Senior Nash Horton had 25 points, 10 rebounds and five steals, and the St. Francis High boys basketball team beat host San Lorenzo Valley 64-57 in nonleague action on Tuesday.
Junior Jacob Jimenez had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Sharks, who turned an 18-11 deficit in the first quarter into a 30-28 lead by halftime. Junior Robert Gomez and senior Gabe Santos each scored six points.
St. Francis has held just one practice since Thanksgiving due to games and many students attending an on-campus retreat.
“We were definitely rusty,” Sharks coach Robert Gomez said. “We didn’t play that well. Guys were out of shape. It was kinda a restart. It was a super gritty win for our guys.”
The Sharks (4-0) were 28 of 48 shooting from the free-throw line and counted four 3-pointers among their 16 field goals.
“It was a pretty physical game,” the Sharks’ coach said. “It was a huge win for us.”
The Sharks will use this game as a barometer of sorts. SLV had already played two teams the Sharks will face later this season: The Cougars earned a narrow win over Gonzales on Dec. 3 and suffered a narrow loss to Monte Vista Christian on Nov. 26.
SLV trailed 43-42 entering the fourth quarter.
Noah Steiger scored 18 points to lead the Cougars (4-3). Lonan Dickinson scored 16 points, and Wyatt Himmelstrup scored 11 points.
St. Francis hosts Cindy Avitia of San Jose on Wednesday and Kirby on Thursday. Both games start at 7 p.m.
SLV plays at Soledad on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Scotts Valley 73, at Harker 45 >> Will Shilling and Taylor Knox each scored 16 points, and the Falcons won their nonleague game Tuesday.
The Falcons trailed 16-14 after the first quarter, but blew the game open in the second, when they outscored the Eagles 30-5.
Caden Kilpatrick and Zach Shilling each scored nine points for the Falcons.
Scotts Valley (3-3) plays at Mountain View (3-1) on Saturday at 7 p.m.
At Harbor 41, Del Mar 37 >> Sophomore guard Malik Wooden had 12 points and six rebounds in the Pirates’ nonleague win Tuesday.
Senior guard Miles Dix scored 11 points for Harbor, and sophomore guard Randy Luke pulled down five rebounds and hit two clutch free throws to seal the win.
Harbor (3-1) plays at MVC (2-2) on Dec. 17 at 7 p.m.
Girls basketball
At Watsonville 58, Rancho San Juan 19 >> Senior Hailey Brooks had 14 points, five rebounds, and four steals in the Wildcatz’s win, which pushed their win streak to five games Tuesday.
Freshman Isabella Alvarez had 10 points, 10 steals, and seven assists for the Wildcatz. Senior Brianna Leon had 10 points, five steals, and four assists, and senior Fernanda Lazo had 10 points and six rebounds.
The Wildcatz (6-1) play at North Salinas (1-2) on Friday at 7 p.m.
At St. Francis 50, Soquel 27 >> Maeve Flynn made three 3-pointers and scored a game-high 11 points, and the Sharks won their nonleague game Tuesday.
Liliana Whitmeyer scored 10 points for St. Francis (2-0), and Natalie Stott added eight points.
Senior Summer Shields scored eight points to lead the Knights, and freshman Grace Graessle scored seven points.
Soquel (2-2) hosts MVC (1-5) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. St Francis hosts Everett Alvarez (2-1) on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
At Harbor 42, Notre Dame (Salinas) 8 >> Sophomore Julianne Sanguinetti scored 13 points, and the Pirates earned their first win of the season Tuesday night.
Freshman Lia Lafrandt scored 10 points for the Pirates (1-4), and sophomore Caley Rowe chipped in with eight points.
The Pirates (1-4) host Saratoga (2-1) on Thursday at 6 p.m.
At Scotts Valley 56, Gilroy 23 >> Brooklyn Williams scored 15 of her game-high 19 points in the first half, and the Falcons won their nonleague game Tuesday.
Abigail Shi scored nine points for the Falcons, who led 34-7 at the half after they kept the Mustangs scoreless in the second quarter. Claire Skinner scored eight points.
Daniella Cera scored five points in the fourth quarter to lead the Mustangs.
Scotts Valley (4-0) faces Pioneer (3-1) of San Jose to open play at the The King’s Academy Tournament in Sunnyvale on Thursday.
SLV 39, at Oceana 32 >> Poppy Owens had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and the Cougars won their nonleague game in Pacifica on Tuesday.
Violet Slayer scored nine points for the Cougars, who led 21-16 at the half.
SLV (4-1) plays at DCP El Primero (1-4) in San Jose on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
At Prospect 56, Santa Cruz 38 >> Brooke Alden scored 11 points in the Cardinals’ nonleague loss in Saratoga on Tuesday.
Mila Conn and Karolina Espinosa each scored five points for the Cardinals, who trailed 36-14 at the half.
Senior forward Sadie Slaughter scored 24 points to lead the Panthers.
Santa Cruz (1-4) plays at Monterey (1-2) on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Girls soccer
Watsonville 1, at Soquel 1 >> Both teams scored in the final three minutes of their nonleague match Tuesday.
Soquel’s Chloe McGilvray hit the goal post on a set shot from 25 yards out and Leah Tuttman gathered the rebound and scored on her follow-up shot.
One minute later, Watsonville’s Jackeline Cano scored the equalizer on a set shot.
Soquel (2-0-1) plays at Carmel (1-1-2) on Thursdays at 3:30 p.m..
Aptos 2, at Gilroy 0 >> Scarlet Stateler had a goal and an assist Tuesday, and the Mariners posted their second straight shutout to open the season.
Emilie Santiago scored in the 21st minute, and Stateler scored in the 57th minute on a pass from Isabella Hartnett.
Goalkeeper Evelyn Pini made four saves for the Mariners (2-0-0), who host Woodside (1-1-1) on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Scotts Valley 3, at Lynbrook 1 >> Junior forward Izzy Morairty had two goals and an assist, as the Falcons rallied from their halftime deficit with three unanswered goals to wrap up pool play at the Firebird Classic on Tuesday night.
Scotts Valley had 17 shots on goal.
Falcons sophomore forward Taylor Ericson finished off a pass to knot the score at 1-all in the 46th minute.
Morairty rocketed a shot to the upper right corner from outside the box to finish off a pass from senior center mid Jordan Ericson in the 59th minute.
Taylor Ericson fielded a throw-in from sophomore defender Bella Agnone in the 65th minute, and flicked it to Morairty, who shot and finished it.
Scotts Valley (2-1-2) hosts North Salinas (0-2-0) on Dec. 17 at 3:30 p.m.
At St. Francis 1, Palma 1 >> Junior center midfielder Miriam Abonce gave the Sharks the lead in the 25th minute, but the Chieftains scored later in the half and played to a draw in their nonleague match Monday.
The Sharks (0-0-1) host Santa Catalina (2-0-0) on Thursday at 3 p.m.
At Santa Cruz 1, Carmel 1 >> The Cardinals played to a draw in their nonleague home match Tuesday.
Santa Cruz (0-2-1) plays at Presentation (4-0-0) in San Jose on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Boys soccer
At Harbor 6, Jefferson 1 >> Junior forward Danny Garcia scored four goals, and the Pirates rolled in their nonleague win Tuesday.
Andres Reyes and Jair Martinez each scored for Harbor. Alex Aparicio, Phinn Hilton and Kelvin Ramos had assists.
Goalie Damian Escalante made four saves for the Pirates (1-1-1), who play Laguna Creek (0-2-0) of Ek Grove on Friday at 10 a.m. to open play in the Tom Moore invitational at Stevenson School in Pebble Beach.
Watsonville 1, at Hollister 1 >> Jose Ortiz scored on a pass from Damian Amador, and the Wildcatz’s played to a draw in their match Tuesday.
The Wildcatz (0-1-2) play at Silver Creek (1-3-0) in San Jose on Saturday at 1 p.m.