Athlete of the Week Articles

Not everyone gets to attend their dream college, but last week, St. Joseph High School student and track athlete Joseph Domingues landed himself a guaranteed slot at his. On April 24, Domingues signed his letter of intent with the U.S. Naval Academy, an event that was the culmination of nearly four years of hard work, […]

By the time the summer Olympics roll into Los Angeles in 2028, California’s own Isaac Hill could be in attendance as a taekwondo competitor, and some say Hill even has enough potential to strike gold. Hill, 13, has been training with coaches Cort Newby and Steve Sanders for the past three years at Santa Maria […]

As a junior at St. Joseph High School, Justin Jones is a dual athlete on the school’s swimming and water polo teams. His coach for both teams, Bianca McNeil, said Jones was part of a successful season for the boys’ water polo team and has broken numerous personal records as a swimmer. McNeil said Jones […]

Santa Maria High School student Jayson Downey is still young, but track and field coaches expect to see great things from the athlete in years to come. Downey, a sophomore, specializes in long, high, and triple jumps. He’s doing well enough in the league overall, but according to assistant coach Steven Youngblood, he’s close to […]

It’s been a rough season for the Santa Maria High School boys’ volleyball team, and a number of injuries have left many of the team’s players benched, forcing younger students to step up and take over. Sophomore Robert Madrigal is up for the challenge. The former right-side hitter is now setting for the team, a […]

The key to Samantha DeLaCruz’s consistent success on the softball diamond is simple: hard work. That’s according to Santa Maria High School’s head softball coach, Greg Guerrero, who said that since DeLaCruz joined the school’s varsity team as a freshman, she hasn’t missed a single game. Now a junior, the third baseman is proving herself […]

It’s not often that 9-year-olds set personal goals for themselves, but Orcutt fourth grader Saul Paz isn’t your typical kid—he’s a state champion wrestler. Paz has been wrestling at All-American Elite Athletics for the past four years, and last year, Paz played a season of football before returning to the mat. He fought through a […]

It’s been a slow start to the high school softball season so far thanks to the rainy weather, but Pioneer Valley High School student Monique Gomez is already showing a lot of promise on the field. Gomez, a junior and a third-year varsity softball player, is one of the hardest working players on Pioneer Valley’s […]

Pioneer Valley High School student Lizette Pompa is the captain and inspirational leader of the most successful girls wrestling program on the Central Coast.  That’s according to coach RD Noel, who said Pompa, a senior and fourth-year wrestler, led her team to another CCAA League Championship, a CIFCS Regional Championship, and the State Championship tournament […]

The boys’ volleyball season has only just begun, and Pioneer Valley High School senior Nickolas Equihua is already “killing” it.  The past two years have been seasons of total transformation for Equihua, who has worked tirelessly to improve his blocking and hitting skills. Coach Ralph Quintana said Equihua gathered up about 71 kills—well above average—and […]

On average, it takes Lompoc High School wrestler Marlen Carrillo about 30 seconds to pin her opponents. And on average, she wins every match.  Coach Cheyenne Amaro said it’s a combination of Carrillo’s natural athletic ability and quick feet that have allowed her to lay so much of her competition out on the mat. Carrillo, […]

With 17 wins this so far this season, the Orcutt Academy High School girls’ soccer team is having a record-breaking year. Much of that success is thanks to student Taylor Martinez, the team’s unstoppable junior forward. In recent games against Dunn High School and Templeton, a team that was previously undefeated, Martinez scored the only […]