This week’s edition of the Pajaronian Sports Ticker highlights local prep athletes for their performances during the week of April 15-21.
Preps of the Week
Boys: Watsonville High junior Nate Aguilar won three events for the Wildcatz boys’ track and field team in a 69-64 win April 17 to help the ‘Catz finish out the Pacific Coast Athletic League Mission Division dual meet season with a 3-1 record in league action. Aguilar took first in the long jump with a leap of 20 feet, 9 inches, followed by victories in the triple jump (40-03 1/2) and high jump (5-08). He also placed 11th in the triple jump at the CCS Top 8 Invite at Los Gatos on April 20.
Girls: Watsonville High pitcher Amelia Martinez racked up a total of 23 strikeouts in back-to-back Pacific Coast Athletic League Mission Division wins for the Wildcatz softball team. The standout sophomore gave up three runs on three hits and recorded 11 strikeouts for the Catz in a 5-3 win against King City on April 16. Martinez fanned 12 batters while giving up one run on three hits and five walks in a 3-2 win over Monte Vista Christian on April 18.
Correction: A previous version of this story stated that Watsonville High junior Nate Aguilar had a mark of 29 feet, 9 inches in the long jump, which is incorrect. Aguilar finished with a jump of 20 feet, 9 inches.
Rising Stars
- Aptos High junior Logan Brantley set the school’s all-time record in the shot put event with a throw of 54 feet during a Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League dual meet against Santa Cruz High on April 18. The previous record of 53-9 1/4 was set by Frank Knights in 2007.
- Aptos High’s Tyler Grosdidier shot an even par 34 at DeLaveaga Golf Course for the Mariners in a 199-244 win over Harbor High in SCCAL boys’ golf action April 18. Luke Garvey (43), Andrew Cox (42), Shawn Roschelle (40), and Ben Nowark (40) also scored for the Mariners. Leading the way for Harbor was Kaden Dunton (36), Kyler Samples (48), Kaito Levy (49), Matthew Salas (52), and Brody Yappert (59).
- Aptos High’s Tyler Grosdidier shot 3-over-par 38 at Seascape Golf Club to earn medalist honors for the Mariners in a 214-223 win against Santa Cruz High in SCCAL action April 16. Luke Garvey (41), Shawn Roschelle (42), Ben Nowark (45), Andrew Cox (48) also scored for Aptos. Tobin Ortiz McClendon shot 5-over par 40 for Santa Cruz, followed by Cliff Chestnut (44), Bodie Weld (45), Sam Wickens (46) and Braden Brooks (48).
- St. Francis High senior Adrian Leon had five strikeouts and two earned runs in six innings pitched for the Sharks baseball team in a 5-2 win over Monterey High in PCAL Gabilan Division play April 19. Junior catcher Nash Horton batted 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a pair of stolen bases, while senior Junior Ibarra batted 3-for-4 with one RBI for St. Francis.
- St. Francis High senior Matthew Enright shot a 52 to help the Sharks boys’ golf team win PCAL Cypress Division Match No. 4 with a score of 290 on April 16. Fellow teammates freshman Chris Bocanegra (59), senior Tye Sutherland (60), sophomore Cameron Rodriguez (62), freshman Brady Stidham (62) and freshman Cash Gomez (64) also scored for St. Francis.
- St. Francis High juniors Alyssa McDaniel and Mia Guardino each won two events for the Sharks girls’ swim team against Alvarez High in non-league action April 19. McDaniel won the 100-yard fly and 100 breast, and Guardino won the 200 freestyle and 100 back. Troy Dawson, a senior, won the 100 breast for the Sharks boys’ team.
- Scotts Valley High’s Blake LaRiviere recorded 10 strikeouts in six innings pitched for the Falcons baseball team in a 3-2 win over Harbor in SCCAL action April 16. Lukas Bloom pitched a 1,2,3 in the seventh frame for the save. Jack Sanders batted 3-for-3, including a pair of doubles, and Jack Abel had one triple.
- Scotts Valley High junior Sofia Niklaus had six goals and one assist for the Falcons girls’ lacrosse team in an 11-3 win against Salinas High in PCAL Gabilan Division play April 17. Niklaus also had nine draw possessions, four draw controls and forced five turnovers. Fellow teammate Skylar Dufour had three goals, one assist, three draw possessions, six draw controls and caused three turnovers. Claire Skinner had a pair of goals and Stella Cheney tallied one assist for the Falcons, who improved to 6-1 in league play.
- Watsonville High senior Giancarlo Mendo won three events for the Wildcatz boys’ track and field team in a 69-64 win in the final PCAL Mission Division dual meet of the season. Mendo won the 800 (2:04.47), 1600 (4:35.33), and 3200 (10:33.58). Other Wildcatz first place finishers: Patrick Miller-Brown in the 300 hurdles (43.98), Jose Pena in the 400m (56.12) and Josh Murillo in the pole vault (9-06).
- Watsonville High junior Jayleen Arredondo won the pole vault (8-00) and the 100 hurdles (20.48) for the Wildcatz girls’ track and field team in a loss to Alvarez High in PCAL Mission Division action April 17. Katelynn Ruiz, a junior, won the 800 (2:28.35) and junior Jocelyn Guzman blazed her way to victory in the 400m (1:03.13).
Games to Watch
- Aptos vs. Scotts Valley, softball – Thursday at 4:30pm: In a battle for first place in the SCCAL standings, the Mariners (11-4, 7-1) are looking for redemption against the Falcons (8-5, 7-1), who won in the teams’ first meeting a little more than two weeks ago.
- St. Francis at Salinas, baseball – Friday at 4pm: The Sharks (15-4, 12-2) will hit the road to take on a Cowboys (13-8, 8-7) team trying to stay alive in the Central Coast Section playoff race.
- SCCAL Championships, boys and girls swimming – Saturday at 11am: Members of the Aptos High swim team will compete at the action-packed Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League Swimming Championships at Harbor High.
Coaches and athletic directors are encouraged to submit scores and highlights to [email protected]. Follow sports editor Juan Reyes (@jmreyes831) on Twitter for scores and news updates.
