Athlete of the Week Articles

Ever since Pioneer Valley’s inception, the athletic department has strived for excellence in all sports. Despite that effort, however, there’s one sport that’s had a bit of trouble in gaining a spot in CIF: tennis. But that’s about to change with help from sophomore Caitlyn Brown.   “I feel great about Caitlyn Brown,” said tennis […]

It’s not just spinning wheels to call Brandon Pita the star of Santa Maria BMX—the 12-year-old has the hardware to prove it. On Aug. 31, Pita took home the 2009 12 Novice division championship from BMX’s premier event: the National Bicycle League Grand Nationals in Louisville, Kent. For Pita, who just started racing bicycle motocross […]

Though retired captain Mark Inguaggiato has made a bit of a late start in competitive tennis, he’s already established himself as a worthy opponent on the court. The 50-year-old environmental engineer at Vandenberg Air Base started playing tennis in 2005 so he could maintain a healthy lifestyle. The activity, however, has snowballed into a passion […]

Lompoc’s Juan Campos is proof that some things get better with age.   The 49-year-old turned heads in the Aug. 8 debut of the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department’s Tri-the-Bull Triathlon, an event consisting of a quarter-mile swim at Pioneer Valley High School, a 10-mile bike ride, and a 3-mile run along Bull Canyon […]

At age 68, the Santa Maria Speedway’s oldest living champion is still sitting in the driver’s seat.   Ronnie Souza was a familiar face behind the wheel for fans at the Speedway’s first-ever go-kart racing event on Aug. 17. Taking to the venue’s new kart track against 40 other drivers—some half his age or younger—Souza […]

On Aug. 16, Amanda Taecker left the Santa Maria Valley to attend CSU Fresno. She was a crucial component of Pioneer Valley’s State Champion lineup, and her move away from the area is a blow to local girls’ wrestling.   Taecker’s wrestling career started three years ago when she competed alongside the Righetti High School […]

Thirteen-year-old Elizabeth Pulido is new to Santa Maria, but no stranger to swimming. The eighth grader moved here from Bakersfield with her mother in January, and has been swimming for coach Mike Ashmore and the Santa Maria Swim Club ever since.   Coach Ashmore doesn’t mince words about his swimmer: “She’s probably one of the […]

In a season of ups and downs for the Santa Maria Packers, third baseman Ryan Delgado hit the top of the charts.   The slugger finished the season as the California Collegiate League leader in homeruns (six) and slugging percentage (.527). His 36 RBIs were enough to land him second in the league.   “I’ve […]

As one of the few current high school baseball players mixing it up with the big boys in the California Collegiate League, Jacob Cano isn’t just holding his own—he’s lighting it up.   As of July 25, the California Wahoos’ second baseman and soon-to- be St. Joseph senior is hitting .345 and leading the team […]

One glance at the family trophy case is all the proof one needs that Santa Maria’s Baldaras brothers pack quite a punch. The latest hardware hoisted by the sibling pugilists came from Coachella, where 14-year-old Rudy won the annual Desert Showdown on July 18. “The fights weren’t easy, but they weren’t hard, either,” Rudy said. […]

As the most consistent hurler on the Santa Maria Pilots’ pitching staff, Brandon Creath is quietly emerging as the team’s ace. While his Pilots have struggled for much of the season, Creath has shined. As of press time, the 6-foot-3 right-hander has posted a sparkling 1.77 ERA, giving up just seven earned runs in 35 […]

Second baseman Robert “Speedy” Lopez may be a Little Leaguer in stature, but the 10-year-old has a genuine Big League heart. While he’s excelled as a two-time Southside League All-Star, the fact that he can take the field at all is no small miracle. When he was just 18 months old, doctors discovered Robert had […]