Santa Cruz’s John Mel won his second heat at the World Surf League’s BTMI Barbados Surf Pro at Soup Bowl, Bathsheba, Barbados, on Thursday.

Men’s and women’s competitions are being held at the contest, a Qualifying Series 5,000-point event. The contest window runs through Sunday.

Mel produced a two-wave score of 14.57 to take first in Heat 7 of Round of 32. Sebastian Williams (11.33) of Mexico took second and also advanced. Reed Platenius (9.83) of Canada took third and was eliminated, as was fourth-place finisher Rafael Pereira (8.73) of Venezuela.

Ryan Huckabee of Flagler Beach, Florida, earned the highest heat score (14.83) in the Round of 32. He also had the highest wave score (8.23).

Mel produced a two-wave score of 11.90 for first place in Heat 14 of the Round of 64 on Wednesday. Oceanside’s Timothy Simmers (10.40) took second in the 25-minute heat, which featured 4- to 6-foot waves. San Clemente’s Kei Kobayashi (10.30) took third and was eliminated, as was fourth-place finisher Titus Kaimana Santucci (6.86) of Encinitas.

Blayr Barton of Virginia Beach, Virginia, produced the highest heat score (14.83) in the Round of 64, and Kai Kushner of Manhattan Beach turned in the highest wave score (9.27).

Mel goes against Kushner, Jacob Burke of Barbados, and Sage Katz of Puerto Rico in Heat 4 of the Round of 16.

In the women’s competition, Santa Cruz’s Keanna Miller (12.33) was eliminated and took 17th place overall.

Miller finished behind Malibu’s Talia Swindal (15.50) and Encinitas’ Ella McCaffray (13.00), and ahead of Laguna Beach’s Lilie Kulber (9.93) in Heat 4 of the Round of 32. Kulber was also eliminated and took 25th place.

Men’s volleyball

At North Central 3, UC Santa Cruz 1 >> The Banana Slugs, ranked No. 15 in the AVCA Division III poll, saw their 10-match win streak end in their 23-25, 29-27, 28-26, 25-19 loss to the No. 14 Cardinals in Naperville, Illinois, on Wednesday.

Senior outside hitter/opposite Dylan Foreman had 19 kills and two blocks for UCSC (17-6). Junior outside hitter Riley Norman had 15 kills and 14 digs, and senior outside hitter/opposite Nico Espinoza had nine kills and eight digs. Junior setter Caio Valente had 45 assists and nine digs.

Junior opposite Carson Steinbach had 18 kills and 10 digs for the Cardinals (13-5). Setter Tyler Donovan, a 6-foot-7 grad student, had 46 assists, 11 digs and three blocks.

UCSC plays at Benedictine (13-8) in Lisle, Illinois, on Friday at 5 p.m.

Boys golf

Santa Cruz 211, Pacific Grove 231 >> Tobin McClendon shot even-par 35 on the front nine at Pacific Grove Golf Links to secure medalist honors in the Cardinals’ nonleague win Wednesday.

Santa Cruz’s Sam Wickens shot 38.

College basketball

Academic All-District Team >> UCSC had six student-athletes honored on the Academic All-District D-III Team, as announced by the College Sports Communicators.

Junior forward/center Joseph Espy, senior guard Zino Okah, senior forward/wing Zach Granberry, and junior wing Caden Breznikar were among the male honorees, and junior wing/center Jenna Gorton and sophomore guard Alyssa Jackson made the women’s list.

Girls softball

Greenfield 17, at Pajaro Valley 0; 3 inn. >> The Grizzlies were held hitless in their three-inning loss in Pacific Coast Athletic League Cypress Division action Wednesday.

Brizea Rojas hit three doubles, had two RBI, and scored twice for the Bruins (2-7, 1-0). Winning pitcher Chloe Zavala struck out right of the nine batters she faced.

Pajaro Valley (2-4, 1-1) hosts King City (4-4) on Saturday at noon.