Year Two Under Boyd

The Rebuild

The 2023 seniors left behind a winning culture — and a massive hole. Ten seniors graduated, gutting the roster. What remained was a squad of just 16 active players, too small to even field a junior varsity team.

Here is the math that defined 2024: out of 16 active players, exactly two — Spike Sorensen and Parker O'Hara — had ever picked up a lacrosse stick before walking through the doors at Aptos High. The other fourteen learned every cradle, every dodge, every ground ball as Mariners.

But Coach Dee didn't lower expectations. The Aptos Lacrosse Tournament brought eight teams together in February, showcasing a program that refused to shrink.

Freshman Parker O'Hara arrived with a nose for the goal. Junior Spike Sorensen was ready to carry the midfield. And in the cage, Noah Skrovan was becoming one of the best goalies in the league. The question wasn't whether they had talent — it was whether 16 players could survive a full season in the Mission Division.

Early Tests

The season opened with a road win at Pacific Grove, 8-3. A confident start for a team with no depth and no margin for injury.

But the PCAL Mission Division had teeth. Soquel dealt a 15-8 loss that exposed the gap between Aptos and the league's top teams. Then came Carmel — the division powerhouse that would go 9-0 in league play — and another tough defeat.

Two losses in quick succession could have broken a team this thin. Instead, the Mariners regrouped. They beat Harbor 13-2, with sophomore Josh Couchman scoring 5 goals and adding 2 assists for the game ball. They handled Pacific Collegiate 6-3.

With no substitutes to speak of, every player played every minute. The foundation was holding.

Finding a Groove

By mid-season, the 16-man roster was gelling into something real. A close win over Monterey (7-6) showcased the team's grit — Noah Skrovan earned the game ball with a series of crucial saves that kept Aptos in front.

Players who had never touched a stick before freshman year were now winning ground balls and clearing the ball under pressure. Senior Night arrived, and the seniors showed up and showed out.

But the signature moment of the season came against Soquel — the team that had beaten them 15-8 in March. This time, the Mariners controlled the game. They built a lead. And then, in the final minutes, watched it slip away. The 8-7 loss stung worse than any blowout could — because this undermanned team had proven it could compete with anyone.

Seeds Planted

The Mariners closed the season the way they wanted to — with a dominant 12-4 win over Pacific Grove. For a team that entered the year with 16 players, no JV, and a roster full of kids who learned lacrosse in a high school PE class, going 6-5 was remarkable.

Four players earned All-League honors: Skrovan and Sorensen to the first team, Richards and the freshman O'Hara to the second team. For a team that started the year wondering if it had enough bodies to finish a game, four All-League selections was validation.

Spike Sorensen was returning as a senior captain. Parker O'Hara was just getting started — a freshman with Second-Team All-League honors and two more seasons ahead of him. The players who had arrived not knowing how to cradle a ball were now varsity starters with a winning record. The seeds were in the ground. What grew from them would surprise everyone.