Submitted photo – The Del Norte girls golf team.

By Ray Hamill — It’s been a fun week in H-DNL sports.

History was made, perseverance and determination paid off, and it was business as usual for the Ferndale High quarterback.

And all of that is reflected in our weekly awards.

Our co-teams of the week are Del Norte girls golf and Eureka volleyball, each of which clinched memorable league titles over the past few days.

On Monday, the Warriors traveled to Baywood golf & Country Club and claimed a girls golf championship that we’ve all known would be theirs for some time.

It’s been an incredible season for head coach Blaine Lopez and his golfers, three of whom placed in the top six in the final league standings, including runaway league champion Bria Larson.

As a team, the Warriors won six of the seven rounds of league play, including five straight to close out, as they cruised to the historic title.

Not to be outdone, the Eureka Loggers were equally impressive on the volleyball courts.

The Big 5 pennant is the program’s first since 2018 and ended a long run of dominance by both Del Norte and Arcata.

And it was achieved with determination and hard work in thrilling fashion.

Most people felt the resilient Loggers should contend for this year’s title before the first serve in conference play, and the players lived up to those lofty expectations.

They won seven of their eight league games including a thrilling come-from-behind conference-clinching victory in Crescent City on Tuesday night, and answered the call late in the campaign after suffering a five-sets loss at Arcata.

Our athlete of the week, meanwhile, is Ferndale senior Tanner Pidgeon.

The Cats’ quarterback is one of many standouts on this year’s dominating team and one of two players to score five touchdowns in a 72-0 win over defending 6-AA state champs Arcata on Saturday, along with teammate Prescott Langer, who was one of our athletes of the week two weeks ago.

Pidgeon has been a force in the Little 4 since establishing himself in the Ferndale team as sophomore and was a co-conference Offensive MVP last year, but his improved performances this fall — at QB and safety — have lifted his game to a whole new level.

One of several Humboldt Sports Player of the Year candidates on this Ferndale team, Pidgeon is one of the catalysts for everything the Cats do.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Tanner Pidgeon

Ferndale Football, Senior

Pidgeon had one of his best games in a Wildcats jersey on Saturday, and that’s saying something for a player who has had some pretty incredible games.

He accounted for six of his team’s TDs in the win, including four touchdown runs, a pick six and a TD pass to Langer.

This year’s Ferndale team is deep, talented, humble and always well-prepared, and no one epitomizes that more than Pidgeon.

For more on his big week, see Still perfect, Cats on cruise control as they continue to roll …

Photo by Sarah Battle

Submitted photo

TEAMS OF THE WEEK

Eureka Volleyball

Del Norte Girls Golf

It was a week neither of these two teams will easily forget.

On Monday, the Del Norte girls clinched their historic title, and one day later the Loggers followed suit.

Head coach Stephanie Napoleon and her Eureka players have been fun to watch this fall, with a technically sound lineup and a fully-engaged roster.

Several players have stood out, including juniors Tiarah Maualuga and Alena Battle, each of whom have been playing at an MVP level for much of the fall.

But the Loggers would not have succeeded without a deep pool of talent, a group that includes Macy Secor, Eddy Hale, Ramona Dusel, Violla Kingsang and impressive freshman Zuma Kan, among others.

The Del Norte girls also have been performing at a very high level on the golf courses.

In addition to Larson’s league championship, Jaylee Keeling tied for second and freshman Taylor Horner placed sixth.

The history making roster also includes Kalyssa Moody and Gena Gallardo.

For more on Eureka’s big week, see Loggers dig deep to secure Big 5 championship at Del Norte …

For more on Del Norte’s big week, see Larson leads the way as Warriors clinch historic league title …