Sports fans have seen Braylon Noble shine on the football field, basketball court, and track this year. Behind the scenes, he was crushing it in the classroom. The Soquel High senior was named the 2023-24 Central Coast Section Male Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
Gilroy’s Madison Krejdovsky, a four-year standout in field hockey and soccer, was named the Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
Noble and Krejdovsky were chosen for the honor by the CCS Scholarship Committee from the pool of 16 student-athletes put forth by their leagues. Noble and Krejdovsky will receive a $1,500 scholarship, medal and plaque.
“To me, what separates Braylon from all of our other great students and athletes is the way that he treats others,” wrote Soquel Athletic Director Stu Walters, on the scholarship application to the CCS. “Whether it is his coaches, teachers, teammates or opponents, Braylon shows a compassion and caring that is not common among high school students. He genuinely cares for and wants the others around him to succeed and have the best experience possible.
“He’s a great teammate (I believe the ultimate compliment a coach can give), leader and member of our school community. Braylon is going to be successful in whatever he chooses in life. I’m sure he would be grateful and humbled to receive your scholarship to help him achieve his goals.”
Noble has competed in football and basketball for the Knights for four years and track and field for three years.
On the gridiron this year, he helped the Knights win the CCS Division II title, CIF 4-AA NorCal Regional and CIF 4-AA State Championship. On the basketball court, he was an all-Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League second-team selection who helped his team qualify for the CCS D-IV quarterfinals. In track and field, he’s an SCCAL and CCS medalist in the high jump who currently has the fourth-best mark in the section this season (6 feet, 2 inches).
In the classroom, Noble holds a 4.05 grade-point average.
Earlier this year, Noble received $200 scholarship from Santa Cruz Host Lions Club for being named a finalist for scholarships handed out by the National Football Foundation Northern California Chapter.
“It’s super cool,” Noble said. “I know my parents’ appreciation toward it. They made sure me and my sisters took education very serious. So to be recognized for both athletics and academics makes them very happy.”
He plans to continue his track and field career in college. He narrowed his list of potential schools to UC Irvine, Long Beach State University and UC Santa Barbara, and plans to major in business.
He recently competed in his first decathlon and placed second at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational on April 6, one month after he started training in some disciplines for the first time. He plans to continue competing in the decathlon in college.
“I’m a decently fast learner,” Noble said.
Aptos’ Kathleen Allari was honored as the winner of the $750 Joyce Ridgway Memorial Scholarship, awarded to a female senior who exemplifies the characteristics of leadership, determination, dedication, self-sacrifice and integrity. Allari competed in cross country and track and field for four years, and girls lacrosse for two years. She holds a 4.23 GPA and hasn’t yet chosen a college.
Soquel’s Amelie Stotland was one of 14 CCS Scholar-Athlete Scholarship winners. She’ll receive a $500 scholarship and a plaque. Stotland competed in water polo and basketball for four years, and lacrosse for three years. She holds a 4.26 GPA and hasn’t yet chosen a college.
