Sports

Marea Zlatunich could have had a very different high school experience. Now a league, section and state champion runner for the Aptos High Mariners, Zlatunich didn’t show up to the first day of cross country practice during her freshman year. “I honestly didn’t want to do cross country,” Zlatunich said. “I did it as an eighth grader and I wanted to quit after the first day, but my family didn’t let me.” But when her friend, Annika Niles, begged her to come out for the second day of practice because “she didn’t have any friends on the team,” Zlatunich reluctantly obliged. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of her young life.

The Mariners were pumping their fists, dishing out hugs and taking photos with their outright Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League championship banner after downing Soquel, 63-54, in the league tournament final on Feb. 17.

It’s been nearly one month since Aptos High senior Alexa Castañeda was hoisting a Central Coast Section championship trophy above her head. Yet, not a day goes by that at least one flashing moment goes through her head of that historic point in time. The Mariner...

Aptos High senior Matt Perko reaches on a throwing error to Soquel High junior first baseman Ryan Murtha during their Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League baseball game in Aptos. Photo by Bryce Stoepfel

Capitola-Soquel All-Star pitcher Dylan Hull recorded a complete game shutout on Saturday in a 7-0 win against the Aptos Little League All-Stars in the District 39 11s championship at Franich Park.

It was a special, and historical, Wednesday night for four local high school soccer teams that kept their Central Coast Section postseason runs alive for at least one more weekend. The Watsonville boys’ group is returning to the section finals for the first time since...

Kelly Taylor scored five goals, including the game-winner with 1:48 left to play, to lift the Aptos High Mariners girl's water polo team to a 10-9 win over the Christopher High Cougars on Thursday in Monterey Bay League Gabilan division play on the road.

APTOS—Aptos High senior Dante Aranda, whose moniker on the football field is “The Bus”, is known for delivering big hits and going full speed whenever the ball is in his hand.     The 5 foot, 10 inch, 235-pound fullback/nose guard was all over the field for...

Alex Austen, a senior offensive lineman for the Aptos High football team, stands at a towering 6-foot-5-inches and 311 pounds. Standing next to his fellow lineman, the starting left tackle makes them all look like members of the freshman squad. Six-foot-2, 283-pound senior tackle Joseph Gutierrez-Lee might as well be 5-foot-7 and 150 pounds.

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...