PETER JOHNSON
Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

Santa Maria High School football finds 
its edge again after years of losing

Grit on the gridiron
by PETER JOHNSON

When the Santa Maria High School football team notched its first league victory last season, it seemed like a routine milestone. But then head coach Dan Ellington checked the history books. “I didn’t realize, but that was the first league game Santa Maria won in five years,” the third-year Saints football coach told the Sun. […]

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Cesar Ayuso

by PETER JOHNSON

When Santa Maria High School senior Cesar Ayuso started running cross country for the first time his sophomore year, neither he nor his Saints teammates knew what winning meant or felt like. But over the past three years, Ayuso has witnessed himself and his team grow from the ground up. With unwavering hard work and […]

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Special Olympians to compete in divisional games in Santa Maria

Athletes from Kern to LA will convene in Santa Maria for SoCal Special Olympics divisional games
by PETER JOHNSON

Kristy Soriano, 39, was 9 years old when she first enrolled in a Special Olympics competition. Her sport of choice at the time? Track and field. “My parents got me involved,” the lifelong Santa Maria resident recalled to the Sun. “They thought it was a good way to exercise. I used to go down to […]

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Dino Maldonado

by PETER JOHNSON

For Dino Maldonado, transferring from Ernest Righetti High School to St. Joseph High School two years ago and joining the Knights football team was like getting adopted into a new family. Maldonado rose to a top position in that family quickly—becoming the Knights’ starting quarterback as a junior and filling the big shoes of outgoing […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

Sarah Fouratt

by PETER JOHNSON

Righetti High School golfer Sarah Fouratt is off to a great start in accomplishing her senior season goal of winning the coveted PAC-8 league title. The Warriors took home first place honors in the PAC-8 “mini tournament” at the Santa Maria Country Club on Sept. 28, and Fouratt shot the lowest score out of all […]

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Local underdog: Nipomo’s Sophie Whittle dazzled at the Central Coast Pro Tennis Open

by PETER JOHNSON

For every hard-fought point that Nipomo native Sophie Whittle won over her world-ranked opponent Laura Robson on Sept. 28, a full house at the Templeton Tennis Ranch stadium in San Luis Obispo County erupted. “Great serve, Soph!” “You got this!” they yelled. With unflinching poise, Whittle chased down Robson’s ruthless backhands and forced her into […]

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Man arrested after all-night standoff in Buellton

by PETER JOHNSON

A 53-year-old Buellton man on probation allegedly barricaded himself in his house with his wife and threatened to set the building on fire. After a seven-hour overnight standoff, he surrendered to authorities on June 13, according to a Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office press release. Sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic disturbance call on the […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

Alexis Garcia

by PETER JOHNSON

Before winter season began, Alexis Garcia, Nipomo High School’s star heavyweight wrestler, laid out her goals for her senior year. She kept them simple, and wrote them down. They’re twofold: 1. Undefeated 2. State champ “My coach [Justin Magdaleno] made me write them down,” Garcia told the Sun. “I have them in my room, on […]

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Semi-pro days: Former Santa Maria Redskins and Hawks football players to share teams’ history at Jan. 14 Valley Speaks

by PETER JOHNSON

Did you know Santa Maria once had two professional football teams? I know—neither did we!  They were “semi-pro” teams, actually. So, in other words, no big paychecks, packed stadiums, or Super Bowl trophies. But the games were legit, the players were talented, and the teams were well respected in the community. It started one day […]

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Sierra Hohimer

by PETER JOHNSON

No. 1 Cabrillo High School tennis singles player Sierra Hohimer doesn’t shy away from dreaming big. The junior picked up tennis only three years ago, during her freshman year as a Conquistador, yet she’s developed into one of the area’s top talents—with aspirations to take her tennis career beyond Cabrillo. “I definitely want to play […]

Posted inMusic, Arts & Culture

Who’s swinging: Youth golf grows on the Central Coast, thanks to affordable programs like First Tee

by PETER JOHNSON

Golf gets a bad rap for being an elitist game. Whether it’s the price of clubs or the price to play; the membership rates; the exclusive, “gentlemen’s club” vibe of courses; or just the maddening difficulty of the sport itself—there’s the belief out there that golf is a sport reserved for the full-pocketed. “Golf has […]

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