Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Cooper Ohlsen in action for the Loggers this spring.

By Ray Hamill — Eureka’s Cooper Ohlsen is preparing for a new challenge on the baseball fields as he gets set to join the Butte College baseball program.

The 2024 Loggers graduate played a key leadership role for both Eureka High and the Humboldt Eagles this year and provided a steady and reliable arm on a young roster for both teams.

And now he’s looking to continue his playing career on the college fields and it’s a challenge he’s embracing.

“I’m very excited to move on and play at the next level,” Ohlsen said.

The former Logger, who helped lead Eureka to second place in the Big 5 and the Charles Lakin tournament final as a senior, will join a Butte program that is among the most competitive in the state.

This past spring, the Roadrunners finished second in the Golden Valley Conference and made it to the state Super Regionals, and they closed out the season as the No. 5 team in the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association NorCal poll.

And that success played a big part in his decision.

“I did a little research on the school and I know they always make it past league and into the playoffs,” said Ohlsen, who believes Butte will be a good fit for multiple reasons.

The decision was a relatively easy one for the standout pitcher after the Butte coaches reached out to him.

“We talked on the phone and (head coach Anthony Ferro) talked about the school and he talked about the baseball program, and after that we stayed in contact for a few weeks,” said Ohlsen, who visited the campus in February. “I met the coach and he took me around the school and it was a really nice campus.”

Ohlsen certainly had an impact during his time with the Loggers.

As one of just three seniors with the Loggers this year — along with Jorge Lopez, who also will play collegiately at College of the Redwoods next season — Ohlsen provided a pivotal leadership role on a young team that pushed the McKinleyville Panthers all the way in the Big 5 and finished with an overall record of 12-6 (10-2 in conference).

But that’s not all Ohlsen will remember from his time at Eureka High.

“I’ll remember hanging out with my friends and enjoying the classroom and traveling with the baseball team,” he said. “I enjoyed practicing with the team and playing.”

His senior campaign fell short of a league title and playoff win, but Ohlsen and the Loggers bounced back from a disappointing 2023 — when they finished fifth in the Big 5 — to close out his high school career strong.

“I felt that this season we bounced back pretty good from the year before,” he said. “From not winning many game to getting second in league, that was a season to remember.

“And it’s always a good memory playing in the Charles Lakin tournament.”

His high school and Humboldt Eagles coach Tommy Gale knows Ohlsen about as well as anyone outside of his family and says the young pitcher had a big impact on both teams this year.

“Cooper was our leader at Eureka High and on the Humboldt Eagles,” he said. “He is as coachable as they come and someone you want all of your players to model themselves after. He is selfless, hard-working and a true team player.”

Gale also believes Ohlsen has what it takes to succeed at the collegiate level.

“I can’t wait to see Cooper take his talents to the next level at Butte,” he added. “He understands the game and deserves all the recognition. I couldn’t be more proud of what he has accomplished and can’t wait to see what is still to come for him.”

The summer season with the Eagles was a little disappointing in terms of wins and losses, but a shorthanded roster that featured several younger players showed a lot of improvement as the summer went on, and Ohlsen believes the season benefited him and helped continue to prepare him for the college game.

“I feel we got off to a rough start at first. We didn’t have a lot of players,” he said. “But once we got in the groove of things I thought we did well for not having a lot of guys. Overall I felt it was good season once we got rolling.

“I felt like I got a little bit better with my pitching and I got to work on my mechanics.”

Ohlsen also praised the people who have helped him along his journey and says his family, including his father Jeremy and grandfather Buster Pidgeon, have been his biggest influences, along with Gale.

Ohlsen, who wants to major in either Criminal Justice or Biology, says he would like to continue his playing career at a four-year school after this time at Butte.

The Roadrunners were 30-14 in 2024, including going 19-6 in the GVC.