Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Eureka senior Olivia Stone (14).

By Ray Hamill — Eureka girls soccer coach Andy Salatnay paid tribute to his senior class after Saturday’s title clinching performance at home to Ferndale.

Of the five elder statesmen on the roster, four have been with the team since they were freshmen, and together they’ve helped build a championship team.

“I think our seniors should be very proud of themselves for what they’ve accomplished,” Salatnay said. “They’ve really put Eureka soccer back on the map, and become a very strong force in the Humboldt-Del Norte League.”

The foursome includes co-captains Athena Miller and Olivia Stone, as well as Hannah Taylor and Alivia Andersen.

The co-captains have dominated just about every game this season and are among the top three or four players in the league, arguably even the top two.

Between them they have scored 38 goals to go with 26 assists, an incredible standard at any level.

As captains, they led the Loggers to a second straight league title, in a season that has seen them give up just two goals thus far.

Eureka senior Hannah Taylor (11) battles McKinleyville’s Grace Rosebrook (2) for possession during a recent game.

Taylor and Andersen have each also played their part.

Taylor has three goals and an assist, while Andersen has two assists.

But it’s not just this year’s success that the four-year seniors will be remembered for.

“They definitely put in a lot of work and a lot of effort to rebuild this program from the ground up,” Salatnay said.

“I’m very grateful to them. Since day one as freshmen, they have paved the way for the younger classmen.

“They’ve solidified a very strong and very successful program.”