Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports – The Arcata boys are ranked No. 1 in Division 4 in the NCS, according to MaxPreps.

By Ray Hamill — Following the league’s remarkable success in the playoffs in recent years, three of the 17 H-DN varsity baseball and softball teams are now ranked No. 1 in their North Coast Section divisions, according to MaxPreps.

The local league has traditionally fared very well in the section tournaments, especially in softball with the H-DN winning five NCS titles in the past two postseasons.

And if the late-season rankings are anything to go by, the league teams appear ready to make some noise in the playoffs once again this year.

Two H-DN baseball teams are ranked No. 1 — Arcata in Division 4 and St. Bernard’s in Division 6 — with four others ranked in the top six.

Ferndale is just two spots behind SB at No. 3 in Division 6, while Fortuna is No. 5 in Division 4, with McKinleyville just one spot further back.

In Division 3 baseball, Eureka is currently No. 6.

The H-DN has won one of the six NCS baseball championships in each of the past two postseasons, with Arcata winning in Division 4 in 2019 and St. Bernard’s winning in Division 6 last season.

(There were no playoffs held in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic.)

In softball, meanwhile, the Del Norte Warriors’ impressive 6-0 start to league play sees them leapfrog Cardinal Newman into top spot in the rankings in Division 4.

The Hoopa Warriors, who are riding a 15-game winning streak and last week clinched at least a share of a fourth straight league title, are No. 3 in the same bracket, with Fortuna at No. 5.

The Del Norte girls are ranked No. 1 in Division 4 softball.

In Division 3, Eureka is No. 6, followed by McKinleyville at No. 7.

Both Hoopa and McKinleyville have been moved up a division this year after winning back-to-back NCS crowns in the last two postseasons (2019 and 2022).

St. Bernard’s also is ranked No. 5 in Division 5.

The St. Bernard’s Crusaders