Sports

This 2013 graduate of San LorenzoValleyHigh School has been a racer most of his life. He started at age seven with dirt bikes, and he did extremely well in races throughout the western United States. At the ages of 17 and 18, he won two pro dirt bike championships in Baja in the SCORE International Off-Road Racing series. In 2014 at age 18, Chad starting racing trucks in Baja.

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Over the last eight months, something quite remarkable has been happening at Valley Gardens Golf Course. In a stunning display of skill, grace and dumb luck, one of our long-time regulars, Bruce Barlow, has recorded four hole-in-ones since October 27, 2014. The last two occurring within a month of each other, making aces on May 3 and June 7 this year.According to his playing partner Wayne Negro, the last one was a beautiful shot with a slight draw that looked like it was going in as soon as it left the club. He also said that Bruce didn’t think it was such a great shot, yelling for the ball to “Get up!” because he thought it was too short.Adding these four aces to his previous hole-in-one from three years ago, Bruce is garnering quite a reputation around the course. When asked about the secret to his success, Bruce listed two factors.“One, it’s important to be able to kind of hit the ball,” Barlow said, “and two, you have to hit it kind of at the green. Do those two things and you have a chance.”Sounds simple when he puts it like that, but take it from me and the rest of the ace-less, making a hole-in-one is far from easy. To give some perspective to the rarity of this feat, according to a study commissioned by Golf Digest, the odds of an average player making a hole-in-one are around 12,000:1. The same report estimates that an average player needs to play about 3,000 rounds to make a hole-in-one. For Bruce to make four over such a short time period is downright miraculous.Even on a shorter course like Valley Gardens, a hole-in-one is a rare treat. Besides Bruce’s two (on holes #3 and #8), we’ve seen six others this year. In order of appearance: Susi Downing (#3), Linda Jensen (#3), Rock Velasquez (#3), Steve Hall (#9), Jeff Conrad (#7), and Brian Reynolds (#9). For an instant, these golfers achieved perfection. They made perfect swings. At that moment, not Tiger or Phil or Jack or Arnie could have done any better.One of golf’s greatest traditions is the obligatory round of drinks that come with a hole-in-one. So if you’re thirsty, come hang out when Bruce is playing, and, if his luck continues, he might just buy you a drink.

The city of Scotts Valley will soon have its first artificial playing turf for multiple purpose use for student athletes, youth and adults.

The Scotts Valley High varsity football team will play Alice High School in Texas, Friday, Sept. 4, fresh off winning the annual Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League jamboree at Cabrillo College.

On Sunday, February 23 the Santa Cruz Mountains Surf Team, made up of surfers from San Lorenzo Valley High, Scotts Valley High, and a few other inland schools, faced off against heavily favored Santa Cruz High at their home break, Steamer Lane. While the SC Mountains team lost overall in the team-vs-team rounds (44-60), several individual team members surfed well enough to advance to quarterfinals, semifinals and, in some cases, finals in individual competition later in the day.

Led by the quarterback duo of senior Isaac Newberry and junior Nick Salibi, and backed by a stout defense, the San Lorenzo Valley High School varsity football team overcame a wobbly first quarter to blow out the visiting Marina High Mariners 44-0 last Saturday in the first game of Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League play.

Scotts Valley resident Nate Doss finished second in the Steady Ed Memorial Cup disc golf event at the DeLaveaga course this past weekend.