Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Ben Lukens

By Ray Hamill — Summer baseball is under way here on the North Coast and that’s reflected in our weekly awards this week.

The District 26 tournament season got under way last week with the Junior League and Senior League tournaments of champions.

And it was a really good week for one team in particular.

The Eel River A’s carried their outstanding regular-season form into the Junior League tournament on their way to taking home the championship.

The young A’s players dominated the tournament, which was played at Belotti Field in Eureka, outscoring both of their opponents by a combined 31-9, including a comfortable 14-4 win over the Southern Humboldt Giants in Saturday’s final.

And remarkably they won with three of their best players sidelined through injury, showcasing the depth and talent on this year’s team, which did not lose a single game all spring.

And that makes the A’s a worthy choice for our team of the week.

Our athlete of the week honors, meanwhile, go to Arcata senior Ben Lukens.

The Tigers ace played a pivotal role in helping to lead his team to a North Coast Section baseball championship last Friday.

Lukens threw 6.1 hitless innings against a good Kennedy team in the decider to cap an outstanding high school career.

Ben Lukens, second from left, celebrates the Tigers’ NCS championship with his fellow seniors.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Ben Lukens

Arcata Baseball, Senior

Lukens enjoyed a very good regular season in his final campaign at Arcata High, and was even better in the Tigers’ remarkable postseason run.

Incredibly, the senior ace gave up just one hit in 15 innings on the march to the section crown, while appearing in all four games.

For good measure, he also hit a key home run in the NCS semifinal against St. Bernard’s.

For more on his big week, see Resilient Tigers no-hit Kennedy in NCS decider, march on to NorCals …

Submitted photo

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Eel River A’s

The A’s enjoyed a stellar spring on the local youth baseball fields, going 13-0.

They capped that with a dominating week at the district TOC at Belotti Field to take home the championship banner.

Under the guidance of manager Trevor Maniaci and assistant coach Mark Williams, the A’s did not just win every game they played in, but dominated most of them.

The roster included Maysen Towne Fausone, Bryson Maniaci, Dominic Lanza, Ryder Sweaney, Grady Crosswhite, Carson “Chowder” McGinnis, Chance Varela, Scott Oldham, Wyatt Shaw, Cameron Hilldebrandt, Isaiah Hoaglen, Gunner Johnson and Ozzie Smith.

For more on their big week, see No slowing down the Eel River A’s at district Junior League TOC …