Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.,com

By Ray Hamill — After making some big strides on the football fields last year, the Eureka Loggers will be hoping to challenge for the Big 4 championship and end a long playoff drought this fall.

The Loggers have not qualified for the North Coast Section postseason since they last won a conference title in 2018, when they reached the state semifinals, but this might be their year to get back there.

And as they set to begin official preseason practice on Monday, second-year head coach Sam Edmonds and his players will be hoping to build on the three wins they achieved last fall and reestablish the program as a legitimate conference contender.

And judging by their offseason work, there’s every reason to believe the Loggers can take the next step in 2025.

“We’ve taken that momentum from last season and we’ve got the foot on the gas pedal,” Edmonds said. “Hopefully this year we’ll have a better record. I feel this group of kids are very coachable and we’re eager to get out there and prove what we can do.”

The Loggers kick off the season with a huge all-local showdown at Arcata in three weeks, and a victory over the defending state champs would be a big statement of intent if they can achieve it.

After that, they will host Shasta, before traveling to play Novato and Ferndale later in September.

The trip to Novato will be their only game outside of Humboldt and Del Norte counties during the regular season.

This year’s Big 4 will also feature a new format, with the four conference rivals playing each other twice each in a home-and-away format instead of just once each, all of which should add to the excitement in the race for this year’s championship.

And Edmonds is expecting a battle and believes the new format will place a premium on coaching.

“I definitely feel it’s going to put a lot more pressure on teams to win league,” the Eureka coach said. “It’s going to give coaches time to prepare to fix things (the second time around).”

The good news for the Loggers is that the players appear up for the challenge and have been putting in a lot of work this offseason, led by a core group of seven returning seniors.

Last season, a 41-6 win over St. Bernard’s gave them just their second official conference win since their memorable 2018 season.

Their 3-7 overall record wasn’t enough to earn a playoff spot, but it was a nice step forward for a program that struggled to an 0-10 record the previous season.

And the players are eager to build on that this coming season.

The Loggers’ hard work during the offseason has impressed the coaches, including a competitive showing at the Sutter Camp at McKinleyville High in late June, with all but three of their players making the short trip.

Edmonds is expecting around 36 players on the varsity roster this fall, a decent number for the program, including the seven returning senior team leaders.

Among the key returning players are Isaac Lopez, a three-year varsity starter who will play outside linebacker and running back.

“He’s going to be a problem (for opposing teams) on both offense and defense,” Edmonds said. “He’s been working hard all summer long.”

The Loggers should be particularly strong on the defensive line, especially at defensive end, with the powerful outside duo of Cole Harbin and Tama Fonoti ready to wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines.

Harbin is a returning all-league player who will also feature at tight end, while Fonoti is a second-year varsity player who will also play some tight end.

“He’s stronger than an ox,” Edmonds said of the latter. “He’s a nice kid in person, but as soon as he puts on a helmet he’s just a different kid on the field.

“They’re both tough, they’re both strong, and they’re both aggressive.”

Also back is senior receiver Eddie Gonzalez and senior running back Tau Ou, each of whom also will be expected to provide some necessary team leadership.

“Eddie finally broke out of his shell last year and had a great season,” Edmonds said of the experienced four-year varsity player, before adding of Ou, “he’s my bruiser. He’s a hard guy to tackle and he’s looking better than last year. He’s put in a lot of work.”

Also back is senior Moni Neemia, who will help to anchor both lines.

“Our defensive line looks strong,” Edmonds said. “I feel like the defensive line is probably one of the strengths of our defense. I have a lot of experience there.”

The offensive backfield could be one of the strengths of the offense, with Alex Her and Brycen Mishmash joining Ou to give the Loggers plenty of options back there.

Her will also see time in the defensive backfield, where he expected to have a big impact as well, while Mishmash’s speed will give him an edge at running back and at outside linebacker.

“Brycen is fast,” Edmonds said. “As soon as he hits a hole he’s going to be tough to find. He’s quick.”

This fall, Edmonds has added three new coaches to the varsity team, with Alex Siphabong (running backs and linebackers), Dom Anguiano (defensive line) and Harmon Daniel (offensive line) all joining the staff.

“The biggest thing I’m looking forward to is seeing these kids getting the fruit of their labors,” Edmonds said. “They’ve bene working hard all summer and I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do.”