Download overview and stats: 1916

Overview

The Central California (CCAL) league members were Watsonville, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Pacific Grove and King City (new to the league in 1916).  Hollister and Gonzales participated in track only, while Watsonville did not compete in track.

Interestingly, Soccer took the place of rugby and was played as a interclass sport (between SC High School classes) only.

Baseball

For the first time in three years, interclass baseball was played on the Santa Cruz High School (SCHS) athletic grounds.  Since baseball was dropped as a CCAL sport, interest in it waned. The department shifted its energy to other sports in which trophies might be won for the school. Needless to say from the point of skill the first interclass games were mere charades, although they were played with keen rivalry. SCHS would like to see interscholastic baseball put back on the league schedules.

Basketball

Early in November, the SCHS basketball team started practicing for the first league game.  Captain O’Keeffe put the fellows through strenuous practice with good results.

SCHS held the league record (3-1). They tied with Watsonville for co-championship.  There will be a play off game to see who will go to NCS (Northern California Section playoff, probably to play against Santa Clara Valley’s team.)

[?] Since Monterey had beaten Watsonville, the [Watsonville] Cats have an identical 3-1 record with SC.  The winner of the co-championship game will take the title.  (this was actually a play off game for the championship,  SC will consider it as a co-championship).  (As a reason to call all tied for first place teams, co-champions even if there was a playoff game played was the statement made the year 1950, when the Salinas and Watsonville basketball teams had a playoff, not to see who was champion, but to see who would get the right to go to the Tournament of Champions At UC Berkeley.  The same thing applies this year as the winner got to go to the NCS playoffs.)

[I believe this is explaining that the game was to determine who was going to the championship and not who was championship. This also occurred in 1950]

With the championship on the line, Watsonville sent a delegation of 200 supporters, while SC sent 400 to cheer for their team.  SC started out ahead, but the weight and strength of the Watsonville team began to ware on their smaller opponents.  The excitement was intense.  With thirty seconds to play and the score tied, Watsonville made a last, desperate rally. It worked, they beat Santa Cruz by three points. Final score 21-24.

Track

Captain Pracht started training the running team in the middle of February. Thirty-five candidates signed up for the season. There were intramural meets until the CCAL meet on Saturday May 6.

In spite of threatening weather, 160 students and friends boarded the special train that carried them to Salinas. It was the biggest athletic event of the year. Adding to those who arrived by train, were a large number of fans who arrived in autos. The abundant support boosted the teams determination and SC won the meet.

Twelve of the fourteen SC fellows scored points.

Yeaman and Babcock did not place, but deserve a great deal of credit for the effort they put forth.

Captain Pracht was the “high point” SC man with 13. Staffler was next with 8.

Woman’s Sports

One warm summer afternoon, the Girls Athletic Association came into existence in the Santa Cruz High School hills with a hike through Glen Canyon.

Other girls sports have been basketball, volleyball, swimming, tennis, rowing and [horseback] riding.

Tennis

The SCHS mens tennis team won the CCAL champions.