831 PrepBeat

Aptos native Nikki Hiltz wins 3,000 race at USATF Indoor Championships in NY | Local Roundup Feb 23, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Aptos native Nikki Hiltzl who competes for lululemon, took first place in the 3,000-meter race at the 2025 USATF U.S. Indoor Championships, at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island, N.Y., on Saturday.

Soquel, Scotts Valley, and St. Francis’ boys teams advance to quarterfinals | CCS basketball roundup Feb 23, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Sophomore Chase Petersen and senior Nolen Westfall each scored 10 points, and the No. 7 seed Soquel High boys basketball team beat No. 10 Terra Nova 53-46 in the second round of the Central Coast Section Division IV playoffs in Soquel on Saturday night.

Girls Basketball Soquel High Scotts Valley High

Soquel girls advance as county goes 1 for 5 in quarterfinals | CCS soccer roundup Feb 23, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Isela Gonzalez finished off a cross from Milana Flores in the fifth minute, and the No. 5 seed Soquel High girls soccer team used its fast start to beat No. 4 Willow Glen 3-1 in the Central Coast Section Division IV quarterfinals in San Jose on Saturday.

Boys Soccer Soquel High

Wrestlers Cruz Contreras of Aptos, Gabriel Attia of SLV qualify for state | CCS Masters Feb 22, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Two Santa Cruz County wrestlers, Aptos High’s Cruz Contreras and San Lorenzo Valley’s Gabriel Attia, shined at the Central Coast Section Masters Championships at Independence High on Saturday to extend their season.

Local Sports Aptos High San Lorenzo Valley High

Aptos earns No. 1 seed, again; PV and Soquel also look to do damage | CCS girls soccer Feb 20, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Aptos High’s girls soccer team, one of three teams from Santa Cruz County to qualify for the Central Coast Section playoffs, earned a No. 1 seed for a second straight season Thursday.

Soccer Aptos High Soquel High

Aptos, Harbor representing the SCCAL and county in playoffs | CCS boys soccer Feb 20, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Santa Cruz County had just two high school boys soccer teams, Aptos and Harbor, qualify for the upcoming Central Coast Section playoffs, both with automatic berths.

Soccer Aptos High Harbor High

Aptos’ repeat champion boys soccer team closes regular season with eighth straight win | Local Roundup Feb 20, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Ivan Zavala scored twice and Nami Banks had a goal and an assist to help Aptos High’s boys soccer team beat Soquel 3-0 in a make-up game to close Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League play Wednesday.

Men’s basketball Women’s basketball Girls soccer Soccer Aptos High Soquel High

Aptos earns No. 1 seed in D-III, SC is No. 2; six county teams make playoffs | CCS boys basketball Feb 19, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Three boys basketball league champions were among the six teams from Santa Cruz County that were seeded for the upcoming Central Coast Section playoffs on Wednesday.

Basketball Aptos High

Several new coaches take over spring sports programs Feb 17, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Track and field coach Cerah Moren climbs ranks at Aptos, while Sam Womack and Tim Boucher join Harbor.

Local Sports Aptos High

Scotts Valley’s girls, Aptos’ boys emerge with SCCAL Tournament titles | High school basketball roundup Feb 16, 2025 | By Scott Goodrich

The best of the best locally squared off at Cabrillo College on Saturday night to battle for Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League Tournament titles in boys and girls basketball.

Boys Basketball Aptos High Scotts Valley High

Santa Cruz freshman wrestler Vera Bentley takes first at CCS Southern Regionals | Local Roundup Feb 15, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Santa Cruz freshman Vera Bentley took first place in her weight division at the Central Coast Section Southern Regional Wrestling Championships at Watsonville High on Saturday.

Boys wrestling Men’s swimming Women’s swimming Girls soccer Women’s basketball Wrestling Santa Cruz High

Aptos locks up boys soccer title with win over Scotts Valley | Local Roundup Feb 15, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Nami Banks scored in each half, and Aptos High’s boys soccer team locked up the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League title with their 5-1 win over Scotts Valley on Friday.

Women’s basketball Men’s swimming Women’s swimming College baseball Men’s basketball Boys basketball Girls basketball Girls soccer Soccer Aptos High Scotts Valley High

Four county teams cap perfect league seasons | Local Roundup Feb 14, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Senior Valeria Acosta scored twice, and Pajaro Valley High’s girls soccer team beat visiting North Salinas 5-0 to finish unbeaten in the Pacific Coast Athletic League’s Mission Division on a rainy Thursday.

Boys basketball Girls basketball Women’s swimming Men’s swimming Soccer

Watsonville boys soccer edges rival Pajaro Valley with late goal | Local Roundup Feb 13, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

A late-game position change served Elisco Mora and Watsonville High’s boys soccer team well on Wednesday.

Girls basketball Boys basketball Women’s swimming Girls soccer College baseball Soccer

SCCAL champion Mariners roll past Santa Cruz in girls soccer | Local Roundup Feb 11, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Scarlet Stateler and Alexa Castaneda each had two goals and an assist, and Aptos High’s girls soccer team recorded its 10th shutout with its 9-0 win over visiting Santa Cruz on Tuesday.

Men’s basketball Girls basketball Boys basketball College baseball Women’s basketball Soccer Aptos High Santa Cruz High

St. Francis girls soccer wins PCAL’s Santa Lucia Division title | Local Roundup Feb 11, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Peyton Orradre scored twice, and the St. Francis High girls soccer team beat Anzar 2-0 in San Juan Bautista to secure the program’s first league title in sport on Monday.

NBA G League Girls basketball Boys basketball Women’s basketball Boys soccer Soccer

SCCAL Basketball Tournaments schedule Feb 10, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

SCCAL BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS SCHEDULE

Basketball Aptos High Harbor High Soquel High San Lorenzo Valley High Scotts Valley High Santa Cruz High

Youth-laden Harbor upsets short-handed Aptos in girls basketball | Local Roundup Feb 08, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Harbor High’s youth-laden and inexperienced girls basketball upset shorthanded Aptos 27-26 in the teams’ Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League finale on Saturday.

Boys basketball NBA G League Track and field Men’s volleyball College baseball College softball Basketball Aptos High Harbor High

Aptos, Harbor boys earn soccer wins, set up key battle in SCCAL title race | Local Roundup Feb 08, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Haziel Parra scored on a pass from Nicolas Topete 45 seconds in, and the Mariners’ boys soccer team beat host Santa Cruz 4-1 on Friday to maintain its slim lead in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League standings with two matches remaining in the regular season.

Girls basketball Girls soccer Boys basketball Women’s basketball Men’s basketball Men’s volleyball Soccer Aptos High Harbor High Santa Cruz High

Aptos’ boys, SC’s girls win team titles at SCCAL Championships | High school wrestling Feb 08, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Three high school wrestling teams — Aptos, Soquel, and Santa Cruz — finished the dual-meet season with identical 4-1 records. That meant whoever showed out at the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League Championships on Friday night would be crowned league champion.

Girls Wrestling Aptos High Soquel High San Lorenzo Valley High Santa Cruz High

Aptos holds off Santa Cruz to win SCCAL regular-season title outright | Boys basketball roundup Feb 07, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Aptos High’s boys basketball team and rival Santa Cruz went down to the wire, again.

Scotts Valley 85 SLV 50 Soquel 72 Harbor 24 Watsonville 81 Seaside 48 Pajaro Valley 72 Trinity Christian 44 Marina 73 MVC 54 Basketball Aptos High Santa Cruz High

Aptos girls soccer blanks Soquel, locks up third straight SCCAL title | Local Roundup Feb 07, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Marlene Zamora scored the decisive goal off a defender in the 29th minute, and Aptos High girls soccer team beat host Soquel 3-0 to secure its third straight Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League title on coach Gina Castaneda’s 50th birthday.

Girls basketball Boys soccer Soccer Aptos High Soquel High

Mission Division champion Grizzlies rally for win over Carmel in girls soccer | Local Roundup Feb 06, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Senior Valeria Acosta scored twice in the second half, and Pajaro Valley High’s girls soccer team rallied for a 2-1 win over host Carmel in the teams’ Pacific Coast Athletic League Mission Division match Wednesday.

Boys soccer Men’s basketball Girls basketball Boys basketball College baseball Soccer

Warriors lose to Skyforce, return to SC for 10-game homestand | Local Roundup Feb 05, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Santa Cruz had six players record double-digit scoring performances, but the Warriors fell to the host Sioux Falls Skyforce, 121-109, in the teams’ NBA G League game at Sanford Pentagon in South Dakota on Tuesday evening.

Boys basketball Girls basketball Girls soccer Boys soccer Santa Cruz High

Shorthanded Warriors bust loose for season-high point total in G League win over Grand Rapids | Local Roundup Feb 01, 2025 | By Jim Seimas

Minus some of their top contributors, the Santa Cruz Warriors turned in a golden performance in their 146-132 win over the Grand Rapids Gold in front of 2,476 fans at the teams’ NBA G League game at Kaiser Permanente Arena on Saturday night.

Boys wrestling Girls wrestling Girls soccer Men’s basketball College baseball Santa Cruz High