Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] An unlikely team has been crowned Charles Lakin Tournament Champions in Softball after a memorable run through the postseason tournament last week. While it was a familiar tale in the race for the Lakin Baseball Championship, hello and welcome to this week's KMWOOD News Sports Report. I'm Ray hamell with humble sports.com we'll have more on Boat Lake and Champs in just a moment as we take a look back at all of the big stories of what has been a very busy week in local sports, including how the HDNL teams have been faring in this week's North Coast Section playoffs in baseball and softball, News of how one local high school athlete is succeeding on and off the field of competition, how the local athletes fared at the weekend NCS Track and Field Championships, news of a new Cal Poly Humboldt Athletics hall of Fame class, how the Fortuna Huskies celebrated their senior athletes, why it will be a big weekend for local motorsports and where one local state champion is taking his talents after graduation next month. But first up, the Eureka loggers are the 2026 Charles Lakins softball Tournament champions after an unlikely run through last week's HDN postseason tournament. After placing fourth in the Big Five, the Eureka girls did not even qualify for this year's tournament, but they were included at the last minute, taking the place of Del Norte, which was unable to compete because of school required activities for the Del Norte players. And once they qualified, the Loggers took full advantage of their opportunity. Eureka opened with a come from behind win over hoopa before beating McKinleyville 64 to reach the championship game and then taking care of business with a 147 win over Fortuna in Friday night's championship game. The tournament title is the fourth all time for the Loggers in the Lakin Baseball Tournament. The Mckinleyville Panthers continued to roll. The Big Five champions faced off against Eureka for the third straight year in Friday's final and the and they would beat the Loggers for the third straight year to claim the coveted trophy. Once again, the Panthers started fast and scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a lead they would not relinquish on the way to a 51 victory. The tournament win secured a second Big 5 and Lakin championship double in three years for the smallest school in the Big 5. Both the Eureka girls and McKinleyville boys would then turn their attention to this week's NCS postseason with the brackets and seeds released on Sunday and the action getting underway on Tuesday. A total of 12 local team made the postseason, including four who received a number one seed in their brackets in baseball. McKinleyville was seeded number one in the Division 2 tournament and opened with a hard fought 2 to 1 win over California on Wednesday.
[00:02:38] That victory sets up a quarterfinal Showdown against Bishop O' Dowd at McKinleyville High School on Saturday afternoon at 1. The Saint Bernards boys also received a top seed in the Division 4 bracket and a first round bye. The Crusaders will begin their playoff campaign at home against Pinal Valley on Saturday afternoon with first pitch set for 2pm no other HDNL baseball teams remain alive in the postseason after a disappointing couple of days for the league teams. Eureka, Ferndale, Del Norte and South Fork all qualified for the playoffs, but all four schools fell at the first hurdle. Eureka received the number 15 seed in Division 2 and lost 111 at Northgate, while in Division 4, Del Norte was seeded number 12 and and fell 4 to 3 at Newark Memorial. Ferndale was seeded number 4 in Division 5 and lost 7 to 3 at St. Patrick St. Vincent and South Fork was seeded number 12 in Division 6 and fell 42 at College Prep. The HTNL teams, however, have fared better in the NCS softball playoffs with five of the six league teams included still in contention for a section crown, including three who received a first round bye. The Hoopa girls were seated number nine in Division 5 and lost their opener 11:10 at San Dominico on Tuesday to end their season. Also on Tuesday, Del Norte opened against Ukiah and the number four seeds in the Division 4 bracket won comfortably 8 0. The South Fork girls also won their playoff opener as the number four seeds in Division 5, beating Kennedy 10 to 3 in Miranda on Wednesday evening. The playoff action continues this weekend with all five league softball teams still playing in action and all five hosting their quarterfinals. In Division 3 action, top seed McKinleyville plays Petaluma and number two seed Fortuna opens against Freedom in Division 5. Eureka opens against San Dominico while Del Norte will try to keep rolling against Annelie, as will the South Fork girls when they take on Moreau Catholic in Miranda on Saturday afternoon at 1.
[00:04:41] Switching gears it was a good week for Ferndale senior Tinley Pigeon. The three sport standout received a prestigious accolade when she was named the NCS Female Scholar Athlete of the Year, beating out girls from 175 section schools for the award. Pigeon, who is a 10 time all league honoree in soccer, basketball and softball combined, received a certificate and a scholarship for $1,500. She is the only girl in the NCS to receive the award in local high school track and field. Meanwhile, the Best athletes from the HDNL traveled for the opening round NCS meets last weekend and it was a good day for several local standouts at the Class A Championships at Montgomery High School in Santa Rosa, which featured the small schools from around the section. Six HDN athletes claim top three finishes in their events, including St. Bernard's Colton hall, who won the boys discus, and Ferndale's Anthony casso, who placed first in the boys 110 meter hurdles. Fortuna's Addison Burgess and Arcata's Skylar Kahlenberg each also won individual events at the Redwood Empire meet at Santa Rosa. JC Burgess placed first in the girls triple jump and Kahlenberg won the boys shot put. The best athletes from around the NCS will compete at the section meet of Champions at Dublin High School this weekend.
[00:05:59] Switching gears this week, Cal Poly Humboldt announced its 2026 hall of Fame class, which will include the 2011 football team and the 1996 women's soccer team, along with seven individuals including longtime athletics secretary Sue Simon. The Fortuna Huskies, meanwhile, celebrated the achievements of their senior athletes at their annual Husky ESPYs, which were held last week. Isabel Sanchez and Kavi Bolden were among the big winners on the night when they were named female and Male Athletes of the Year. Sanchez also the award for best female individual performance in local motorsports. This will be a big weekend here on the north coast with the season opening event at the Redwood Acres Raceway on Saturday. Gates open at 3:30pm with the racing starting at 5 and rounding out a busy week in local sports. Arcata senior Nathaniel Styles, who played a key role on the offensive line on Arcata's 2024 state championship winning team, has announced he will play for College of the Redwoods after graduation next month. And that's this week's KMUD News Sports Report. Until next time, I'm Ray Hamill with humboldtsports. Com.
