APTOS — Cabrillo College’s softball team knocked off Hartnell in nine innings March 18 and the Panthers didn’t forget. They avenged that loss with a 4-1 win over the host Seahawks on Thursday in the teams’ all-important Coast Conference game. Seahawks coach Kristy Rosinger hopes her team doesn’t forget this one. She wants a more inspired effort from her squad, which has suffered back-to-back losses after seeing its 15-game win streak snapped by San Jose City on Tuesday. “It might be a blessing in disguise,” Rosinger said. “I think our team, after going on a win streak, has kinda become complac ..read more

Anthony Karagiannopoulos had two hits, one walk, one RBI, and a run scored, but Cabrillo College’s baseball team lost 4-2 to visiting Ohlone in the teams’ Coast Conference South Division game Thursday. Nico Hilger had a hit, walk, and run scored for the Seahawks. Oscar Knapp gave up three runs, two earned, over six innings and took the loss. He gave up four hits and one walk and struck out five batters. Ray Hernandez earned the complete-game win for the Renegades (26-11, 13-4). He gave up two runs, one earned, five hits and four walks and struck out seven. Cabrillo (17-19, 10-7) hosts Hartnell ..read more

SCOTTS VALLEY — The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission affirmed its support for pair of Coastal Rail Trail segments in Mid County and pledged to seek solutions to financial shortfalls after progress was recently put on pause by the county Board of Supervisors, which is the lead agency for the project. Among the actions approved by the commission at its special meeting, called Thursday in the Scotts Valley City Council Chambers, was to explicitly support continuation of the project with the trail alongside the Branch Rail Line known as the “ultimate” configuration, ask its sta ..read more

WATSONVILLE — It is getting close to the end of the academic year. The weather is warming up, kids are planning their summer activities and the top students at each Pajaro Valley Unified School District site were honored in a virtual ceremony Wednesday. The school board hosted its annual student recognition ceremony, sponsored by The Pajaronian and McDonald’s, in which one student from each of Pajaro Valley’s schools is honored for achieving academic excellence. Alicia Jimenez, the district’s public information officer, said the event always makes for her favorite meeting of the year. “The sit ..read more

Despite the loss of a salmon season for both commercial and recreational anglers this year, we are seeing an increase in saltwater action and healthy harvest from the Monterey Bay region. Halibut catches are on the increase, including legal flatties caught from the Santa Cruz Wharf out to around 80 feet of water. The beaches that ring our beautiful bay are coming alive with good numbers of big barred surf perch caught by the surfcasters, and a growing number of striped bass biting on sandcrabs or striper lures. Deepwater rockfish takes top spot though, with limits being common and quality very ..read more

Sofia Niklaus had six goals and one assist, and Scotts Valley High girls lacrosse team beat Salinas 11-3 on Wednesday. Niklaus had nine draw possessions and four draw controls. Skylar Dufour had three goals, one assist, three draw possessions, and six draw controls for the Falcons. Niklaus and Dufour also caused five and three turnovers, respectively. Claire Skinner scored two goals and also got a draw control and a draw possession. Stella Cheney tallied one assist. Scotts Valley (8-1) plays at Stevenson on Tuesday at 4 p.m. Boys tennis At Scotts Valley 6, Soquel 1: The Falcons won three of fo ..read more

WATSONVILLE — Throughout the Pacific Ocean lies a series of 1,000 scattered islands stretching from New Zealand to Easter Island and all the way up north to Hawaii for a subregion collectively known as Polynesia. There are many facets of Polynesian culture, including various forms of dancing, a cuisine rich in fruits, fish and barbecued meats, and even surfing, which originated in Polynesia as far back as the 18th century. All of that will be present as the Watsonville Youth Center plays host to “Surf’s Up! Polynesian Cultural Experience” on Saturday. The free event will feature food from Pono ..read more

Haylie Kennedy scored four goals and teammate Ashby Weeks scored three to help Soquel High girls lacrosse team beat Santa Cruz, 13-6, on Tuesday. Ava Gray scored twice for the Knights. Amelie Stotland had one goal and three assists, and Malia Martin, Zoe Horn, Sophie Arnold each scored a goal. Addie Somerville had two assists. First-year goalie Ava Sullivan made 18 saves for the Knights. Zoe Waldip-Fruin and Natasha Ribera scored their first goals of the season for the Cardinals, who are co-coached by Emily Cronin and Jordyn Feldman. “I am so proud of how lacrosse is growing at the high school ..read more

SANTA CRUZ — University of Arizona’s Filip Jakubcik, a sophomore out of Holesov, Czech Republic, turned in another 4-under-par 68 to jump into the lead at the 77th Western Intercollegiate on Tuesday. Jakubcik carded five birdies, one bogey, and one double bogey at Pasatiempo Golf Club to give hi a 136 total. He has three top-10 finishes in eight events and is seeking his first win of the season. Pepperdine sophomore Mahanth Chirravuri, a transfer from USC, climbed three spots in to second with his 69, which gave him a 137. San Jose State’s Xuan Luo shot another 69 and is in a four-way tie for ..read more

WATSONVILLE — A two-plane crash over Watsonville Municipal Airport that claimed three lives in 2022 was caused by pilot error, according to a federal aviation accident oversight panel’s recently released report. “The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be: The failure of the pilot of the multi-engine airplane to see and avoid the single-engine airplane while performing a straight-in approach for landing,” states the 12-page report released March 28. Earlier investigation details were released in a September 2022 preliminary report. The mida ..read more