Submitted photos – The Lost Coast Legends 11Us

By Ray Hamill — A pair of local high school baseball players got the new season off to a flying start for their respective teams this past week.

And that makes our choice for athletes of the week.

Arcata sophomore Tanner Kees has been on fire at the plate and impressive on the mound through the early season.

The young standout has made the switch from shortstop to catcher this spring and has had an immediate impact.

Kees went 4-for-4 in both of Arcata’s opening games at the St. Bernard’s tournament last weekend and he already has two wins on the hill, one against Hoopa last weekend one on Friday against Healdsburg at the Fort Bragg tournament.

Del Norte junior Preston Daniels has looked equally impressive early in the season.

Daniels also has two wins on the mound, one against University Prep at the Pleasant Valley tournament last weekend and one on Saturday in the championship game at the Yreka tournament against the host school.

Our team of the week, meanwhile, goes to the Lost Coast Legends 11Us, who battled the heat and their opponents on the way to winning three straight games on the final day of the Arizona Spring Championship in Arizona last weekend.

The local travel team placed second out of 31 teams in the tournament.

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

Tanner Kees

Arcata Baseball, Sophomore

After breaking into the Tigers varsity team as a freshman a year ago, this year the young Kees has picked up just where he left off.

Kees is starting behind the plate and has been contributing in all aspects of the game, defense, offense and pitching.

“He’s just been solid all-around, defensively and offensively,” Arcata head coach Troy Ghisetti said.

For more on his big week, see Friday’s Baseball Roundup … 

Del Norte’s Preston Daniels, left, and teammate Hunter Wells in Yreka this weekend.

Preston Daniels

Del Norte Baseball, Junior

Daniels has been impressing Del Norte fans for the past couple of seasons and looks set to take his game to a new level this season.

He was instrumental in the team’s first win of the season last Saturday and followed with that with an outstanding performance this weekend, throwing a complete-game 84-pitch shutout against Yreka in the championship game of the Yreka tournament.

For good measure, he also had five hits in two games against Mt Shasta and Las Plumas on the opening day of the Yreka tournament.

TEAM OF THE WEEK 

Lost Coast Legends 11Us

With just 10 players on hand for last week’s trip to Arizona, the young Legends showed tremendous resiliency on their way to a second-place finish at the competitive spring training tournament.

With their backs to the wall, the 11Us had to win three straight games between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on the final day of the tournament just to reach the championship game.

The team includes Graham Gaser, Parker Blasi, Parker Morgan, Ryder Sweaney, Grady Crosswhite, Grant Banducci, Bradley Plotz, Lucca Pinochi, Treyce Conley and Kaden Haskell.

For more on their big week, see Young Legends enjoy memorable baseball adventure in Arizona …