The stretch run for winter sports also signals the start of spring sports.
Eternal optimism is indeed in the air as a new beginning unfolds for teams that have been moved into different divisions with the changes in the Pacific Coast Athletic League.
The most intriguing baseball division is the Mission, where reigning champions from the old Pacific Division and Mission Trail Athletic League now reside in Alisal and Soledad.
Last year the Aztecs played for a Central Coast Section Division II title while Alisal won its second straight baseball title for the first time in school history.
St. Francis of Watsonville, which spent its entire existence in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League for baseball, will be thrown into the Gabilan Division.
Softball's movement has pushed former MTAL power and Central Coast Section Division II champ Santa Catalina into the Gabilan Division.
The Cougars closed last season with 17 straight wins. CCS Open Division finalist Watsonville and reigning four-time Gabilan champion San Benito are lumped together.
Back to defend her state track and field title in the pole vault for Santa Catalina is Stanford bound Laurel Wong, who has sailed a county record 13-feet-3.
The Cougars have won five straight league track titles, as has King City's boy team. Both programs were the last teams to have their names engraved in the MTAL perpetual trophy.
Carmel has a new track coach in three-time Winter Olympic bobsledder Nick Cunningham, who was a former state meet qualifier in the 100 and 200 while at Monterey High.
Defending Central Coast Section boys volleyball champion Carmel will put its run of 38 straight league wins on the line in the Gabilan Division.
Carmel's two-decade run of power in the old MTAL for swimming has moved them into the Gabilan along with Stevenson and Santa Catalina.
And two-time golf state meet qualifier George McNeely will be one to watch this spring on the links for the Padres.
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