Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – The Ferndale football team was named the 2024 Humboldt Sports co-Team of the Year, along with the St. Bernard’s girls basketball team.

By Ray Hamill — After another memorable year in local high school sports, it’s almost time for the Humboldt Sports end-of-year awards.

As usual, we will be naming our six award winners soon, a group that includes the 2025 Humboldt Sports Team of the Year and the 2025 Humboldt Sports Coach of the Year.

We’ll also be naming our 2025 Big 5 Boys and Girls Athletes of the Year and our 2025 Little 4 Boys and Girls Athletes of the Year.

Before we announce the winners and present each of them with a trophy to commemorate their achievements, we will be naming our finalists in all six categories.

And once again there were several worthy candidates in each category, making it a challenge to name just one winner for each award.

The winners will be be announced this weekend.

And as always a big shout out and thank you to the award sponsors, a group that includes The Humboldt Fence Company, DelReka Distributing, Mendes Supply Company and Bode Construction, all of whose support will help to pay for the trophies.

HUMBOLDT SPORTS 2025 HIGH SCHOOL TEAM OF THE YEAR FINALISTS

Arcata Football

This year’s team set a new standard for Arcata football with a first-ever NCS title and a first-ever state championship.

Arcata Girls Basketball

The Tigers ended a seven-year wait for a Big 5 championship, knocking off three-time defending champion Eureka twice on the way to the title.

Arcata Tennis 

The most dominating program in H-DNL sports for the past several years, the Arcata boys and girls both won league titles again this year.

Arcata Volleyball

The Tigers won their last four league games in straight sets on their way to a Big 5 championship.

Del Norte Baseball

Perhaps the surprise team of the year, the Warriors claimed their first Big 5 title in 11 years with a very impressive run through conference play.

Del Norte Football

The Warriors won a fifth straight Big 5 title this year, solidifying the program as the most dominant in the H-DNL right now.

The St. Bernard’s girls basketball team was named the 2024 Humboldt Sports co-Team of the Year, along with the Ferndale football team.

Del Norte Softball

With a senior-heavy and talented lineup, the Del Norte girls edged rival Fortuna for a third straight conference championship.

Del Norte Wrestling

The Warriors enjoyed another big winter on the mats, securing another league title and sending three wrestlers on to the state championships.

Ferndale Football

The Wildcats were the only team to knock off eventual state champion Arcata and were crowned co-champions of the Little 4 before reaching another NCS championship game.

Fortuna Boys Soccer 

Under the guidance of longtime head coach Daniel Holmes, the Huskies continued to set the standard in the H-DNL, winning a ninth league title in 11 seasons.

South Fork Softball

The Cubs enjoyed a breakthrough season in the Little 4, claiming the program’s first conference crown since 1990.

St. Bernard’s Boys Basketball

The history-setting Crusaders became the first H-DNL boys basketball team to ever win a conference title, an NCS crown and a NorCal championship all in the same year.

St. Bernard’s Girls Basketball

The Crusaders not only won the Little 4, but would secure a first-ever Dick Niclai championship for the program in thrilling fashion.