Sports

The Scotts Valley High School soccer team struck early, but could not maintain momentum in the second half in a 1-1 tie with the Aptos Mariners on Wednesday night.

For the first time in what seems like a very long time, this weekend’s 52nd running of the Wharf to Wharf Race is back to its normal capacity limit.   The six-mile race from the Santa Cruz to Capitola wharves will feature 16,000 participants after it...

Scotts Valley orchestrated a late-scoring drive to help defeat Aptos 12-7 in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League Girls Flag Football Tournament championship game Nov. 9. “This win feels amazing, we worked really hard all season and it paid off,” Scott Valley’s Claire Skinner said. Participants...

Sunday, August 16 marked the 47th running of Felton’s own ‘Race Thru the Redwoods.’ The race starts in the day-use picnic area of Henry Cowell Redwood State Park and is actually two races: the 10k and the kids’ mile.This year’s 10k had 403 pre-registered runners, plus 40 to 50 people who signed up on race day. The mile had about 100 kids signed up, many of whom had parents running as well.“This is sponsored by the Felton Business Association so many of the people on the board of directors are involved.” says Felton Feed’s own Judy Brown, “This is one of the ways that we raise money to contribute to the community.”This year was Brown’s fourth year volunteering at the race; some of the proceeds from which go back to sports teams at the local high schools including San Lorenzo Valley High School’s track team and Scotts Valley’s High School’s Volleyball team.Although not as well known as the ‘Wharf to Wharf, which draws more than 16,000 runners annually, the ‘Race Thru the Redwoods’ has drawn some international talent.“In the past we’ve had runners from as far away as New York, Mexico and South America, “said Brown. “However they were not just in the area to race.”Sue Sutton has run the race twice before with a best time of 54:23, “I live here in Boulder Creek and I hike here [at Henry Cowell] all the time; it’s beautiful and cool,” says Sutton, “Everywhere in Boulder Creek there’s a hill, so this is nothing.”The community as a whole is very involved in supporting the race. Santa Cruz County ARES ham Radio volunteers, like Mikail Barron, could be found all over the trail on race day. “It’s a pure safety thing; we can communicate better with them here,” says member of the ‘Race Thru the Redwoods’ team Valoree Mills.“This [race] is made possible by our major sponsors: Granite Contruction, the Sereno Group, Union Bank and Liberty Bank,” said Mills. Many of the raffle prizes were also donated by local businesses, like the grand prize of the kid’s raffle: a specialized bike was donated by Scotts Valley Cycle Sport.Scott Rasmann, who has run the race twice, says, “I really like trail runs; trail races are great and there are a couple of challenging hills, plus I support the local high schools which is very important.”Rob Collins, coach of SLVHS’s track and cross country teams could be found at the starting line of the kid’s mile, helping the kids to line up successfully for the 8:10 start time.“Me and my wife are the ones who started the kids’ race,” says Collins, who was inspired by the lack of opportunity for kids to compete in the Santa Cruz Mountains, “One of the biggest enjoyments for me was — [when] my son wanted to run his first race.”The old record, from when the [10k] race began in the New Leaf Market Parking lot, was around 33:20, according to Collins. “The winning time is in the 34 to 36 minute range each year,” now.This year’s winner of the 10k, Jacob Smith, finished with a time of 39:13, but many of the runners finished after about an hour.Up-and-coming runner Ava Mehlenblocher, 6, says she planned to run the kids’ mile, “As fast as the flash.”The winner of the kids’ mile, Cory Nounnan finished with a time of 6:33 with Kai Groleau coming in a close second with the same time. However, both races gave awards by age-group with groups from 6 and under all the way up to 12 for the kids’ mile, and runners from ages 10 to 71 in the 10k.Many runners fueled up for the race with breakfast in the park catered by the Cowboy Bar & Grill in Felton, and the runners’ perks didn’t end there. All pre-registered runners got t-shirts, and all of the kids got ribbons. There were also ‘Race Thru the Redwoods’ water bottles available, and even a face painting table set up in the picnic area.Many of the children running the kids’ mile were so young that parents had to run with them, and some were even carried over the finish line. However, every runner was greeted by a cheering crowd, regardless of their time.

Both the Cougars and the Falcons are looking to improve on last years seasons as the boys golf teams take to the fairways for the 2012 season. The teams finished toward the bottom of the pack last season but plan improving this year as the younger golfers learn the finer aspects of the game.

The season continues for the Scotts Valley High baseball team following a gem performance on the mound from senior Blake LaRiviere.  The ace hurler tossed six innings allowing just two runs on five hits with one walk and five strikeouts for the Falcons in a...

60th Emmett Thompson Memorial Dad’s Club ChampionshipThirty-nine years ago was the last time San LorenzoValleyHigh School won the Emmett Thompson Memorial Dad’s Club championship and last Saturday it looked like they were going to win it again against Santa CruzHigh School. The SLVHS Cougars were up by 15 points in the final game vs. Santa Cruz High School Cardinals at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium this past Saturday, December 12. The Cardinals, shorter, less experienced, and with their star player out with an injury, somehow prevailed, 60-57.Preseason View of Scotts Valley Falcons and San Lorenzo Valley CougarsBoth Falcons and Cougars return to the 2015-16 season with similarly experienced teams. San Lorenzo Valley Cougars have seven returning players, three of them are in their third year on the varsity – they are Nick Salibi, Davon Northcutt and Sebastian Vroman-Nell.Scotts Valley Falcons have six seniors, three juniors, two sophomores, with four varsity players returning. Six team members just finished their outstanding football season where they went all the way to the CCS semifinals.The San Lorenzo Valley Cougars had a better record last year – just under .500 - they are 4-2 this year. Falcons were 9-16, and are 2-2 in this year's preseason. They could have been 3-1, but they lost a close game to Salinas in the Dad’s tournament opener playing without their best player, Tanner Spence, out with a foot injury for a couple of weeks.Asked about this year's expectations, Coach Northcutt said, “The seniors on this year's team were on the undefeated team when they were in San LorenzoValleyMiddle School; they were 20-4 on the F/S team and 21-3 on JV. They have their mind set on continuing that winning tradition and I have faith it'll be a great season for us.”ScottsValley coach, Charles Burks, has 25 years of coaching experience. “We have great kids; we'll be alright this year. We have 11 players on the roster, and, this being a team game, I make sure they all get some playing time in every game,” said Burks. “We'll try to match last year's achievement of making it all the way to the CCS playoffs.”The next games are on Saturday, December 19, against InternationalStudiesAcademy at San Francisco, then at Mountain ViewHigh School on Wednesday, December. 23.San LorenzoValleyHigh School played StevensonHigh School at home on December 15 and won 71-55. On December 19, they will travel to Watsonville High and to Gilroy on December 22 to take on ChristopherHigh School.“Our preseason is tough! All our opponents were last year's CCS qualifiers,” said Coach Northcutt.

Scotts Valley