831PrepBeat
Follow your athlete’s career.
Ava Decleve Mack Aldi your last search saves here
County’s high school football teams prepare for ’26 campaign with scrimmages this weekend
All 10 high school football teams from Santa Cruz County will see their first live action, full pads, against real opponents during scrimmages this weekend.
High School football tour: Day 12: Salinas
Owners of the second longest playoff streak in the PCAL, Salinas has the best record in the Gabilan Division over the last eight years
High School football tour: Day 10: North Salinas
Tossed into the Gabilan Division last season, North Salinas quieted skeptics by reaching the postseason for the third straight year
Santa Cruz’s Mitchell Sweetman, Menlo Park’s Annika Porteous win 2026 Tri Santa Cruz titles | Local Roundup
Santa Cruz’s Mitchell Sweetman and Menlo Park’s Annika Porteous earned wins in the international distance triathlon at the 20th Tri Santa Cruz on Sunday.
Soquel’s Jedidiah Del Favero earns USA Lacrosse academic honor | Local Roundup
Soquel High midfielder Jedidiah Del Favero was named a USA Lacrosse 2026 High School Boys’ All-Academic honoree. The Knights’ Troy Kusanovich was chosen as one of the Coaches of the Year.
Soquel grad Dylan Hull commits to UC Davis baseball program
Recent Soquel High graduate Dylan Hull, a talented and successful right-handed pitcher on the Knights’ league championship baseball team, was all set to continue his academic and athletic careers at Cabrillo College in the fall.
Chattanooga Lookouts slugger Ruben Ibarra homers twice, including 489-foot blast | Local Roundup
Watsonville’s Ruben Ibarra, 27, produced the longest home run in the Cincinnati Reds’ farm system this season and led the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts to a 9-3 win over the Rocket City Trash Pandas in the teams’ Southern League game at Toyota Field in Madison, Alabama, on Sunday.
Soquel ace Jake Escalante drafted by Athletics on Day 2 of 2026 MLB Draft
Recently graduated Soquel High ace Jake Escalante, currently rehabbing his left arm after undergoing Tommy John surgery in early June, was drafted by the Athletics on Day 2 of the 2026 MLB Draft on Sunday.
Rehabbing ace Jake Escalante ready for ‘whatever happens’ on MLB Draft weekend
Jake Escalante, the recently graduated star pitcher/outfielder for Soquel High, spoke with the Sentinel for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in early June and said he’s in a good headspace ahead of the 2026 MLB Draft.
William Kelley, Azalea Groleau earn 10K wins at 41st Firecracker Run | Local Roundup
Santa Cruz’s William Kelley and Felton’s Azalea Groleau earned wins in the 10K race at the 41st Firecracker Run at Harvey West Park in Santa Cruz on Saturday.
Gabriel Gonzales, 42, takes over as Santa Cruz’s boys basketball coach
It took Santa Cruz High’s hiring committee three shots, but a successor to recently retired Lawan Milhouse, the Cardinals’ wildly successful boys basketball coach, was officially named last week.
Santa Cruz surfer Riviera Hunter wins two titles at NSSA National Championships | Local Roundup
Santa Cruz’s Riviera Hunter made four finals and earned the Open women’s and Girls Air Show titles at the National Scholastic Surfing Association National Championships, which concluded Thursday in Huntington Beach.
Soquel grad Sam Whelan earns walk-on spot on Cal Poly-SLO’s football team
Former Soquel High star quarterback Sam Whelan, an incoming freshman at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, has committed to the Mustangs’ football program.
Aptos All-Stars tops Capitola-Soquel for District 39 Majors title | Little League
Aptos Little League’s Majors All-Stars delivered another gutsy effort and secured their third straight elimination game win to claim the District 39 title and extend their season.
Consolation champs force decisive games to decide D-39 titles | Little League
Aptos Little League’s Majors All-Stars handed Capitola-Soquel its first loss in the District 39 championship, 11-0 in four innings on Saturday, to force a winner-take-all game.
Record-setting pole vaulter Jonelle Scott will transfer to UCLA | Track and field
When star pole vaulter Jonelle Scott was trying to secure college plans three years ago, UCLA caught her attention.
Santa Cruz Little League’s 50-70 All-Stars win D-39 title | Local Roundup
Santa Cruz Little League’s 50-70 All-Stars beat Capitola-Soquel 7-6 in the District 39 championship on Friday.
Harbor outside hitter Cooper Lastition named MVP | 2026 All-SCCAL boys volleyball
Harbor High 6-foot-4 senior outside hitter Cooper Lastition was a driving force behind the Pirates’ boys volleyball team’s success this season, and league coaches rewarded his showing by naming him the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic…
Soquel water polo star Rafael Suarez-Abraham thrilled about his momentous month
After Soquel High water polo star Rafael Suarez-Abraham was named the 2025 Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League MVP in the fall, Knights coach Ryan Chapatte said his junior goalie as a “phenomenal talent.”
Cap-Soquel forces winner-take-all game with Aptos for D-39 Majors’ T.O.C. title | Glimpse of the Action
Capitola-Soquel tops previously unbeaten Aptos, forces winner-take-all game Tuesday in the Majors’ District 39 Tournament of Champions championship at Live Oak Little League.
Hundreds gather in Capitola for 2026 Santa Cruz Paddle Classic
Soquel’s Rob Gibbs and Santa Cruz’s Yohei Rosen, who compete for Kua Nalu Canoe Club in Santa Cruz, medaled in the Long Course OC1 division at the 2026 Santa Cruz Paddle Classic at Capitola Beach on Sunday.
Soquel two-way star Jake Escalante repeats as Player of the Year | All-SCCAL baseball
Soquel High two-way baseball star Jake Escalante posted even better numbers this season than he did a year ago, when he was voted the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League’s Player of the Year.
Aptos’ Kalina Healy, Soquel’s Emma Niizawa share MVP honor | All-SCCAL softball
Two junior softball standouts, Kalina Healy of champion Aptos High and Emma Niizawa of runner-up Soquel, shared Most Valuable Player honors during 2026 All-Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League voting.
Soquel’s Daniel Meisel takes 20th at Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon | Local Roundup
Soquel’s Daniel Meisel took 20th out of 1,537 athletes at the 2026 Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon on Sunday. He finished in 2 hours, 32 minutes, 25 seconds.
Soquel, Santa Cruz dealt tough losses in NorCal Regional playoffs | High school baseball
The Soquel High and Santa Cruz baseball teams both traveled four-plus hours, round trip, to play in the CIF NorCal Regional playoffs in the Greater Sacramento area on Tuesday, and both saw their seasons come to a close in tough-to-swallow losses.