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Aptos’ Vito Riccabona named to Cal-Hi Sports’ All-State Football Team | Local Roundup
Aptos High’s Vito Riccabona was honored on Cal-Hi Sports’ All-State Football Team for medium-sized enrollment schools.
Central Coast All-Star Football Game set for Friday in Salinas | High school football
Football players from Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito counties will compete in the 36th annual Central Coast 2021 All-Star High School Football Game at Rabobank Stadium in Salinas on Friday at 7 p.m.
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.
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.
Trio of Mariners named to all-PCAL Gabilan Division first team | High school football
Aptos High’s football team had three players named to the Pacific Coast Athletic League’s all-Gabilan Division first team.
Aptos native, Super Bowl winning QB Trent Dilfer coaches Tennessee’s Lipscomb Academy to state football title
Aptos High alum Trent Dilfer, a 14-year NFL veteran who quarterbacked the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl victory in 2000, earned his first state title as head coach of Lipscomb Academy in Tennessee on Thursday.
Aptos battles top-seeded Saint Francis for three quarters, falls short in upset bid | CCS football
Unbeaten Lancers pull away in the fourth quarter, set a school record for rushing yards in a game along the way. “The biggest lesson for us, in Division I anybody can beat anybody.”
CCS football playoffs: top-seeded St. Francis tested in opener by Aptos
Unbeaten Lancers pull away in the fourth quarter, set a school record for rushing yards in a game along the way. “The biggest lesson for us, in Division I anybody can beat anybody.”
Five county teams seeded in CCS football playoffs; four open on the road as underdogs | Local Roundup
The good news: Five Santa Cruz County football teams qualified for the upcoming Central Coast Section playoffs. The bad news: Four of them are the lower seed and will play on the road.
Santa Cruz stomps Soquel for Stump, league title and first unbeaten season since ’93 | PCAL football roundup
The Cardinals (9-0) became the program’s first team since 1993 to finish the regular season unbeaten, won the Stump rivalry trophy for a third straight season and locked up the Pacific Coast Athletic League’s Mission Division title in one fell swoop.
Aptos’ senior night game canceled after Hollister reports COVID-19 outbreak | High school football
Haybalers officials contacted Mariners athletics director Travis Fox on Wednesday afternoon to let him know the game was canceled due to a COVID-19 outbreak within their varsity program.
Aptos annihilates Alisal, builds momentum for showdown with Hollister | PCAL football roundup
Kicker Jake Galster booted the touchbacks, Aptos High’s defense forced Alisal to punt shortly thereafter, and the Mariners’ offense took advantage of favorable field position. That was the theme of the Mariners’ Pacific Coast Athletic Gabilan Division game Thursday night, a 51-0 rout of the Trojans.
Soquel holds on for 21-20 win over Monterey, stays perfect in Mission Division | PCAL football roundup
Soquel High’s defense struggled in the second half, but it made the stop when it mattered most against Monterey on Saturday night.
Aptos’ Randy Blankenship nears 300-win milestone | High school football
For years now, Aptos High’s Randy Blankenship, 68, said he’d retire from coaching football when he was no longer having fun or making an impact on his players.
Aptos stomps Alvarez, moves to 5-1 | High school football roundup
The theme for Everett Alvarez High’s homecoming on Friday night was “Eagles in Wonderland.” All the wonder came from the Aptos’ football team, though, as the visiting Mariners demolished the Eagles 52-6.
Isaiah Velez scores 4 TDS as Falcons run past Wildcatz in Cypress Division opener | PCAL football roundup
Scotts Valley High expected a battle from Watsonville on homecoming night in their Pacific Coast Athletic League Cypress Division opener. Both teams lost recently to Santa Cruz by similar scores.
St. Francis tops Rancho San Juan for first win | High school football
Monday is “Back to School Night” at St. Francis High. Saturday was “Back to the Win Column Night,” as the Sharks defeated Rancho San Juan 40-7 at Cabrillo College to pick up their first win of the season.
Aptos overwhelmed by Salinas’ balanced offense, swarming defense | High school football roundup
Aptos High’s high-octane, Wing-T offense ran into a wall named Salinas on Friday night in front of a hearty, vocal crowd at The Pit.
Miraculous Mariners: Aptos scores twice in final 39 seconds, storms past Palma | High school football
But the Mariners finally made a defensive stop when it mattered most — with 5:22 remaining — and set up one of the most unlikely finishes in Santa Cruz County football history.
Aptos cornerback Vito Riccabona honored by Cal-Hi Sports | Local Roundup
Aptos High senior football talent Vito Riccabona was named Cal-Hi Sports’ NorCal Defensive Player of the Week on Wednesday.
SLV alum Tanner Murray named Low-A East Player of the Week | Local Roundup
Charleston RiverDogs infielder Tanner Murray, a former star for San Lorenzo Valley High and UC Davis, was named the Low-A East Player of the Week for Aug. 30 through Monday, Minor League Baseball announced.
Watsonville holds off St. Francis, moves to 2-0 | High school football roundup
Watsonville High’s football team completed the city tour portion of its schedule with a 2-0 record, as it won a physical battle against neighbor St. Francis 12-6 on Saturday night at Cabrillo College.
Motivated Aptos deals Campolindo stunning defeat | High school football
Aptos High football players walked into Campolindo’s fancy hillside stadium and sized up their opponents Friday evening. The outsized Mariners saw players with long flowing hair, pristine uniforms that accentuated players’ muscles, and eye-popping custom cleats. There was an aura about them.