High School Sports

The Christopher High wrestling team's expectations are through the roof this season. Its list of goals starts with a clean run through the Monterey Bay League. Priority No. 1 looked to be in jeopardy as a short-handed Cougars squad entered Wednesday night's dual meet against visiting Watsonville.

After a three-week layoff and eager to begin defense of their fifth Tri-County Athletic League title, the Gilroy High girls varsity soccer team returned to the pitch for its TCAL opener and hit the ground running. Four different Mustangs registered goals in a 7-0 drubbing of host Alisal on Wednesday in Salinas.

Sara Makanani converted 1-of-2 free throws with 5.6 seconds remaining in the game, and after one final defensive stand, North Salinas defeated Gilroy High 40-39 in a gritty Tri-County Athletic League tilt Tuesday in Gilroy.

The Christopher High wrestling dual meet tonight versus Watsonville at CHS, which was originally scheduled for a 7 p.m. varsity start, will most likely get underway early, head coach Alexcis Lara said.

Gilroy High wrestling coach Greg Varela said this past weekend's 35th annual Doc Buchanan Invitational - a tournament that hosts the who's, who of California's top-ranked wrestlers - served as a mid-term-like indicator as the season makes a turn for crunch time. The Mustangs are sitting above the curve.

If last Wednesday's 5-0 loss to Monterey was the wake up call, the Christopher High boys varsity soccer team answered the bell Friday. With 11 players to fill out the roster, and no substitutions available, the Cougars hit the road against Monterey Bay League opponent Monte Vista Christian and salvaged a 0-0 tie.

Watsonville, the defending Monterey Bay League boys basketball champion, reached 2-0 in league action Friday by handing the host Christopher High Cougars a 65-53 setback. The Cougars, 0-1 in MBL play and 4-9 overall, visit Seaside Tuesday before hosting Pajaro Valley on Thursday.

Hyram Miskin had 20 points, Jacob Tonascia added 15 more, and the San Benito boys basketball team defeated host Gilroy High 51-37 in Tri-County Athletic League action Friday night.

Though early in the league season, the Christopher High varsity girls basketball team has asserted itself as a contender for the league title come mid-February.

After a one point fourth-quarter lead turned into a 15-point loss to North Salinas on Tuesday, one of the last things the San Benito girls basketball team wanted to do was blow another fourth quarter lead.