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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.
SC’s Eli Fitchen-Young withdraws from World Athletics U20 Championships with injury | Local Roundup
Santa Cruz track and field talent Eli Fitchen-Young suffered an ill-timed injury that forced him to withdraw from the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Locals shine at 2026 USLA National Junior Lifeguard Championships in Florida | Local Roundup
Santa Cruz Surf Lifesaving Association turned in several stellar performances at the 2026 United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) National Junior Lifeguard Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Tuesday.
Santa Cruz’s Haisley Flanagan, teammate take second at AVP Juniors National Championships | Beach volleyball
Santa Cruz’s Haisley Flanagan and teammate Madison Gillinger took second place in the Girls 16U division at the 2026 AVP Juniors National Championships, which ran July 22-24 in Hermosa Beach.
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.
Latvia’s Arturs Medveds set for title defense at 2026 Wharf to Wharf Race
A slew of injuries has drastically reduced to the Wharf to Wharf Race’s international field this year, but event officials expect that the 54th running of the 5.91-mile road race will be every bit as spectacular as previous editions.
Local trio to compete in 2026 USATF Outdoor Championships | Local Roundup
Three former Santa Cruz County residents — Aptos High alumna Nikki Hiltz and Scotts Valley alumna Jessica Kain and Vanessa Fraser — will compete at the 2026 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships.
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.
Santa Cruz’s Brendan Bobo to compete in Frontier League’s 2026 Y’all Star Game | Local Roundup
Santa Cruz’s Brendan Bobo, 24, was chosen to compete in the Frontier League’s 2026 Y’all Star Game at Thomas More Stadium in Florence. Kentucky, on July 15.
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.
Starting their day with a bang | Glimpse of the Action
Runners make their way down Encinal Street in Santa Cruz Saturday morning during the 41st edition of the Firecracker 10k race. Santa Cruz Sunrise Rotary Club sponsors the annual fundraising event to provide enjoyable 10k and 5k races and a kids 1k Fun Run and to raise money for local youth charities.
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.
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.
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.
Santa Cruz’s Karissa Cook rejoins Stanford’s beach volleyball program as assistant coach | Local Roundup
Santa Cruz’s Karissa Cook, 35, will rejoin Stanford University’s beach volleyball program for the 2027 season as an assistant coach, head coach Andrew Fuller announced Wednesday.
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.
Santa Cruz’s Haley Jones rejoins WNBA’s Dallas Wings with development contract | Local Roundup
Santa Cruz basketball star Haley Jones, 25, a former All-American at Stanford University, is back with the WNBA’s Dallas Wings.
Santa Cruz’s GJ Hill steals his way into MiLB’s record book | Local Roundup
Santa Cruz’s GJ Hill sprinted his way to one of professional baseball’s all-time performances on Tuesday night.
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 beach volleyball talent Haisley Flanagan commits to Santa Clara
Santa Cruz High beach volleyball standout Haisley Flanagan, a 5-foot-8 defender/split entering her junior year, has committed to NCAA Division I Santa Clara University.
Santa Cruz soccer talent Cassandra Travers commits to Duke
Santa Cruz soccer talent Cassandra Travers, a member of the U.S. U-16 Girls’ National Team, followed in her sister Jocelyn’s footsteps and committed to Duke University.
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…
Santa Cruz’s Eli Fitchen-Young qualifies for World Athletics U20 Championships in 3,000 steeplechase win | Track and Field
Eli Fitchen-Young’s finish in the men’s 3,000 meters steeplechase at the 2026 USATF U20 Outdoor Championships was sensational and his reward was stupendous.
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.