San Lorenzo Valley High School cheerleading coach DeAnna Heywood went out with a bang. In Heywood’s final event as coach, her competitive cheerleading squad performed all-but-perfectly over two days to win a cheerleading national championship March 26 through 28 in Anaheim.

Robert Mullins slides into third base during San Lorenzo Valley High’s 8-3 non-league win Saturday, March 27, against visiting Leigh High. Mullins is batting .273 and is tied with teammate Zach Settles for the team lead with seven RBIs. The Cougars are 4-4 on the season, including a 1-2 mark in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League. They will play in the Easter Tournament at Salinas High School this weekend, April 2 through 5.

Every year, I wait patiently for my Easter lilies to come up in the garden. The shoots are now about 6 inches tall, but they are a long way from blooming, and I’m looking forward to those huge, fragrant, trumpet-shaped white flowers.