Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com
By Ray Hamill — A school that is better known for winning with a different shaped ball is quickly establishing itself as a force in the beautiful game.
On Wednesday afternoon, Ferndale clinched a second North Coast Section championship in girls soccer in just three years with a 2-0 win over Del Norte in a competitive and well-played final in the Cream City.
The championship follows the Division-3 title they won two years ago and is the first in Division 1 for the smallest school in the bracket.
It was also well deserved.
The Cats were the best team in the NCS for much of the season and they were arguably even better in the playoffs, where they blanked three consecutive opponents on their way to securing the title, bringing their season tally of shutouts to 14 in 22 games.
Even more remarkable, this is a program that was winless in league a year ago when the Wildcats fielded just eight players at one stage and nine for much of that campaign.
But this year, many of the same players were back as determined as ever and it showed from day one.
“Honestly, I don’t even know how to explain it,” said head coach Bailey Davy, who along with assistant coach Brenden McDonald has done a tremendous job with the Cats in her four years in charge. “I had a really good feeling about this team coming into the season. I knew it was going to be good, I just didn’t know it was going to be this good.”
Last year’s struggles ultimately fueled this year’s charge to the title, and instead of complaining about the situation, the Ferndale players embraced the overwhelming challenges they faced in 2024.
“Last year was one of my favorite years coaching until this year because my girls were all in,” Davy added. “They showed up every day and they never complained, they wanted results, they wanted to compete.”
That perseverance and resiliency paid huge dividends this year in a campaign that also included just the program’s second-ever league title.
The Warriors, meanwhile, also enjoyed a memorable season, one that saw them win two playoff games in the same year for the first time ever and qualify for a first-ever NCS championship game after big wins over Big 4 powerhouses Arcata and Eureka.
“The girls have worked hard,” Del Norte head coach Shawn Eckart said. “We’ve been trying to establish a culture of soccer and it’s starting to show.”
On Wednesday, the Wildcats got the game off to a dream start, netting what would be the winning goal just three minutes in.
Outstanding freshman Madison Hagemann, who has been one of the most dangerous players in the H-DNL in her first-ever season of high school soccer, pounced on a loose ball at the edge of the penalty area after a mistake by Warriors goalie Avery Ritter, and she slotted home to give her team an early advantage.
Ritter, to her credit, would respond well and kept her team in contention throughout with another composed performance between the posts, as she continues to establish herself as one of the best goalkeepers in the H-DNL.
Both teams had their chances, but Ferndale goalkeeper Tinnley Pigeon was equally composed at the other end of the field and gathered up everything that came her way, posting yet another clean sheet.
In her last five playoff games, Pidgeon has allowed just one goal.
The Cats certainly enjoyed the better of exchanges for much of the afternoon, but they were unable to add to their tally until the second half.
And when they finally did, they did so in style, with sophomore Macie Hagemann netting on a wonderfully-placed shot from the edge of the penalty area that looped over Ritter’s head into the top corner of the net.
“It was a really nice shot,” Davy said.
Madison Gossi assisted on the goal.
The Ferndale midfielders were particularly impressive throughout the entire game, with the trio of Claire Renner, Macie Hagemann and Gianna Regli working very well together.
At the back, Michaela Ellsmore worked tirelessly with another composed performance at sweeper, alongside fullbacks Taren Titus and Melina Pineda, who each also impressed.
“I feel that we were really able to contain and shut down most of Del Norte’s attacks,” Davy said.
Renner turned in a player of the game performance.
“I think Claire Renner had a fantastic game,” Davy said.
Several players also had a good games for the Warriors, including Ritter.
“Except for that one mistake, she had a heck of a game,” Eckart said.
The Del Norte seniors — Aurora Mitchell, Lilliana Ramirez, Teexeeshe Scott and Hollyn Wakefield — all played well, as usual, as the Warriors continued to battle throughout despite the deficit.
“They stuck together,” Eckart said. “I think this team, even more so than last year, really came together as a supportive team. They were always happy and always encouraging. It just felt like they were a unit.
“I’m really proud of them.”
A big part of the Wildcats’ success this year, according to Davy, is how well the roster of players got along and the camaraderie and team chemistry they developed.
“They really are just like a really tight-knit group,” Davy said. “They all are friends outside of soccer. They all spend a lot of time together.
“Ferndale is a tight-knit community. A lot of the players’ parents are friends and I think the bond this team has is really special.”
And it means a lot to the community.
“We have an outstanding support system from our community,” said Davy, whose team received a police escort to the field prior to the game with many community members lining the streets. “I want to say thank you to the community and the Ferndale athletics program and everyone who helped us to this point. It was definitely a group effort.”
The three Ferndale seniors — Pidgeon, Ellsmore and Gossi — have left an indelible mark on program history and will walk away with two NCS winners medals.
“This senior class was phenomenal,” Davy said.
The team’s three juniors — McKenzie Chambers, Regli and Teresa Catana — also now have two NCS winners’ medals, and they may not be done yet.
