Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Landon Gomes

By Ray Hamill — Landon Gomes admits it was a difficult decision deciding whether to play football or baseball in college, but after much deliberation the Ferndale senior star has made up his mind.

And that’s good news for Butte baseball, with Gomes announcing this week that’s where he’s going to play his college ball.

“I definitely considered football,” he said. “It was a pretty tough decision for me, but if I want to go further in a sport it’s going to be baseball.”

The athletic Wildcats senior has been nothing short of sensational in both baseball and football his entire Ferndale career, winning a North Coast Section championship in the former as a freshman and leading his team to an NCS decider in football this past fall.

As for what he’ll remember the most from his time playing sports at Ferndale High, never underestimate the motivation of a good old fashioned local rivalry.

“I’d have to say winning that Milk Can,” Gomes said of this past fall’s thrilling victory at Fortuna. “I still think about that a lot.”

He also says he’ll remember his first year competing at Ferndale.

“My freshman year I was pulled up to varsity (in football) and I was pushed hard by some of the older guys on the team that year, and that helped me a lot,” he said. “And in baseball we won the NCS that year. It was a special year for sure.”

On the baseball field, Gomes grew in stature with each passing season at Ferndale, and has also had a big impact playing American Legion baseball with the Humboldt Eagles during the summer months, with hopes of salvaging a third season with the program this summer despite the ongoing COVID-19 concerns.

Gomes in action during last season’s Milk Can win at Fortuna.

“It’s tough,” he said of the cancelation of this year’s spring sports seasons. “I still haven’t soaked it in. It doesn’t seem real.”

The decision to attend Butte was one he’s been thinking about for some time, although he admits he considered several other options.

“I’ve been wanting to go to Butte for a while,” he said. “I talked to plenty of JCs in NorCal, but I’ve been set on Butte for a while.

“I feel like their athletic programs are known for working hard and grinding. Everyone I talk to says that.”

The Ferndale senior says he will major in criminal justice and wants to attend the California Highway Patrol academy after that.

His baseball head coach at Ferndale, Justin Andersen, has no doubt Gomes has the talent to succeed at the collegiate level.

“I think he can play any position he wants as long as he commits to it,” Andersen said.

Gomes is likely to play in the infield.

And Andersen feels that playing for a top program like the Roadrunners will definitely benefit the local product.

“I do think it’s a great baseball program and that’s going to make him compete every day,” the Ferndale coach said. “His skill set is one of the better skill sets I’ve ever coached.”