Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

By Ray Hamill — A local wrestler who qualified for the state championships and a multi-sport standout who has been among the most consistent players in the new basketball season get the nod for our athletes of the week this week.

Former Arcata Tiger Dakota Sanders is enjoying an outstanding season on the wrestling mats while competing for College of the Redwoods and has qualified for the JC state championships in Coalinga this weekend.

Sanders, who is 26-4 on the season, has led the way for the Corsairs all year and is showing no signs of slowing down.

Last weekend, the local standout placed third in his weight division at the NorCal tournament in Santa Rosa, which was the highest placing for any of the CR wrestlers.

And that qualified him for the prestigious state championships, where his head coach Brandon Benvenuti believes he has a shot at making a deep run.

“I think Dakota could beat anybody. I think he can,” Benvenuti said earlier this week. “I think he’s got the full set and the desire to beat anybody.”

Joining him among our award winners this week is McKinleyville senior Gabby Watson, who has begun the new high school basketball season in impressive fashion.

The Panthers standout has been a consistently dominating presence for her team in leading them to a 5-1 start.

Watson, who has been a force at both ends of the floor, scored a team-high 14 points in a 38-24 win over Ukiah at the Healdsburg tournament on Thursday night.

Our team of the week honors, meanwhile, go to a program that has established itself as one of the most consistent in NorCal JC football in recent years and continues to impress.

Last weekend, the College of the Redwoods football team won a bowl game for second straight year, coming from behind to beat West Hills Coalinga 37-26 in the 2024 Grizzly Bowl.

After waiting three decades to end a blow game victory drought a year ago, the Corsairs have now won two straight bowl games.

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK 

Gabby Watson

McKinleyville Basketball, Senior

Watson, who was one our finalists for Big 5 Girls Athlete of the Year last year, is enjoying another big year in high school sports.

After a standout fall on the soccer field, the senior has adapted seamlessly to the basketball court and has been one of the top performers in the H-DNL through the first few weeks of the season.

Watson is leading the way on a Panthers team that has hit the ground running this season and she is one of the main reasons why they have.

Submitted photo

Dakota Sanders

College of the Redwoods Wrestling, Sophomore

Sanders has set the standard for the Corsairs on the wrestling mats this year and is reaping the rewards of his had work and dedication.

The former Arcata Tiger been a consistent bright spot for his team and will represent the local community college at the state championships this weekend, competing in the 125-pound bracket.

For more on his big week, see Former H-DNL standout headed to college state wrestling tournament …

TEAM OF THE WEEK

College of the Redwoods Football

A big second-half lifted the Corsairs to a second straight bowl game win at the Redwood Bowl this past weekend.

Led by game MVP and running back Isaia Hemmings, as well as a stellar second-half defensive performance, the Corsairs quickly battled back from a seven-point halftime deficit on their way to the victory.

This follows the program’s 63-0 win over Hartnell in last year’s Grizzly Bowl and firmly establishes CR as one of the most competitive community college programs in NorCal.

Head coach Jason White and his staff have done an outstanding job of reigniting this program after it was brought back for the fall of 2022.

And this was the first time the Corsairs have won back-to-back bowl games since 1976.

Del Norte graduate Kaleb Price was named the Offensive Player of the Game and shutdown cornerback Jimmy Fomby was named the Defensive Player of the Game.

For more on the Corsairs’ big week, see Big second half lifts Corsairs to second straight Grizzly Bowl victory …