Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Laila Florvilus in action for the Crusaders this past season.

By Ray Hamill — After such an exciting and exhilarating season on the local basketball courts, it was never going to be an easy choice for the 2023/24 Humboldt Sports Boys and Girls Players of the Year.

A plethora of players enjoyed memorable campaigns and lifted their teams to historic heights.

Most notably, of course, the St. Bernard’s girls won the H-DNL’s first-ever state championship, with senior Madelyn Shanahan and junior Laila Florvilus leading the charge and helping to set a standard that can never be topped.

The talented duo were named co-MVPs of the Little 4 for the second straight year and complemented each other brilliantly at both ends of the floor.

But they weren’t alone, with two other H-DNL girls teams enjoying seasons that will rank among the best ever for their respective programs as well.

The Loggers were the best team on the North Coast for much of the season and won a third straight Big 5 and Dick Niclai double championship while securing their place in league history.

Seniors Kaitlin Giacone and Isis Poteet were instrumental in the success and both left their mark on the program.

Giacone was a rare two-time conference MVP for the school after being named co-MVP along with Poteet, who walks away from Eureka High as perhaps the most successful basketball player in school history after being the only player to play a part in all three double-championship seasons.

The Arcata girls too left their mark on the history books, reaching just the school’s third-ever NorCal championship game — second-ever for the girls program — and coming oh so close to becoming the league’s first-ever girls team to make it to a state final.

The Tigers could be the team to beat over the next couple of years with their own plethora of star power and the majority of a hungry roster expected back next winter.

Arcata senior Nora Talty was hugely influential in her team’s success and a worthy finalist for our player of the year award, as was Hoopa senior Tashee Tracy, who created big matchup problems for opposing Little 4 teams.

Alfonso Medina in action for the Huskies.

For the boys, four teams stood out above all others, most notably the Arcata Tigers, who like the Eureka girls secured a Big 5 and Dick Niclai double championship.

The Arcata boys overcame adversity and key injuries more than most on their path to success, with the electric Luke Lemke leading the charge on his way to a Big 5 MVP award.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Lemke is that in just his sophomore year he has already established himself as one of the best athletes in the area right now and someone capable of changing a game almost every time he touches the ball, in football and basketball.

Much like with Florvilus, I’m already looking forward to seeing what Lemke can do next year and beyond.

The McKinleyville boys also enjoyed a big season and were co-champs of the Big 5 along with Arcata, on their way to going further in the postseason than any other local boys team.

Senior Jordan Brown and junior Cole Armstrong were both outstanding all season long and you could make a legitimate argument for either to be named player of the year.

Not to be out-done, the St. Bernard’s boys also enjoyed a season they won’t easily forget, cruising to the Little 4 title and coming oh so close to securing the school’s first Niclai championship since 2002.

Seniors Aaiden Burris and Seth Dyer were arguably the most potent one-two punch on any H-DNL boys team and were deserved co-MVPs of the Little 4.

And then there were the South Fork boys, who were led by the ever-dangerous Tommy Rotbergs and were the only league team to play for a North Coast Section championship.

But when all was said and done, two players stood out above all others and that’s why they’re the 2023/24 Humboldt Sports players of the year.

Florvilus gets the nod for the girls, while Fortuna senior Alfonso Medina wins the award for the boys.

The St. Bernard’s junior was simply the most dynamic player in the H-DNL this season, boys or girls.

Referred to as “the best player in the H-DN” by her coach Matt Tomlin, who knows her better than anyone, the junior star was consistently outstanding at both ends of the floor.

She attacked the basket better than any other local player and was someone who opposing teams had to account for at all times — more than any other H-DNL player, boy or girl — as well as being a brilliant perimeter defender.

Florvilus announced herself in style in her sophomore season on her way to her first conference MVP award, but she took her game to new heights this season while averaging 19.3 points a game.

“Laila is the best player I have ever coached,” Tomlin said. “She is an absolute warrior and a complete team player. She scores at will but can also rebound and play defense at an elite level.”

Simply put, no other girls player in the H-DNL played the game as beautifully as Florvilus and that’s what separates her from her peers.

Medina, meanwhile, was arguably even more important for the Huskies than Florvilus was for the Crusaders, and while he didn’t enjoy the same success as some of our other finalists, for my money he was the best pure basketball player in the H-DNL, although several others received very serious consideration as well.

The senior guard has been a force for the Huskies for the past three seasons, and like Florvilus he surpassed 1,000 career points in essentially three seasons of varsity ball.

He was also arguably the most consistent boys player all season, rarely not playing at a very high level, and he was also someone opposing teams had to account for all winter long in addition to being a great teammate.

“Alfonso is a humble and genuine person,” Fortuna head coach Norm Sotomayor said. “Being able to coach him for four years has been an absolute pleasure. Fonz is coachable and a team guy first.”

The outstanding senior, who is still weighing his college options and no doubt will receive multiple offers, closed out his high school career with an impressive 1,277 points.

He was also the highest scoring player in the Big 5, finishing with 120 points in eight games.

“When you look at his stats it’s obvious how much he meant to our team,” Sotomayor said. “If we needed a bucket, an assist or an energizing dunk, I turned to Fonz.”

He also sets a great example for the younger players in the Fortuna community.

“The younger players in our program look up to Fonz, as do the middle school players that came to watch him,” Sotomayor added. “He will continue to play at the next level and I expect to see tremendous growth in the next couple of years.

“I appreciate the relationship we have. A player like Fonz makes coaching enjoyable.”