SEASIDE — Harbor High junior Kaden Dunton shot the low score Tuesday, despite narrowly missing a handful of birdie putts on the back nine at Black Horse Golf Course in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League Championship. Had some of those putts fallen, he would’ve pulled away in a landslide. Really, it didn’t matter, because it was his steady play down the home stretch that led him to medalist honors on a windy, hazy afternoon. “I played good today,” Dunton said. “I hit really good iron shots; anywhere from 150 yards in I was pretty dialed. I hit a lot of green. Putts were not dropping, but ..read more

WATSONVILLE — If you remember middle school, you likely remember what group projects were like: Four to six kids trying to determine who should do what in their presentations on the cultures of Mesopotamia and that work ultimately being done largely by one or two students. With Watsonville Prep School adding a middle school level this year, it also comes with a new model that redefines the group learning process with more defined roles, more group collaboration and opportunities for students to not only learn but become leaders in the lesson process. After seven years at Gilroy and Hollister p ..read more

Santa Cruz’s Nat Young tied for 25th place and earned 1,700 points at the World Surf League’s Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro, the season opener on the Challenger Series, at Snapper Rocks in Queensland, Australia, on Monday. Young was eliminated in Heat 3 of the Round of 32. He produced a two-wave total in the 12.04 during his 30-minute heat in 1- to 4-foot waves. France’s Charly Quivront (14.07) took first in the heat, and Australia’s Mikey McDonagh (13.87) took second to also advance. France’s Marco Mignot (12.40) took third and was also eliminated. Mignot tied for 17th overall and earned 1,900 points ..read more

WATSONVILLE — For more than a year, Watsonville Parks and Recreation staff have been studying the city’s parks to determine their greatest needs. Now the fruits of their labor have resulted in the city’s final Park Facilities Assessment report, which will go before the Parks and Recreation Commission at its Thursday meeting. According to a staff report by Parks Director Nick Calubaquib, the city issued requests for proposals in January 2023 to consultant teams with experience in parks and recreation facility design and construction administration to conduct a park facility assessment study. In ..read more

Santa Cruz’s Glenallen Hill Jr., 23, is back in organized baseball and shining early with his newest team, the Fresno Grizzlies, the Single-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. The 5-foot-9, 170-pound outfielder signed a free-agent, minor league contract with the Rockies on March 19. He’s batting .300 (3 for 10) through three games. He recorded a hit in his debut with the Grizzlies (12-7) on Friday, and was 2-for-4 with a home run on Saturday. After he was released by the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 15, 2022, Hill played the past two seasons with the Joliet Slammers of the independent Frontie ..read more

SANTA CRUZ — Who’s the top boys 100-yard butterfly swimmer in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League? That may not be determined until later this week, in San Jose. Soquel High junior Oliver Santana avenged a loss to Aptos senior Sam Allen during the dual meet season in one of the top races at the league championships on Saturday at Harbor High. Soquel High’s Oliver Santana takes first place in the boys’ 100-yard breaststroke at the SCCAL Swimming Championship at Harbor High on Saturday. (John Lee – Santa Cruz Sentinel) Soquel’s girls, showing incredible depth in the freestyle sprints, dominated ..read more

Santa Cruz’s Nat Young won his opening heat with one dominant ride at the World Surf League’s Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro, the season opener on the Challenger Series, at Snapper Rocks in Queensland, Australia, on Saturday. Young scored waves of 9.33 and 4.67 for a two-wave total score of 14.00 in Heat 6 of the Round of 64. Callum Robson of Australia produced a 12.10 total for second and also advanced. Santa Cruz’s Nat Young competes in Heat 6 of the Round of 64 at the World Surf League’s Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro on Saturday at Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. (Andrew Shield – World Surf League ..read more

SANTA CRUZ — Rock hounds, hobbyists, hunters — those seeking to boost their energy — and the geologically-inclined from across the state and beyond gathered at Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium Saturday for the Santa Cruz Mineral and Gem Society’s 71st Mineral, Gem, Fossil and Jewelry Show. The show continues from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, 307 Church St., Santa Cruz. “I come every year,” said Santa Cruz resident Thomas Nathanson. “I love that they do this. It’s run by a local organization and it feels like a service to the community to provide a space for the show ..read more

WATSONVILLE — Rep. Zoe Lofgren paid a visit to Salinas on Friday to present two of her constituent cities with separate checks totaling $959,752 each to go toward improvements to Salinas and Watsonville’s wastewater treatment plants. Lofgren had requested funding for 14 projects in the 18th Congressional District to be earmarked for funding in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024, which was signed into law in March. She had secured more than $50 million in funding. “Proper water infrastructure – that prevents contamination and allows for clean drinking water – is a basic need in communi ..read more

WATSONVILLE — Bud Kaeding of San Jose steered the No. 29 to victory in the third round for the Ocean Sprints racing at the Ocean Speedway on Friday night. Kaeding won the series finale last August and returned to form as part of a four-division program at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Lincoln’s Tanner Carrick dominated time trials in search of his third consecutive win. Kaeding won the dash for the pole position for the 30-lap feature. Jason Chisum of Salinas rolled on the backstretch to bring out the red flag on the opening salvo. Carrick had used the outside line to soar past Kaeding fo ..read more