Sports

SALINAS—As the gusty Salinas Valley winds began to pick up, so did the howls from Lobos fans sitting in the stands, cheering for their Monterey Peninsula College football team as it got into victory formation to close out the season.  The Lobos defeated Cabrillo College,...

Stephen Curry, Quinn Cook and DeMarcus Cousins brought the rain with them. With that trio of Golden State Warriors watching courtside, the Santa Cruz Warriors put on a shooting clinic to cruise to a 123-104 victory over the Stockton Kings in their home opener Wednesday night at Kaiser Permanente Arena.

Third-year Aptos head coach Stefan Hocom was named the SCCAL Coach of the Year. Photo by Tony Nunez

Over the last nine years as the head coach of the Cabrillo College baseball team, Bob Kittle has had numerous student-athletes from all over Santa Cruz County pour into his program. Just last spring, Kittle had at least one player from all but one public school in the county on his roster. Bringing in the best of the best, and watching the talent and personalities from various backgrounds mesh into a powerhouse representation of the county has been one of his favorite aspects of the job. “Santa Cruz County is unique,” Kittle said in a recent phone interview. “There’s a sense of pride in this county… It’s connected.”

APTOS—Matt Anderson has adjusted quite well in his second stint as coach of the Aptos High girls’ golf team. He’s feeling more confident than ever, ready to make some noise in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League this season. However, the Mariners are going to...

APTOS—Natalia Ackerman knows what it’s like to hoist a Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League and Central Coast Section Division III basketball title in a single season.  But that was so last season. The 6-foot-1 Aptos High senior forward has her eyes set on something bigger for...

The road to recovery hasn’t been easy for DeSean Gomez after a torn ACL injury sidelined him during his senior year at Aptos High two years ago.  But now the Cabrillo College freshman is back feeling healthier, and stronger, than ever.   “I hear a lot of...

he Aptos High baseball team continues to stay on pace at making another postseason run into the Central Coast Section playoffs.

Sophomore shortstop Shea Garcia capped a 10-run explosion with a monster grand slam over the centerfield fence, and Aptos High cruised to a 10-6 victory over San Lorenzo Valley High on Friday to clinch its first Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League title since 2011. “It took us some time,” said Aptos head coach Phil Rojas, “but it’s rewarding now.” Early on, it looked like the Mariners (13-9, 11-1) would have to wait until next season to end their league title drought.

It took nearly a decade to get it done, but the Aptos High softball team is once again champion of the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League, bringing home a league crown for the first time since 2018. They also became the first team to go...