Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

By Ray Hamill — A pair of H-DNL teams started a busy month on a good note this week, while two local high school seniors appear determined to close out their prep careers with a bang.

On Tuesday night, the Del Norte boys and the Arcata girls capped impressive regular seasons on the wrestling mats with big wins in dual matches.

And that makes them our choice for Humboldt Sports Teams of the Week

The Warriors defeated Arcata 51-20 to complete an unbeaten run through H-DNL action.

Likewise with the Tigers, who defeated the Del Norte girls 48-19 to complete their own undefeated campaign.

Both teams are deserved regular-season champs and will carry plenty of momentum into a busy February, which includes next week’s league championships for boys and girls and the upcoming North Coast Section postseason.

Our athletes of the week honors go to a pair of outstanding seniors who each had inspirational performances this week just when their teams needed it the most.

On Tuesday night, Hoopa’s Ivy Lamebear had a career night when she scored 36 points in a 68-61 win at Ferndale, a victory that keeps the Hoopa girls in the chase for second place in the Little 4 and a chance at hosting their first-round Dick Niclai tournament game.

Lamebear has been a huge bright spot for the Warriors this winter in her final season of high school basketball.

Not to be out-done, Eureka senior Will Mooney was equally impressive in a Thursday night showdown against Big 5 champs Arcata.

In fact, Mooney’s performance was arguably even more inspirational.

With the Loggers trailing 48-21 at halftime of their senior night game, Mooney took the initiative and inspired his teammates with a sensational second-half performance.

The deficit proved too big to overcome and the Loggers ended up losing the game 72-56, but Mooney’s efforts and his 30-point night earned him the respect of his own teammates and coaches and that of Arcata head coach Kellen Maynard, who described the performance as “phenomenal.”

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

Ivy Lamebear

Hoopa Basketball, Senior

Lamebear has been her team’s most impressive player all winter and that continued to be the case on Tuesday night.

It wasn’t just the 36 points she scored, but rather the manner in which she achieved them, in what proved to a statement win for the Warriors.

“She got on a roll and never stopped,” Ferndale head coach Chris Ardrey said of the Hoopa senior, who also had 30 points in her previous game against South Fork. “It was pretty wild to watch. Everything she put up went in.”

Ardrey added that Lamebear hit at least four 3s from “Caitlin Clark range.”

For more on her big week, see Crusaders secure title outright; career night for Lamebear …

Will Mooney

Eureka Basketball, Senior

Mooney also has been one of the Loggers’ most impressive players this year and a genuine team leader who inspires his teammates with his performance sand his on-court energy.

Aside from the final score, it was a perfect way to celebrate his senior night.

“I’m so proud of him and how he’s matured so much as a player and leader,” Eureka head coach Jimmy Rodgers said. 

“He was phenomenal,” Maynard said. “We had no answer for him in the second half.”

For more on Mooney’s big night, see Tigers cap perfect campaign at Eureka; Warriors top the Huskies …

Submitted photo

TEAMS OF THE WEEK

Del Norte Boys Wrestling

Arcata Girls Wrestling

It was more of the same for the Warriors this week, and a sign the Tigers are going to be a force in H-DNL girls wrestling for the foreseeable future.

Both programs celebrated big league wins on Tuesday night.

Incredibly, the Del Norte boys are now 55-1 in league dual matches over the past eight seasons and a talented class of seniors closed out their regular season careers 27-1 in H-DNL dual matches.

The Arcata girls, meanwhile, look like they have the depth and talent to challenge that mark in the years to come.

The defending league champs dominated the rest of the league this winter and will be deserved favorites to successfully defend the H-DNL championship they won a year ago at next week’s league tournament, which they will host.

For more on both teams, see Del Norte boys, Arcata girls go unbeaten in H-DNL dual matches …