This season, the Aptos High School girls’ soccer repeated as Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League champions — and the boys’ soccer team joined them as league champions.
It was a good time to be a Mariner on the soccer field.
The girls finished 9-0-1 under Coach Gina Castaneda, a former Aptos High soccer star who turned coach in 2021, guiding the team to 17 overall wins in her first year, 13 the second year and 15 this year.
She was named the league’s Coach of the Year, and three of her players were voted honors: Player of the Year, Alexa Castaneda, her daughter; Defensive Player of the Year, Anahi Macias, and Goalkeeper of the Year, Alessandra Zuniga.
The boys finished 8-1-1 under Coach Roberto Zuniga, who joined Aptos High in 2012 and came through the pandemic, guiding the team to 13 overall wins last season and 14 this season.
Both teams were expected to advance in the Central Coast Section Division II playoffs, but it was not to be.
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Aptos High School Girls’ Soccer Team
Top row (from left): Ava Chekouras, Aubry Ford, Maddie Redding, Emma Ingrim, Ava Churchill, Rylee Giesen, Alessandra Zuniga, Evelyn Pini, Ella Shoemaker, Bianca Alverez, Isabelle Graff, and Alexa Castaneda.
Bottom row (from left): Anahi Macias, Anahi Najara, Angelique Nunez, Isabella Doolittle, Alayna Gomez, Kaitly Murphy, Scarlett Stateler, Lucy Korinth, Izzie Schenone, and Isabella Hartnett.
The Mariners, ranked No. 7, played the No. 2 Leland Chargers to a 1-1 tie.
Aptos tied the score when Alexa Castaneda passed to Angelique Nunez, who scored.
This was a defensive battle.
Both of the 10-minute overtimes were scoreless. Then came the penalty kicks, Leland made 5 to 4 for Aptos.
Goalie Alessandra Zuniga made six saves.
Three players were injured.
Coach Gina Castaneda said her players gave their all.
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Aptos High School Boys’ Soccer Team
Bottom row (from left): Isaiah Acevedo, Haziel Parra, Ben Baker, Eduardo Álvarez, Josiah Siqueiros, and Fabián Hernández.
Middle row (from left): Daniel Lozano, Carlos Gutiérrez, Esteban García, Damian García, Nicolás Topete, Julián Torres, and Kaleb Plascencia.
Top row (from left): Coach Roberto Zúñiga, Coach Esteban García, David Sebastion-Killpatrick, Ulises Valdez, Andrew López, Noah Curran, Luve Granström, Elliot Burge, Nami Banks, Coach Edgar Cuellar, Coach Ulises Hernández, and Coach Abel Corona.
For the boys, No. 4 Aptos tied No. 5 Junipero Serra 2-2.
After two overtimes, it was 4-4.
Goals were scored by Andrew Lopez — 2, including the tying score — Carlos Gutierrez and Kaleb Plascencia.
Serra made 4 penalty kicks to 3 for Aptos.
Coach Roberto Zuniga called his team a great group of guys.