Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

By Ray Hamill — The Humboldt Eagles got a timely remember of why they love to play baseball this summer.

Despite competing with a shorthanded roster for much of the season and struggling at times against some elite teams from around the northern half of the state, the local American Legion 19U players and coaches had a summer they won’t easily forget.

The team recently closed out with three losses at the state tournament in Fairfield, but that’s not what this group of North Coast all-stars from several different H-DNL programs will remember from their time playing together. 

“I really enjoyed this group of players I coached this summer,” head coach Tommy Gale said. “They’re just really coachable kids, and we had a great time. It was a great squad.”

With a shorthanded roster at his disposal, Gale and his staff were forced to be creative and had to utilize many players out of position to fill needs, including some pitchers who haven’t seen much time on the mound for their respective high school teams.

But that was one of the things that the players seemed to relish.

“It brought me back to the state of really enjoying the game,” Gale said. “Because these kids will never play these positions again.

“It really brought the fun of the game back, and I really enjoyed it and I know the kids did as well. I think we did great with what we had.

“And I think that was why we were able to build a bond. With such a small roster, it  really brought us together. There were a lot of smiles and a lot of enjoyment this summer.”

None of that would have been possible without the players buying into the process.

But they didn’t complain despite the challenges and instead they embraced the opportunity, eager to improve their game.

The summer will also benefit these player moving forward, as many of them now get set to take their talents to the college fields and others return to their high school programs.

Either way, all of these players will only see their games improving after a summer of Legion ball.

“We had a young team and that’s a great sign for the future of the Eagles,” Gale added. “There are going to be some great Eagles teams over the next few years.”

Several players stepped up for the Eagles over the course of the summer, including a group of young stars who split time between the club’s 17U and 19U rosters and had an impact on both teams.

But it was the attitude and approach to the game of some of the team’s more experienced players that helped set the tone.

Players like Aidan Rice of Del Norte and Finn Warner of Arcata in particular helped keep the team on track with their leadership.

“Aidan Rice was really enjoyable to coach,” Gale said. “And I really enjoyed coaching Finn Warner. 

“They’re just great kids who were happy to be on the field, and kids that make you realize why you’re out there doing this. They were so respectful in the way they carried themselves.”

McKinleyville’s Joseph Forbes-Cappiello also left a good impression on the coach and is a player who continually looks to find ways to improve his game, while St. Bernard’s Michael Manzi is a “great talent,” according to Gale, and another player who played a big role for this summer’s team with the way he played and handled himself.

For Gale, it was also a bittersweet ending to the summer, with players like Alex Jimenez, Cole Zeller and Cooper Ohlsen all playing their final games for the coach.

The Eureka High trio all played for Gale for a few years at Eureka High, and all three will continue their careers in college.

Ohlsen red-shirted at Butte this past spring, while Jimenez will play for College of the Redwoods next year and Zeller will be heading to Shasta.