Preps of the Week: Watsonville’s Aiden Rodriguez, Aptos’ Riley Carrera | Pajaronian Sports Ticker

This week’s edition of the Pajaronian Sports Ticker highlights local prep athletes for their performances during the week of March 13-19. There was no sports ticker for the week of March 6-12 due to a large number of postponed and canceled games.

Coaches and athletic directors are encouraged to submit scores and stats to [email protected]. Follow sports editor Juan Reyes on Twitter @jmreyes831 for scores and news updates.   

Preps of the Week

Boys: Watsonville High junior Aiden Rodriguez batted 2-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs for the Wildcatz’ baseball team in its 10-2 win over Alvarez High in Pacific Coast Athletic League Mission Division action on March 16. Rodriguez batted 3-for-5 with a pair of RBIs and three runs scored in a 7-6 non-league loss to Harbor just two days later. Watsonville (3-2, 2-0) will play a league doubleheader at Monte Vista Christian (5-1, 1-0) on Saturday at noon and 3:30pm.   

Girls: Aptos High senior Riley Carrera was the lone bright spot for the Mariners’ softball team which suffered a pair of losses at the Watsonville High Tournament on March 18. She batted 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and three RBIs, including a line drive two-run home run over center field in a 9-7 loss to Sobrato High. Carrera also drove in the Mariners’ lone run in a 7-1 loss to Los Gatos in their second game of the afternoon. Aptos (2-4, 1-1) will host Scotts Valley High on Friday at 4:30pm.     

Rising Stars

• Aptos High’s Luke Garvey earned medalist honors after he shot a 40 for the Mariners boys’ golf team in a 203-273 win over Soquel High in Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League action at Seascape Golf Club on March 16. Fellow teammates Tyler Grosdidier, Shawn Roschelle and Ben Nowark each shot a 41, while Justin Rifkind finished with a 44 for Aptos (2-0).
• Aptos High senior setter Roberto Muñoz finished with seven kills and 10 assists for the Mariners boys’ volleyball team in a three set (25-18, 25-14, 25-21) win over Pajaro Valley in non-league play on March 18. Fellow teammate junior outside hitter Mander Miller recorded four kills and 20 digs, while senior middle blocker Jonathan Marquez finished with four blocks, three kills and three aces for Aptos, which improved to 3-2 overall this season.
• St. Francis High senior Kyle Dyer drove in a pair of runs in the sixth inning for the Sharks baseball team in its 2-1 win over Carmel High in PCAL Gabilan Division action on March 17. Fellow teammate sophomore Nash Horton recorded four strikeouts in five innings of work, while junior Junior Ibarra threw for two innings, allowing an unearned run and recorded a pair of strikeouts for the Sharks (3-1, 2-1), who will play at Salinas on Friday at 4pm
• Watsonville High senior Abraham Bonilla allowed one run on four hits and tallied four strikeouts for the Wildcatz baseball team in its 10-2 win over Alvarez High in PCAL Mission Division action on March 16. Miguel Lopez batted 2-for-4 with one RBI and Zander Miller-Brown batted 2-for-2 with one RBI and a pair of runs scored.
• Watsonville High senior Adan Rivas sprinted his way to victory in the 100 meter (11.68 seconds) and the 200 (24.24) for the Wildcatz boys track and field team in its 99-29 win over North Salinas in PCAL Mission Division action March 16. Fellow teammate junior Ruben Mora won both the 110 hurdles (19.13) and 300 hurdles (43.92). 
• Watsonville High senior Edith Rodriguez won both the 200- and 400 meter races in 29.42 seconds and 1:07.57, respectively, for the Wildcatz girls’ track and field team in its 81-41 win over North Salinas in PCAL Mission Division action March 16. Fellow teammate senior Dahlia Barranco won both the 800 (2:32.03) and 1,600 (5:29) races, while sophomore Katelynn Ruiz won the 3,200 in 12:08.73.
• Watsonville native and fifth-grader Eli Montes-Alvarado–who trains at Daniel Cormier Wrestling Academy in Gilroy–won the 10U 85-pound weight class championship at the State of California Wrestling Alliance for Youth Tournament on March 18. 

Games of the Week       

1. Watsonville at Monte Vista Christian, baseball, Saturday at noon and 3:30pm: The Wildcatz (3-2, 2-0) will square off against the Mustangs (5-1, 1-0) in a doubleheader after the teams’ first meeting was postponed due to poor field conditions following the atmospheric river storm.
2. St. Francis vs. Salinas, baseball, Saturday at noon: The Sharks (3-1, 2-1) are hoping to keep things rolling in PCAL Gabilan Division play with a meeting against Salinas (3-4, 1-3), which is looking to bounce back following back-to-back losses against Palma. 
3. Watsonville vs. Notre Dame-Salinas, softball, Friday, 4pm: The Wildcatz (4-4, 0-3)–who are still on the hunt for their first win in league play this season–will be tested against the defending PCAL Gabilan Division champion Spirits (4-2, 2-1).