Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – The Arcata Tigers

By Ray Hamill — Three local high school athletes have been impressing beyond the Redwood Curtain in recent weeks, while one local basketball team has come storming out of the gates in the Big 5.

And that gets all of them the nod for this week’s Athletes and Team of the Week honors, sponsored by College of the Redwood Athletics.

On the wrestling mats, Arcata senior Joshua Hannan is enjoying a big season and has been impressing at several big out-of-area tournaments in order to better prepare him for the North Coast Section and state tournaments later in the season.

And his success has not gone unnoticed.

Hannan is ranked No. 5 in the state at 132 pounds, the highest current ranking for any H-DNL wrestler.

Eureka juniors Ella Tollefson and Maia Hales have been equally impressive in a different sport and join the Arcata standout in our athletes of the week.

Tollefson and Hales were not only selected to play for the Cal North Olympic Development Program 17U team for the Western Regional tournament in Arizona last weekend, but they also took home a championship.

Even more impressively, Hales was named one of the team captains for the tournament.

Our team of the week, meanwhile, is the Arcata boys basketball team, which won three league games in five days this week to take control of the Big 5.

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK 

Joshua Hannan

Arcata Wrestling, Senior

Hannan has been setting the standard for the H-DNL wrestlers this winter and most recently traveled to compete at the prestigious Doc Buchanan tournament in Clovis last weekend, where he finished one spot out of placing at an event featuring some of the top young wrestlers in the state and from around the nation.

It was the latest of several appearances at challenging tournaments for the senior standout, who looks set to close out his high school career with a bang.

For more on his big week, see Hannan benefiting from tougher competition; Tigers get breakthrough win …

Submitted photo – Maia Hales, left, and Ella Tollefson

Maia Hales

Ella Tollefson

Eureka Soccer, Juniors

The Eureka High teammates were honored to be included on the Cal North team travel roster for the prestigious Regional tournament, and even more so to take home a championship.

The experience, according to both players, was one they will cherish, as they became the first local players to ever win a Regional title with the Cal North program.

For more on their big week, see Local players shine as Cal North wins ODP Regional championship …

Arcata senior Brandon Bento-Jackson reacts during Wednesday’s win over McKinleyville.

TEAM OF THE WEEK 

Arcata Boys Basketball 

The third favorites for the Big 5 title, according to a pre-league Humboldt Sports poll, have come storming out of the gates and capped a busy and impressive week with a comfortable 65-36 win over Eureka on Friday night.

The win was the third in league play in just five days for the Tigers, who top the standings with a record of 3-0.

Head coach Kellen Maynard continues to work his magic with a young roster that features just two seniors, Brandon Bento-Jackson and Josiah Gomez.

For more on their big week, see Arcata Tigers take control after busy five days …