Submitted photo – Lily Bazemore

By Ray Hamill — When you make some H-DNL history by becoming the first-ever league tennis player to win a North Coast Section championship, you can be sure you will be Humboldt Sports Athlete of the Week.

That’s exactly what Northcoast Prep’s Lily Bazemore did last week, dominating the Division-2 tournament and winning all four of her tournament matches in straight sets on her way to the historic title.

And the best is yet to come for Bazemore, who remarkably secured the championship as a junior.

This week’s teams of the week, meanwhile, go to a pair of H-DNL football teams who continue to show us all why they were considered the best two teams in the league this fall.

The Arcata Tigers and Ferndale Wildcats both qualified for their respective section championship games this weekend and they did so in dominating fashion, rolling over their opponents last week.

And that makes them worthy choices for our teams of the week.

The Tigers will play Miramonte in the Division-6 championship game on Saturday afternoon.

That game is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m, and will be played at McKinleyville High School

The Wildcats will play for the Division-7 section title.

Ferndale will match up against Moreau Catholic at Hayward High School on Saturday night, with kickoff set for 7 p.m.

Submitted photo

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Lily Bazemore

NorthCoast Prep Tennis, Junior

Bazemore became the most accomplished athlete in NPA and H-DNL tennis history by winning last week’s NCS championship.

Earlier in the season, the standout junior won a league No. 1 singles title to qualify for the NCS tournament, and once she got there she did not disappoint.

Bazemore won all four of her matches over the two-day tournament and remarkably did not drop more than two games in any set.

For more on her big achievement, see NPA junior makes league history at NCS championships …

TEAMS OF THE WEEK 

Arcata Football

Ferndale Football

Outstanding seasons for both the Tigers and Wildcats continue this week, as they get set to play for a section championship.

Arcata rolled over Petaluma 69-34 in last weekend’s semifinal, scoring touchdowns on 10 of their 11 possessions and advancing to the section championship game.

While players like quarterback Luke Lemke and receiver Cal Tucker have been making the headlines during their outstanding season, head coach Matt Mager and his staff deserve a ton of credit for putting a talented and deep roster on the verge of school history and a first-ever NCS title in the sport.

The Wildcats, meanwhile, have been equally impressive and deservedly tied the Tigers atop the final Humboldt Sports Power Rankings of the season two weeks ago.

Head coach Clint McClurg and his staff have arguably done an even more impressive job than their Arcata counterparts, considering Ferndale is the smallest football school in the H-DNL and will be playing for a second straight NCS championship.

For more on Arcata’s big week, see Tigers dominate the Trojans, advance to NCS championship …

For more on Ferndale’s big week, see Cats embrace the elements, advance to second straight NCS decider …