Playing on a stage that doesn’t get any bigger and under “Friday Night Lights” that don’t get any brighter, the Scotts Valley Falcons rose to the occasion, beating the Watsonville Wildcatz 7-0 at Levi’s Stadium on a perfect night for football.
This year's league championship and who wins it is on a lot of people’s minds. San Lorenzo Valley High School Cougars legendary cross-country and track coach, Rob Collins, mused that, “most likely it'll be between Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley.”
There’s a new vibe this year when it comes to the Scotts Valley High Girls Volleyball team. Maybe it has something to do with a new coaching staff. Maybe it’s the senior leadership of captains Natalia Locatelli, Megan and Mary Claire Lonhart (yes, they’re twins) who want to finish their Falcon careers “with a bang.” Whatever the case, if the pre-season results are any indication of what’s to come, the Falcons are poised to contend with the top teams in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League.
Head Coach Dave Poetzinger returns for another season of leading the Cougars’ football team. For 20 years, Poetzinger was the right-hand man of retired coach Doug Morris. During that era, the Cougars won the numerous Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League’s football titles and made high rounds of CCS tournament. Some refer to that time as the ‘glory years’ for the Cougars. Last year, SLVHS returned to the CCS playoffs for the first time since 2010, with 8-3 overall, 4-1 league record and Poetzinger was voted league's Coach of the Year.
When the 2015-16 academic year started, so did the sport competitions for our local High School teams. For Football, Girl’s Volleyball, Water Polo and Girl’s Golf, here is a ‘snapshot’ description of what has happened so far.