped the basketball team reach the CCS D-V semifinals for the fourth straight season this winter while earning a sport on the All-PCAL-Mission First Team. As a sophomore, he played key minutes off the bench for St. Francis’ league, section and regional champion squad that finished runner-up in the state playoffs.
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BOYS VOLLEYBALL
• PV 3, Watsonville 1 – Marcos Arreola (20) and Esteban Fernandez (16) combined for 36 kills to lead Pajaro Valley over Watsonville in both teams’ PCAL-Mission division opener on Tuesday. The scores were: 25-15, 26-28, 25-22, 25-22.
Dennar Ocampo had 46 assists and three aces, and Christian Quintero finished with four blocks.
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HS SOFTBALL
• Aptos 5, Pacific Grove 0 – Freshman Ada Neu had 17 strikeouts and allowed only three hits in the Mariners’ non-league win on Tuesday.
Vanessa Segura was 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and a scored run.
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HS BASEBALL
• MVC 11, Carmel 9 – Aidan Lee and Nate Renggli combined to go 6-for-6 with seven RBI, three doubles and four scored runs in the Mustangs’ non-league win on Tuesday.
