Sports

Three teams representing the Soledad Warrior Youth Football Cheer squads competed at the Jamz Cheer and Dance National Competition in Las Vegas on Jan. 19-22. Soledad placed second in the Midget Division and second in the Jr. Peewee Division. The Peewee cheer squad competed but did not place in the top three.

The Mission Trail Athletic League season opened up last week with the Greenfield Bruins hosting the King City Mustangs and the Soledad Aztecs hosting the defending league champion Gonzales Spartans.

First-year Soledad varsity football head coach Eric Rodriguez watched nervously as the host Palma Chieftains got more and more efficient throughout last Friday’s game at the Salinas Sports Complex. Unfortunately for Rodriguez and his Aztecs team, the Chieftains could not be stopped and downed Soledad by a 52-6 tally.

All four local high school cross country teams were on the Monterey Peninsula last week with races at Carmel Valley, Monterey, and Pacific Grove.

In a game for first place in the Mission Trail Athletic League the Soledad Aztecs played well but were unable to come home with a win against the host Robert Louis Stevenson Pirates. Stevenson’s Ambreece Gaskins scored 21 points to lead the Pirates to the 55-48 win.

A 19-4 third quarter run by Soledad High changed the momentum of a close game against King City and earned the visiting Aztecs a 59-42 victory.

Track and field athletes from all four South County high schools will be running, throwing, and jumping on Saturday at the Central Coast Section Track and Field Semifinals at Gilroy High School.

The Greenfield Lady Bruins won their third league game last week, defeating the King City Lady Mustangs 10-9 last Tuesday in Greenfield.

The newly formed Pacific Coast Athletic League (PCAL) has announced the divisions of play for next spring’s baseball, softball, tennis and track and field teams.

The organizers of the Salinas Valley Half Marathon are launching an 11-week training program beginning May 16, designed to teach runners of all abilities and experience to reach their goals.