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Aptos, Santa Cruz continue rivalry for SCCAL bragging rights | Girls basketball preview
As they dueled for league and Central Coast Section supremacy last spring, Aptos and Santa Cruz developed a compelling high school girls’ basketball rivalry.
Sports Newsmakers 2021 | Pandemic didn’t limit massive accomplishments
Santa Cruz County produced dozens of magnificent sports feats in ’21, and it’s no surprise that surfing was among the sports that dominated headlines. The following is a recap of some of the most memorable feats of the year.
Scotts Valley beats Watsonville for Lady Shark Shootout title | Local Roundup
Kaitlin Imai made four of Scotts Valley High’s eight 3-pointers and finished with 25 points, as the Falcons’ girls basketball team beat Watsonville 58-42 in the championship of the Lady Shark Shootout on Thursday at St. Francis High in Watsonville.
Cardinals push WCAL’s Saint Francis to brink before fouls take toll | Boys basketball
The game was physical, tightly contested and smoothly flowing for much of the first three quarters, but officials gave their whistles a workout over the final eight minutes. The Lancers were awarded 21 free throws in the fourth quarter — making 18 of them — while the Cardinals were 5-of-6 from the line in the final stanza.
Santa Cruz edges Cupertino, advances to final of Saint Francis’ tournament | Local Roundup
Santa Cruz High’s boys basketball team edged Cupertino 37-35 in the semifinals of the Joe Schram Holiday Basketball Classic at Saint Francis High in Mountain View on Wednesday.
Mariners basketball team falls to Pioneer in NorCal Invitational semifinals | Local Roundup
Jack Spinelli posted a double-double in Aptos High’s 41-35 basketball loss to Pioneer of San Jose in the Blue Division semifinals at the 8th annual Aptos High/Santa Cruz Warriors NorCal Invitational on Tuesday.
Two locals reach quarterfinals at World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship | Local Roundup
A pair of Santa Cruz martial artists, Nathan Albrecht Mendelsohn and Colton David Smith, reached the quarterfinals in their respective divisions at the World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship at Anaheim Convention Center on Dec 9-13.
Aptos rolls in tournament opener at Kaiser Permanente Arena | Boys basketball
Limited action cost Spinelli another double-double; he finished with a team-high 19 points and nine rebounds. But if the Mariners showed anything in their tournament opener — and they showed plenty — it was their penchant for sharing the ball.
Diving into the season | Boys soccer preview
The Wildcatz are back in the PCAL’s elite Gabilan Division this season with a squad that’s loaded with seniors.
Santa Cruz water polo star Belene Rodriguez commits to San Jose State
Belene Rodriguez — chosen by coaches to the all-Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League first team and all-Central Coast Section second team — committed to the NCAA Division I Spartans.
Aptos’ Jazmine Castañeda, SC’s Julia Moore head county’s star power | Girls soccer preview
Now that they’re seniors, they’re well on their way to doing so again – and they’ve carried their respective girls’ soccer teams to unbeaten records in the process.
Soquel’s Kelsey Matthies named CCS Player of the Year | Girls water polo
Soquel High senior water polo star Kelsey Matthies was selected as the All-Central Coast Section Player of the Year by a panel of coaches following the section playoffs.
Watsonville’s Lucky McHenry takes second at Pat Lovell Holiday Wrestling Classic
Watsonville High’s Lucky McHenry took second place at 285 pounds at the 53rd Pat Lovell Holiday Wrestling Classic at Aptos High on Wednesday. He was the county’s lone finalist.
Soquel’s Cooper Wiens named SCCAL MVP | Boys water polo
Soquel High senior water polo standout Cooper Wiens was named MVP of the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League and senior teammate Wyatt Beymer was named Goalie of the Year.
Five local wrestlers advance to semifinals at Pat Lovell Holiday Classic | Local Roundup
Five athletes from Santa Cruz County went unbeaten on the opening day of the Pat Lovell Holiday Wrestling Classic at Aptos High on Tuesday.
Soquel standout Kelsey Matthies repeats as SCCAL MVP | Girls Water Polo
Much like the lopsided outcomes Soquel High’s girls water polo administered in Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League play, the naming of league MVP was not a shock. Senior water polo talent Kelsey Matthies repeated with top honors after helping lead the Knights to a historic season.
Kaylee Murphy posts another double-double for UCSC, sets up showdown with Whitman | Local Roundup
Junior forward Kaylee Murphy posted her fifth double-double of the season and 26th of her career to help the UC Santa Cruz women’s basketball team open the UCSC December Classic with a win Saturday.
Savvy Soquel veteran Ciara Cantlen named SCCAL MVP | Girls volleyball
Soquel High senior volleyball star Ciara Cantlen played with power, precision, perseverance and pride during the indoor season. It was apparent each time she stepped on the hardwood. Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League coaches took note of that and rewarded the dominant outside hitter with league MVP honors.
Aptos boys basketball team suffers first loss | Local Roundup
Aptos High’s boys basketball team suffered its first loss of the season, 75-61 to Whitney of Rocklin in the Carmel Tournament semifinals on Friday.
Santa Cruz star RB Qwentin Brown commits to Brown University | High school football
Santa Cruz High running back Qwentin Brown is taking his talents across the country. He announced on social media Friday that he has committed to the Ivy League’s Brown University.
St. Francis’ Joshua Alvarez, Santa Cruz’s Qwentin Brown awarded National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame scholarships
St. Francis High lineman Joshua Alvarez and Santa Cruz running back Qwentin Brown were chosen as National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame scholarship winners for their contributions in the classroom, community and on the football field this season.
Santa Cruz girls soccer blasts PCS in preseason finale | Local Roundup
Sam Wenger scored three goals and the Santa Cruz High girls soccer team beat Pacific Collegiate 9-1 in its nonleague finale Thursday.
Cabrillo men’s basketball stays hot despite lengthy layoff | Local Roundup
The Cabrillo College men’s basketball team — playing its first game in nearly two weeks — beat Diablo Valley 84-72 in Pleasant Hill on Wednesday night.
Christian Magana’s buzzer beater lifts Sharks basketball team | Local Roundup
Christian Magana scored a buzzer beating basket to lift St. Francis High’s boys basketball team over visiting Gilroy 43-42 on Tuesday in the teams’ nonleague game.
Harbor girls soccer pulls away from St. Francis | Local Roundup
Harbor High’s girls soccer team scored twice in the second half to secure a 3-1 nonleague win over St. Francis on Monday night in Santa Cruz.