Louie Walters has been Scotts Valley High’s lone athletic director since the school first opened in 1999.
From state wrestling champions to undefeated league seasons for the football program, he’s seen just about everything. However, the 2023-24 school year was what Walters considered a unique and special championship banner year for the Falcons’ athletics department.
“We had so much success across the board in all our sports teams,” he said. “A tribute to the amazing student-athletes we have at Scotts Valley High School and the dedicated coaches.”
In the fall, Walters led the football team to a Pacific Coast Athletic League Mission Division–North title by going 6-0 in league play in 2023. It was the Falcons’ third league championship in the past four years.
Scotts Valley qualified for the Central Coast Section playoffs, losing to Alisal High in the Division III semifinals.
The Falcons also swept the Mission Division’s top honors with Quinn Turowski named Offensive Player of the Year, Marshall Dodge was Lineman of the Year and Jess Ringel took home Defensive Player of the Year.
The Scotts Valley’s boys’ cross country team won its sixth straight Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League title and were runner-up in the CCS D-IV championship race.
The girls’ team was just as spectacular, capturing their third straight league and section titles. Leading the way was star runner Ashlyn Boothby—a Stanford University commit—who won her third straight CCS D-IV individual title.
Walters emphasized Scotts Valley is the smallest public school in Santa Cruz County with an enrollment of a little more than 600 students. He said because of that they’re behind in facilities, such as an all-purpose stadium with a synthetic track and turf field and a swimming pool.
But that hasn’t prevented the student-athletes from competing at the highest level.
“Even when we go to playoffs they boot Scotts Valley up two or three divisions just because of the success we’ve had,” he said.
The girls’ golf team won a sixth straight SCCAL championship, and Ashley Gettleman was voted as the league’s top golfer.
The girls’ volleyball team set a school record with 19 wins, while a young girls’ tennis team was runner-up in the SCCAL standings. Plus, the girls’ flag football program became an official sport in the fall.
Danica Kelley became just the fourth wrestler out of Santa Cruz County to win a California Interscholastic Federation State Wrestling championship. She will continue her wrestling career not too far from home at Menlo College.
Kelley was the second girl to capture a state title behind former Falcons star and Olympian Dom Parrish, who will represent Scotts Valley at the Paris Games starting this week.
Parrish—a U.S. representative at 53 kilograms at each of the past two world championships—will compete in her first Olympics. She is scheduled to compete in the Round of 16 on Aug. 7.
Both the boys’ and girls’ basketball programs saw some success in the winter, including trips to the CCS playoffs. The girls’ soccer team took third in the SCCAL standings, while the boys’ squad is expected to revamp under new head coach Rodrigo Plaza.
The spring season featured SCCAL championships from both the softball and boys’ tennis teams, while Brent Kong won the 200-yards freestyle title at the league swimming championships.
“It is pretty cool that we had a league champion in swimming, and we don’t have a pool,” Walters said. “Facilities are important, but that’s not why we play the game.”
The list continues with Scotts Valley incoming senior Taylor Wilson being recognized as the SCCAL’s Most Valuable Player by the softball coaches within the league.
Blake LaRiviere was selected as the SCCAL’s top baseball player after leading the Falcons to the CCS Division IV semifinals.
Scotts Valley incoming senior Sofia Niklaus helped the girls’ lacrosse team to an 11-3 record in PCAL Gabilan Division play, which was good for second place and a trip into the CCS playoffs.
The boys’ golf team placed third in the SCCAL standings following an emotional season with the death of longtime coach Rich Hager. He was working on this year’s roster two days before he was hospitalized and passed away a week before the 2024 season began.
“We lost a Scotts Valley icon,” Walters said. “He was the first golf coach I hired when I got the job at Scotts Valley. He’s in the Scotts Valley Hall of Fame…It was just a huge loss for Scotts Valley High and the golf program.”
Colton Duerson—a four-year varsity golfer—was selected as one of the top golfers in the SCCAL and will continue his golf career at San Diego State.
Scotts Valley will celebrate its 25th anniversary since officially opening its doors. The school has several festivities planned, including a grand reunion of alumni at the football homecoming game against Watsonville High on Oct. 19 at 7pm.
Other events planned include a gala, parade and the Scotts Valley High Hall of Fame dinner for the newest inductees—which will be announced in the next couple of months.
“It’s a good run, we have great community support and we have amazing student-athletes,” Walters said.
