A late-game position change served Elisco Mora and Watsonville High’s boys soccer team well on Wednesday.

Mora was moved from center defender to forward and scored on a pass from Niko Gallegos in the 75th minute to help the Wildcatz beat crosstown foe Pajaro Valley 1-0 in the teams’ Pacific Coast Athletic League Mission Division game.

“We’ve done that three or four games now and it has worked,” said legendary Wildcatz coach Roland Hedgpeth, 82, who announced that next season will be his last. “We can’t do that all the time because he’s an excellent defender.”

Wildcatz goalie Adrian Fernandez and Grizzlies keeper Luis Tellez each made four saves.

Hedgpeth said his players were overjoyed with the outcome in what has been an other testing season.

The Wildcatz (5-7-6, 4-5-2), who feature just one senior starter, center back Tlaloc Ledesma, had to forfeit two league games for using an ineligible player.

This year, they’ve also been Stray Catz. They’ve had to play every home game on the road while Geiser Field underwent a prolonged stadium renovation. The team held one home game at E. A. Hall Middle School, and played others at Cabrillo College in Aptos and Hartnell College in Salinas, where Wildcatz alum Daniel Ortega is the men’s head coach.

The Wildcatz rented lights to conduct their practices at E.A. Hall’s smaller turf field.

“It’s been a tough year because of where we practice,” Hedgpeth said. “I think we’re a lot better than we showed.”

Hedgpeth, who has led the Wildcatz to 10 Central Coast Section titles, said the 2025-26 season will be his last as head coach. He said he promised his wife of 63 years, Priscilla, and now it’s in print, so he feels extra obligated to honor his word.

The coach said he’s hoping to get his team back to Hawaii to compete in another preseason tournament next season.

“Next year, we’ll start over and go stronger,” he said.

Pajaro Valley finishes its season at 2-10-6, 2-5-5.

Watsonville closes its season against visiting Stevenson (5-10-3, 3-6-2) at Cabrillo College on Friday at 6:45 p.m.

At Aptos 2, Harbor 0 >> The Mariners earned a massive win and leapfrogged the Pirates in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League standings on Wednesday night, despite playing a player short for 75 minutes.

“I am very pleased with the way our players kept their composure, even though we played a man down for 75 minutes,” Mariners coach Roberto Zuniga said. “The defense was impressive and shut down any offensive buildup from Harbor.”

Goalie Noah Curran was given a red card for running into a Pirates player while collecting a loose ball five minutes into the match. Backup goalie Herberth Santiago made three saves in recording the shutout.

The Mariners (12-4-1, 7-1-0) adjusted their formation and went on the attack. Senior team captain Nami Banks converted a penalty kick in the 25th minute for the decisive score.

Banks added an insurance goal in the 59th minute. After he gathered a pass from River Cook, Banks dribbled through the heart of the Pirates’ defense, and placed the ball in the upper right hand corner of the goal.

Damian Escalante made two saves for the Pirates (14-3-1, 6-2-0).

On Friday at 7 p.m., Aptos hosts Scotts Valley (0-9-3, 0-7-1), and Harbor plays at Santa Cruz (12-6-1, 6-2-1).

Santa Cruz 2, at San Lorenzo Valley 0 >> Freshman Simon Davis and junior Desmond Boutelle scored in the Cardinals’ SCCAL win Wednesday.

Junior Cutler Bauscher and senior Evan Richter recorded assists for the Cardinals (12-6-1, 6-2-1).

Sophomore goalie Stephen Yee made three saves for the shutout, Santa Cruz’s sixth this season and third in the past four games.

Senior keeper Keenan Buntz made eight saves for the Cougars (3-7-4, 1-5-2), who play at Soquel on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Santa Cruz hosts Harbor in the teams’ regular-season finale on Friday at 7 p.m.

At Soquel 2, Scotts Valley 1 >> Senior Jack Leiva scored from 30 yards out in the 80th minute, and the Knights rallied for the SCCAL win Wednesday night.

Striker Tommaso Abis pursued Leiva’s game winning shot, which helped distract the Falcons’ keeper.

Scotts Valley junior attacking mid Jacob Berman gave the Falcons the lead with his goal in the fifth minute.

Abis headed in a cross from senior Mark Carmona in the 60th minute to knot the score at 1-all.

Soquel senior goalie Andrew Bucio made three saves, including a crucial stop in the 70th minute. Falcons junior keeper Seamus Drees made four saves.

Soquel hosts SLV (3-7-4, 1-5-2) on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Scotts Valley (0-9-3, 0-7-1) plays at Aptos (12-4-2, 7-1-1) on Friday at 7 p.m.

Pacific Collegiate 3, Ceiba 0 >> Senior Elan Rizvi-Newman score twice and classmate James Joyce added a goal in the Pumas’ PCAL Cypress Division win at Harbor High on Wednesday.

Goalies Sam Manchester and Pakal Gonzales-Montejano shared the clean sheet for the Pumas (4-5-7, 3-4-4), who host Carmel on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.

At St. Francis 2, York 0 >> Luis Jimenez and Aidan Berrelleza scored in the Sharks’ PCAL Santa Lucia Division win on Wednesday.

Sam Galvan assisted on Berrelleza’s goal.

The fourth-place Sharks (3-9-3, 3-5-3) honored Galvan, their lone senior, at the outset of the match.

“The highlight of the game was Sam,” Sharks coach Valentin Berrelleza said. “He played his best game. He showed the younger players how to defend and be proud of the Sharks’ colors. He took control of the middle, on attack and defense.”

Aidan Berrelleza played goalie the first half, and teammate Brady Stilham played goalie the second half. They each made two saves.

Girls basketball

At Scotts Valley 56, Soquel 27 >> Sophomore guard Hanna Shehorn scored 14 points, and the No. 1 Falcons beat the No. 4 Knights in the SCCAL Tournament semifinals on Wednesday.

Junior guard Brooklyn Williams scored nine of her 12 points in the first half, which helped the Falcons jump out to a 36-6 lead at the break. Senior forward Abigail Shi scored 10 points.

Ana Mauer scored 12 points in the second half to lead the Knights.

Scotts Valley faces No. 2 Santa Cruz for the tournament title at Cabrillo College on Saturday at 5 p.m.

Santa Cruz 67, Aptos 35 >> Sophomore Ania Sinnott made four 3-pointers and scored a team-high 19 points, and the No. 2 Cardinals beat the No. 3 Mariners in the SCCAL Tournament semifinals at Scotts Valley High on Wednesday.

Karolina Espinosa scored 17 points for the Cardinals, who led 40-14 at the half.

Senior Berkeley Ashby made 13 free throws and scored a game-high 24 points to lead the short-handed Mariners, who were minus two injured starters and suited up just six players. Emi Gansauer-Pilcher chipped in with seven points. Ashby also had eight rebounds.

Santa Cruz faces No. 1 Scotts Valley for the tournament title at Cabrillo College on Saturday at 5 p.m.

Boys basketball

At Watsonville 87, Rancho San Juan 63 >> Junior Leon Madec scored 37 points, and the Wildcatz locked up no worse than a share of the PCAL’s Mission Division title on Wednesday.

Junior Max Aceves scored 15 points for the Wildcatz (16-3, 12-1), and Diego Garcia chipped in with eight points.

Watsonville looks to win the title outright when it plays at second-place North Monterey County (16-7, 11-2) on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Hollister 64, at MVC 53 >> Senior Nico Downie made four 3-pointers and scored a game-high 25 points, but the Mustangs lost on their senior night game in PCAL Mission Division action Wednesday.

Braden Dobler scored nine points for the Mustangs (8-14, 2-11), who entered the fourth quarter trailing 58-31. Ethan Quizon added eight points.

Devin Townsend and Kody Dickens each scored 13 points to lead the Haybalers (13-8, 9-4).

MVC closes its regular season at Seaside (0-22, 0-12) on Friday at 7 p.m.

Women’s swimming

PCSC Championships >> UC Santa Cruz had three swimmers make ‘A’ finals on Day 1 of the Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference Championships at East Los Angeles College on Wednesday.

The Banana Slugs’ Kirsten Boyle took fifth in the 200 individual medley (2:06.20), Katy Hawk took sixth in the 50 freestyle (24.06), and Piper Stickler took eighth in the 1,000 free (10:36.77).

Biola junior Colette Friedley, an Aptos alumna, took seventh in the 200 IM (2:07.26), and Cal State University East Bay freshman Alexia Fajardo, also an Aptos alumna, took 11th in the 50 free (23.93).

Girls soccer

At York 1, St. Francis 0 >> The PCAL Santa Lucia Division champion Sharks, playing without standout freshman center back/center mid Alessandra Petersen, who was sick, were shut out in their regular-season finale Wednesday.

The Sharks took 14 shots, including 10 on goal. Miriam Abonce took five shots and Peyton Orradre took three.

Junior goalie Madison Silva made five saves for the Sharks (10-3-1, 7-2-0), who host the Mission Division runner-up in a CCS play-in match on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.

At Anzar 14, Ceiba 0 >> The winless Spartans gave up nine goals in the second half of their PCAL Santa Lucia Division loss on Wednesday.

College baseball

At San Joaquin Delta 5, Cabrillo 4 >> Outfielder Truett Ross hit a two-run double in the third inning of the Seahawks’ nonconference loss Wednesday.

Outfielder Jacob Fiorenza had two of the Seahawks’ eight hits.

Nick White pitched three innings of relief and earned the win for the Mustangs. Johnny Alvarez threw 1 2/3 innings and took the loss.

Cabrillo (2-6) plays Delta (7-4) at Billy Hebert Field in Stockton on Friday at 2 p.m.