Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Deken Hanks at last weekend’s league championships.

By Ray Hamill — A pair of outstanding tracks and field athletes take center stage in our weekly awards after big weekends for both at the H-DNL championships.

Del Norte junior Deken Hanks continues to make waves in the sprint events, winning all four of his races at the big league meet, which was held at Fortuna High School on Saturday.

And that wasn’t even the most impressive thing about Hanks’ day.

The Del Norte speedster broke his own league record on his way to victory in the 100 meters, crossing the finish line in 10.7 seconds and solidifying his status as the fastest athlete in H-DNL history.

His big day also led the Warriors to a team championship.

Hanks’ time in the 100m is tied for the seventh fastest of the season in the North Coast Section.

Not to be outdone, Eureka sophomore Elizabeth Rominger had an equally impressive day and medalled in all four of her events.

Rominger placed first in both the 200m and 400m and was second in the 100m.

And that makes both of them our athletes of the week.

Team of the week honors, meanwhile, go to the Arcata boys tennis team, which enjoyed a big win in the NCS playoffs this week, edging Marin Catholic 4-3 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Division-2 bracket.

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK 

Deken Hanks

Del Norte Track and Field, Junior

Hanks continued his record-setting high school career with a huge performance on Saturday, placing first in both the 100m and 200m, as well as part of the Del Norte 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams.

Remarkably he has now set new league records in the 100m in both his sophomore and junior seasons and should only continue to improve his time moving forward.

Hanks and the rest of the top Big 5 athletes will be back in action at the NCS meet at Fortuna on Saturday.

For more on his big week, see Warriors, Loggers crowned HDN track and field champs …

Elizabeth Rominger

Eureka Track and Field, Sophomore

Rominger’s performances at the league championships proved decisive in leading the Eureka girls to a one-point victory in the race for the team championship.

In addition to her impressive performances in the sprints and 400m, she also helped the Loggers to a first-place finish in the 4x100m relay.

For more on her big week, see Warriors, Loggers crowned HDN track and field champs … 

TEAM OF THE WEEK 

Arcata Boys Tennis

The Tigers have long been a dominant force here in the H-DNL, but now they are also making some noise in the NCS.

The league champions upset the odds in the opening round of the section Division-2 tournament on Tuesday.

The No. 10 seed Tigers defeated No. 7 Marin Catholic 4-3 at McKinleyville High School, including a straight-sets win by Nick Bosch at No. 1 singles, 6-1, 6-0.

Arcata’s Lootah Hall also won a nail-biter at No. 2 singles in three sets, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (4).

They would lose their quarterfinal match against No. 2 Bishop O’Dowd two days later, 7-0.

But it was still an impressive postseason appearance for the local team.