Sports

APTOS—It almost feels like an eternity since the Cabrillo College football team last saw some action on the field.  But two years after they were placed on probation due to a violation for housing out-of-area players, the Seahawks are back and ready to take on...

APTOS–The Aptos High girls’ basketball team was a heavy favorite going into Friday night’s Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League Tournament championship against Soquel High. Guard Gabby Giuffre made that clear from the start, scoring the game’s first eight points to help the Mariners cruise past...

• Last year’s record: 7-4 (Central Coast Section Open Division III qualifier) • Last year’s league record: 6-1 (Monterey Bay League Gabilan division runner-up) • Last year’s MaxPreps state ranking: 226th • Coach: Randy Blankenship • Key losses: Blake Wheeler;

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.”

Cabrillo College men’s basketball coach Tony Marcopulos is entering his 20th season with the program and he is facing one of his biggest challenges yet. It’s the first time in more than a decade he’ll be taking on such an inexperienced group that’ll feature just...

Nikki Hiltz made her first-ever trip to Boston to compete at the Boston Athletic Association Invitational Mile on April 13 and did what she’s been doing throughout her prestigious running career.

The Aptos High Mariners have been the cream of the crop in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League all season long. That trend continued at April 25's league championships. Senior Kourosh Safari repeated as the SCCAL singles champ with a grueling 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 win over Santa Cruz High’s Jack Tierney, while the Mariners’ duo of Carter Bond and Jake Kluger breezed through Soquel High’s pair of Lincoln Cooley and Casey Valcarcel, 6-1, 6-3, for the doubles title at the Seascape Sports Club.

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