Sports

Registration has opened for both Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley little leagues, with hopes to begin games soon. The schedules for both leagues have been greatly delayed due to the pandemic, the CZU Lightning Complex fires and the recent debris flow evacuations. Still, both...

By Juan Reyes, Staff Reporter The wait for most youth sports just became a lot shorter as the California Department of Public Health released an updated version of its guidance, meaning that schools and privately organized clubs or leagues could begin full contact practice and...

Tanner Murray is the kind of kid parents love, kids look up to and coaches dream of having on their team. So, it’s no wonder that this San Lorenzo Valley High School grad (class of 2017) has the whole valley cheering him on as he embarks on the next exciting chapter of his life, playing baseball for the Tampa Bay Rays. While he lettered in baseball, football and basketball during his junior and senior years at SLVHS, Murray has always had an abiding love for baseball. His baseball career began in his own backyard, playing whiffle ball with his dad, Scott, and continued on with San Lorenzo Valley Little League (Full Disclosure: This reporter was the President of the SLVLL during a portion of the time Tanner was playing.  I take no credit for his well-deserved success). In 2017, he was named “Athlete of the Year” at SLVHS, after helping his baseball team achieve the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League title with a 9-3 record, surpassing the other five teams in the league. After high school, Murray attended UC Davis, and found a new, but familiar, home on the field with the Aggies. He dug in as shortstop, and parlayed that passion into a stint with the Orleans Firebirds during summer camp in Cape Cod in 2019. Cape Cod is asummer baseball league, says Murray. It’s part of UC Davis, and probably where the Rays’ scout saw him. In a video available on the Firebirds’ YouTube page, Murray dished with “Bird Bites” host Scotty Gange, and talked about his dream of someday playing in the big leagues. Well, the big leagues are getting closer: On June 11, 2020, Shortstop Tanner Murray was the 4th round draft pick by the Tampa Bay Rays. 2020 has been a heck of a year, and COVID-19 hasn’t done most industries any favors. Turns out baseball is one of them. In a regular year, the MLB draft is 40 rounds of teams selecting their choice players; this year, those 40 rounds were reduced to just five. Five rounds, with hundreds of potential picks chewing on their lip, pacing the floor and waiting to hear if their name is called. Murray’s name was called in the 4th round, 125th overall. What set Murray apart? “Well, I’m young,” said Murray. “I’m a calendar year younger than everyone else in my draft class. They tend to draft shortstops, and that’s my category. And I’m a coachable guy—I play the game the way the coaches like it to be played.” His previous baseball coaches would agree, and they all reached out to him to offer their congratulations once word of Murray’s success hit the airwaves. “I had hundreds of people calling and texting to congratulate me,” said Murray. “People I hadn’t spoken with in 15 years were so excited for me! It took me about three days to get back to everyone and thank them.” The draft seemed to come at just the right moment. Murray had just finished his last final the day before, and he was joined at Davis by family members. His parents, grandparents and older sister London were all there, holding their breath. After Murray’s name was called, there was a wave of cheers and tears that enveloped the room. Now that Murray’s career plans have played out, he’s still looking into classes at Davis for the fall quarter since the COVID has impacted training camps. Although previously interested in the field of physical therapy (thanks to his mom, Chantel, an adaptive physical education teacher with SLVUSD), Murray has now changed his focus to interior design. “I have a lot of good ideas, and it all flows pretty easily for me,” he says. With any luck, those interiors will come standard with air conditioning. Is Murray ready to take on the Florida heat? “They hold spring training in Port Charlotte. I haven’t been to their spring training facility, but I flew out to their major league stadium in Tampa.” And? Murray grins, “It’s pretty awesome.” The kid with the bright blond hair and the killer arm wants to send a message to all the kids who are playing sports, or waiting for the pandemic to cede so they can get back on the field/court/diamond. “When everything gets back to normal, play as many sports as you can for as long as you can,” says Murray. “Always keep a smile on your face, finish whatever you start, and listen to your coaches. They know more than the players do! When your opportunity comes to play your dream position, go after it. Go 100%. You won’t regret it. And finally, treasure your teammates and friends. The more you push your teammates to get better, the more they’ll push you. Those relationships will create friendships, those friendships will create memories, and those memories are things you’ll cherish for the rest of your life.” 

While the graduating Class of 2020 in Santa Cruz County was celebrating via virtual ceremonies and socially distant car parades, the Community Foundation honored the achievements of 25 remarkable students with scholarships established by generous and forward thinking donors.

Santa Cruz City Schools, San Lorenzo Valley Unified, Scotts Valley Unified, and Pajaro Valley Unified recognize that athletics is an integral part of the high school experience, positively contributing to students’ physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Proper training and conditioning are essential in order to provide a safe and healthy environment. In collaboration with the County of Santa Cruz Health Services Agency, Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League (SCCAL), and California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), all four PK-12 school districts have developed the following outdoor facility use guidelines for athletics summer conditioning. This document was developed using the California Interscholastic Federation’s Return to Physical Activity/Training Guidelines, and the California Department of Education Stronger Together Reopening Guide. These documents provide guidance that allows student-athletes to condition and develop skills while following physical distancing guidelines. Following the guidelines established below, beginning the week of July 6, 2020, athletic conditioning/workouts will be permitted providing all guidelines are followed. All coaches must provide a health screening plan, and sanitation protocol before conditioning sessions may begin. Any component that is not adhered to will jeopardize ongoing summer conditioning at the school site or across the individual school district.

Scotts Valley’s college bound student athletes are considering their post-pandemic futures.

Patrick Sweeney, soon to be graduate of Scotts Valley High School, has recently committed to pitch for CSU, Stanislaus.  He has played baseball since he was five, and coaches refer to him as “a team player with a mid-80’s fastball and a devastating slider, pitching with great command,” great work ethic,” “smart kid who hustles,” “bulldog mentality on the bump.” Principal, Mike Hanson describes him as a “scholar athlete,” “known to have great integrity, “and his youth pastor says, “Patrick has a relentlessly positive attitude,” and “he lights up the room with his presence.”

Mrs. Fernald, the PE Teacher at Baymonte Christian School, organized a one lap marathon for students, family members, and a dog, on April 3rd.  Students at Baymonte Christian, from kindergarten through 6th grade, joined together for this fun, safe, and healthy activity.  In order to promote social distancing at the event, participants were instructed to remain in their cars until they were told to run a lap, by themselves, or accompanied by family members, while adequately spaced staff cheered them on.  Mrs. Fernald recalled the faculty meeting about four weeks ago at Baymonte, when they were informed of going virtual.  “Our principal told us we’d be transitioning to a distant learning model.  My heart immediately sank.  I had so much planned in the spring, like Presidential Fitness and track and field day.”  During the meeting, Steve Patterson, the principal asked his teachers what they could do to overcome their newest obstacle.  Fernald says, “It came to me immediately.” She summarized her idea to the attendees, “We’ll host a one lap marathon!  Parents drive their kids up, their kids or their family get out, run a timed lap, get back in the car, and drive off.” Mr. Patterson had an “extremely supportive response.  If you dream it, he’ll say go for it.  He makes my job fun and easy.”  Since that meeting, Fernald has been planning the marathon, alongside other teachers, Patterson, and the office manager, Leslie Rapolla, who “made awesome signs. The signage was huge.  It needed to be organized and everyone needed to know what to do when they came, to maintain a safe environment.” Fernald also reached out to local law enforcement, to double check safety procedures during the event.  Captain Wilson, of the Scotts Valley Police Department, gave a resounding “Yes!” and added, “The Santa Cruz County Health directive tells us to get out and exercise in a healthy manner.  This is perfect!” On April 3rd, Fernald and the other teachers of Baymonte Christian were so excited to see the long line of cars, “being distant during learning, you can’t see the kids.  I miss them… Everyone had to remind themselves to not hug and stay at their assigned cones.  I, and a few others, almost cried to be able to see our kids and give them lots of support as they ran around the track.  What amazing confidence we’re pouring into these kids, after all the negativity they’ve been exposed to in the news.” Overall, the event was a huge success, with 113 runners, and a family dog.  To virtually experience and hear about the award winners, check out:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY4NRsdqzkU&t=184s.  The 1st-3rd place winners were each rewarded with an amazon gift card, to give the older kids “a little incentive.”  Fernald was so pleased with the turn out as she feels, “a sense of responsibility to keep kids healthy during this time.  We already have a huge problem with childhood obesity.  I want to motivate them in a positive way for the benefit of them. There’s so many video games, TV shows, movies, and so much screen time.  I just want the kids to get out and have fun.  If there’s anything I can do to promote positivity, getting out and exercising, I’ll do it.”Fernald’s socially distanced creativity does not stop with the marathon!  She’s putting together a drive-in movie night for the school and has started her own YouTube Channel.  PE TODAY! With Mrs Fernald suggests new activities and exercises for kids, alongside the Baymonte mascot Leo the Lion and a new theme each video. You can subscribe or view her videos here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeFw-O9n9zVNCcZ-HzwceSA.

Our Scotts Valley Bocce Club (SVBC) members won the Gold Medal at the 2020 Las Vegas National Open Three Person Tournament held February 28th through March 1st in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

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.