Aptos High’s boys cross country team is fast and still improving.

Separated by one second, the Mariners produced the top five finishers in a four-team Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League meet at Scotts Valley’s 2.59-mile course on Thursday.

Aptos took first with a score of 15 — the best score possible. Scotts Valley (44) took second, and Harbor (85) was third. Mount Madonna had an incomplete squad.

Mariners sophomore Sam Hansen, junior Brady Bliesner, sophomore Anthony Sandford-Carroll, and senior Andrew Pursley crossed the finish line in 13 minutes, 54 seconds. Senior teammate Vincent Sandford-Carroll took fifth, one second back at 13:55.

“These kids have worked smartly and have developed themselves into very good runners,” Mariners coach Dan Gruber said. “They are committed and motivated. Add talent to that and they have a chance to leave their mark.”

Scotts Valley sophomore Jackson Stull (14:26) took sixth out of 54 runners. Mount Madonna junior Hans Hagge (14:49) took eighth, and Harbor junior Oliver Willet (15:47) took 19th.

Santa Cruz, Soquel at SLV >> Cardinals senior Eli Fitchen-Young took first out of 55 runners in 17:09 at the 5,000-meter SCCAL race in Felton on Thursday.

Soquel junior Levi Larsen (18:37) and senior Tomas Church (18:47) took second and third, respectively.

Cardinals junior Robert Stanford (18:49) took fourth, and SLV sophomore Jonathan Santi (18:54) was fifth.

Santa Cruz (32) took first, SLV (42) took second, and Soquel (54) was third.

Girls golf

At Scotts Valley 138, Aptos 153 >> Lauren Ohlsson shot 28 for medalist honors, and the Falcons won their SCCAL match on the first six holes at Delaveaga Golf Course on Thursday.

Ohlsson shot par on hole Nos. 1 and 3.

Maisey Chard shot 29 with a birdie on hole No. 1 for the Falcons (8-0). Emily Fassio shot 32 with a birdie on No. 1 and a par on No. 5. Lizzie Goldfield (38), and Serena Sanford-Brantley (43) also scored for the Falcons.

Emily Fassio (32), Addy Burgess (38), Lilly McGee (41), and Lemi Anastasopoulos (42) scored for Aptos (6-2).

Girls cross country

Aptos, Harbor at Scotts Valley >> Mariners junior Maya Schiro crushed the competition at a three-team SCCAL meet at Scotts Valley High on Thursday.

Schiro completed the 2.59-mile course in 15:24.

After Schiro crossed the finish line, the Falcons had the next five finishers: junior Ava Decleve (17:21), senior Violet McCutchen (17:22), junior Dylan Turzak (17:24), junior Jennifer Brownfield (17:26), and sophomore Hanna Shehorn (17:27).

Harbor sophomore Kikoleiani Horne (17:29) took seventh.

Scotts Valley (20) took first, Aptos (50) took second, and Harbor (59) was third.

Santa Cruz, Soquel at SLV >> Cardinals freshman Isla Roake (20:59) took first out of 20 runners in the 5,000-meter SCCAL race in Felton on Thursday. It was the first win of Roake’s young high school career.

Cougars sophomore Beth Gabrielson (21:10), senior Naomi Seastrom (21:13), and freshman Skyla Leggett (21:21) finished second through fourth, respectively, and Soquel freshman Taylor Glinkowski (21:49) was fifth.

SLV (24) took first, Santa Cruz (47) was second, and Soquel (61) was third.

Boys water polo

Soquel 14, Pacific Grove 5 >> Cash Wolf recorded seven goals, one assist, and three steals in the Knights’ nonleague win Thursday.

Senior goalie Jacob Henshaw finished with 13 saves, three assists and four steals. He became the Central Coast Section’s saves leader this season (153), according to statistics published on maxpreps.com, with his outing.

Noah Piona had two goals and two steals for the Knights, who held the Breakers to a pair of goals over the final three quarters. Stryder Stelck had a goal and three steals. Tanner Connors and Nico Palandrani each had one goal, assist, and steal, and Sam Robertson also scored.

Soquel (12-6, 3-1) hosts Harbor on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

At Harbor 11, Aptos 9 >> The Pirates earned the SCCAL win on Thursday.

Kevin Johnston scored three goals for the Mariners, and teammate Jack Widman scored twice.

Goalie Massimo Lopez made six saves for Aptos.

Girls water polo

Aptos 10, at Harbor 4 >> Goalie Mary Suarez-Abraham made 15 saves and the Mariners earned the SCCAL win on Thursday.

Adelaide Friedley had two goals and two steals for Aptos, and senior teammate Scarlet Glietsman Miller scored two goals.

Abigail Higgins and Kate Brandon each had a goal and an assist for the Pirates. Morgan Lakey and Zia Jaggar also scored. Serena Manildi had an assist, three steals, and drew five ejections.

Sophomore goalie Kallista Whitmore made seven saves for the Pirates (6-7, 1-3), who play at Soquel on Tuesday.

Aptos hosts Santa Cruz on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

Girls tennis

Aptos 7, at SLV 0 >> Avaina Andrews and Isabella Calderon earned singles wins in the Mariners’ sweep Thursday in SCCAL action.

Natalia Calderon and Aracely Ritchie, Neci Hoeptner and Julia Blevins, and Finn Gansauer Pilcher and Sadie Chapman earned doubles wins.

Aptos (7-3, 6-0) plays at Scotts Valley on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Soquel 7, Harbor 0 >> Malia Martin, Addie Somerville, and Sophia Arnulfo won singles matches, and the Knights earned a sweep of the short-handed Pirates in SCCAL action Thursday.

Arnulfo prevailed 6-1, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6) over Addisun Kimmel at No. 3 singles.

Martin beat Joslyn Courneen 6-3, 6-2 at No. 1, and Somerville beat Audrey Stenton 6-3, 6-2 at No. 2.

Harbor defaulted matches at No. 4 singles and No. 3 doubles.

Ayla Hymes and Lucy Federspiel, and Adeline Vaughn-Jones and Rebecca Aiello won doubles matches in straight sets.

Soquel hosts San Lorenzo Valley on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.

Girls volleyball

Scotts Valley 3, Soquel 0 >> Junior outside hitter Hayden Smith had 18 kills, two blocks, and 10 digs in the Falcons’ 25-18, 25-20, 25-21 sweep in SCCAL play Thursday.

Senior outside hitter Ava Morrison had 12 kills and eight digs for the Falcons. Junior opposite Aila Papadopoulos had five kills, 11 digs, and two blocks, and junior middle blocker Harlan Hennager had three kills and 12 blocks.

The Falcons (14-5, 5-3) host Harbor on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

Harbor 3, at SLV 1 >> Senior outside hitter Holly Rejfir made nine kills in the Pirates’ 25-14, 25-23, 21-25, 25-13 win in SCCAL play Thursday.

Senior setter Sandy Enriquez made 14 assists for the Pirates (14-7, 9-0), who play Sobrato (6-10) on Friday at 3 p.m. to open Harbor Tournament.

At St. Francis 3, Pacific Collegiate 0 >> Junior setter Georgia Otzman made 17 assists and seven aces in the Sharks’ 25-17, 25-20, 25-22 sweep in PCAL Cypress Division action Thursday.

Senior middle blocker Carley Anderson had 11 kills and two aces for the Sharks. Junior outside Peyton Orradre made seven kills, and junior setter Julie Lopez had eight assist and nine digs.

St. Francis (13-7, 5-4) plays at North Monterey County (5-12, 3-5) on Wednesday at 6 p.m.