Submitted photo – Eureka’s Nashya Williams, left, was named tournament MVP at the Gridley tournament, while teammate Tiarah Maualuga was named to the all-tournament team.
By Ray Hamill — It was a big week for the local winter sports teams, as they begin to build momentum.
Most of the H-DNL basketball teams were in action at various tournaments last weekend, while in wrestling the Del Norte Warriors hosted their annual season-opening Battle at the Border tournament.
And it was a good start to the new campaign for many of the student athletes, including one Eureka senior and the Del Norte grapplers.
Nashya Williams played a key role in the Loggers’ tournament championship at Gridley last week and was named tournament MVP.
And that gets her the nod for one of our athletes of the week.
Williams played key roles in victories over Corning, Gridley and Las Plumas on the way to clinching the tournament title.
Our second athlete of the week goes to College of the Redwoods freshman guard Mayleah Jackson, who helped lead her team to a pair of wins at the Shasta Crossover tournament.
Jackson scored a team-high in points in both of CR’s wins, a 66-59 victory over Solano and a 72-50 win over Yuba.
Our team of the week honors, meanwhile, go to the Del Norte wrestlers, who got the season off to a good start by taking the boys championship at the Battle at the Border tournament and placing third in the girls competition.
Longtime head coach Clinton Schaad and his wrestlers are primed for another big winter on the mats and had eight individual winners on the day, including six boys.
The Warriors have dominated the sport locally in recent years and are coming off a huge season last winter, when they placed third overall in the entire North Coast Section.
And early in the new season, they look ready for another big campaign on the mats.
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Nashya Williams
Eureka Basketball, Senior
Williams established herself as a key player for the Loggers last winter and she appears ready to play an even bigger role in the coming months, as the Loggers look to reestablish themselves as the best team on the North Coast.
The senior scored nine points in the championship game victory over Las Plumas, but it was her overall contributions that helped lead the team to the title.
Williams’ teammate Tiarah Maualuga also looks poised for a big season and was named to the all-tournament team.
For more on Williams’ big week, see Improving Loggers top Las Plumas in Gridley tourney final …
Mayleah Jackson
College of the Redwoods Basketball, Freshman
After a standout high school career at Arcata Hight, Jackson is quickly establishing herself on the college courts.
The freshman guard scored 16 points against Solano and followed that with a college career-high 25 points against Yuba, including making five of eight attempts from downtown.
For more on her big week, see Redwoods men and women enjoy productive weekends in tourney play …
TEAM OF THE WEEK
Del Norte Wrestling
The Warriors dominated the field at last weekend’s boys tournament, scoring 204.5 points and winning the tournament by 57 points.
In addition to the six individual winners, the Del Norte boys also claimed four second places and a third place, giving them 11 wrestlers in the top three in their divisions.
The Del Norte girls also impressed with two individual victories on the way to placing third in their tournament.
The Warriors had five girls finish in the top three in their divisions.
The Arcata girls won the tournament with 119 points, followed by South Medford in second with 112 and Del Norte in third with 107.5.
Categories: Athletes of the Week, Basketball, Del Norte, Eureka, Wrestling
