ALL-STARS ROUNDUP — Three District 26 teams remain in contention

By barstoolfanatics on July 14, 2025 • ( Leave a comment )

Photo by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – The Eel River 8-10 All-Stars in action at Firemen’s Park this weekend.

It was a busy weekend for all four of the District 26 All-Star teams in action, with three of them remaining in contention heading into Monday afternoon.

Here on the North Coast, the Eel River 8-10 All-Stars saw a memorable season come to an end at Firemen’s Park in Ferndale on Sunday.

The Section tournament hosts fell 4-3 in an elimination game and closed out tournament play with a record of 1-2.

Also in action on Sunday, the Redwood Empire 11s kept their season going with an elimination-game win.

The McKinleyville Junior League and 12-year-old All-Stars were also in action.

The Juniors lost at the NorCal state tournament in San Jose to drop into the losers’ bracket, while the 12s won an elimination game at the Section tournament in Chico to remain alive.

After opening with a tough 16-13 loss to Central Chico in extra innings on Friday, the young Eel River All-Stars bounced back to beat East Redding 12-5 on Saturday.

Kesler Lake, Jayce Fockaert and Colt Robinson each had a base hit for Eel River in Sunday’s game, with Lake driving in two runs and Robinson one.

The Impressive Brodi Maniaci pitched the entire game, striking out six and allowing only three hits and zero walks.

Sutter Butte and Central Chico will play in the tournament championship round on Monday night at 6 p.m.

The RELL 11s, meanwhile, bounced back from an opening-day loss at their Section tournament in Chico to top Sutter Butte 13-7.

The young Redwood Empire players will play another elimination game against Cottonwood on Monday night at 6 pm. as they look to battle their way back to the championship round.

The Mack 12-year-olds also remain in contention.

After losing their opening game 9-6 to tourney hosts Chico Eastside on Saturday morning, McKinleyville won 11-10 in a closely-fought showdown against Sutter Butte on Sunday.

With the game tied 10-10 in the bottom of the fifth, McKinleyville’s Reece Combs drove in Casanova Marshall on a two-out base hit for what would be the winning run.

The victory sets up another do-or-die matchup on Monday against Chico Central at 6 p.m.

The winner of that game will advance to play West Redding in the championship round.

Several players stepped up for Mckinleyville in Sunday’s win, including pitchers Tyus Scofield, Bo Battilochi and Marshall.

Battilochi pitched two innings in relief for the win, with Marshall getting the final out for the save.

Combs and Colton Hawkes led the way at the plate with two hits each, including a double and three RBIs by the latter.

Crew Hicks had a double and two RBIs and also reached base on a hit by pitch, while Marshall finished 1-for-2 with a walk, Scofield was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and Brayden Brock finished 1-for-2.

Cooper Jones reached base twice on a walk and a hit-by-pitch, while Rowdy Furber reached on a hit-by-pitch.

Braden Tullis added a walk, an RBI and a run, Nathan Ryan reached base on a hit by pitch and scored twice, and James Miner was walked and also scored twice.

The Mack Juniors, meanwhile, opened tournament play with an exiting 11-2 victory over Avocados of Valley Oak in eight innings on Saturday, before falling 4-3 to QSLL Bolts on Sunday.

McKinleyville out-hit the QSLL Bolts five to four, with Teoh Arredondo leading the way and finishing with a pair of hits.

Everrett Gruetzmacher had a big game on the mound, pitching 3.2 hitless and scoreless innings in relief of starter Breyden Brock, while striking out three and walking three.

Blake Carper went 1-for-3 at the plate and drove in a run, while Cabella Carper and Carson Hicks each stole multiple bases.