Central Coast high school athletes shine in week of track, tennis and baseball playoffs

Central Coast high school teams turned in a banner week on the field and track, as spring playoff races heated up and individual athletes punched tickets to upcoming state meets.

At the Central Coast Track & Field Classic held Wednesday at Morro Bay High, the Arroyo Grande boys’ 4x400 relay team clocked a season-best 3:18.2, edging out San Luis Obispo by 0.3 seconds. On the girls’ side, Atascadero senior Mia Rodriguez won the 800 meters in 2:12.7, the fastest time in the Central Section this spring according to meet officials.

Baseball and softball postseason push

In baseball, Paso Robles beat Righetti 6-2 on Thursday to clinch the top seed in the upcoming CIF Central Section Division 1 playoffs. The Bearcats improved to 21-3 overall behind a complete-game, eight-strikeout performance from junior right-hander Ethan Cruz. Righetti dropped to 17-7 but remains in contention for an at-large berth when brackets are released Monday.

Softball saw Nipomo run-rule Santa Maria 12-2 in five innings Tuesday, powered by a grand slam from senior catcher Leah Torres. The Titans (19-5) have now won seven straight and will host a first-round playoff game on May 22.

Tennis and golf standouts

On the tennis courts, Mission Prep sophomore Jameson Lee swept his singles matches at the Central Coast Tennis Championships in San Luis Obispo on Thursday, defeating Templeton’s top seed 6-2, 6-4 in the final. Lee, the son of former ATP player Marty Lee, who won two Challenger titles in the late 1990s, has not lost a set in league play this spring.

In golf, the Central Coast Girls Golf Championship took place Monday at Cypress Ridge Golf Course in Arroyo Grande. San Luis Obispo High senior Emma Chen shot a 2-under-par 69 to win individual medalist honors by three strokes, leading the Tigers to the team title with a combined 326. Chen, who has committed to play at Cal Poly next fall, birdied three of the final six holes to pull away from the field.

Coaches from several schools said the week’s results set up critical final regular-season matches before next month’s CIF Southern Section and Central Section championship rounds. With league titles on the line and playoff seeding still fluid, local athletes are bracing for a packed schedule that includes dual meets, invitationals and wild-card qualifiers through late May.

For many teams, this week’s performances, especially those at the track classic and tennis championships, have provided a clear picture of who might contend for section titles. The track athletes will next compete at the Central Section trials May 24 at Buchanan High in Clovis.