Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

By Ray Hamill — Arguably the most dangerous player on the best team in the H-DNL right now features among our award winners this week, along with one of the best wrestlers in the state and a team that enjoyed a huge week on the local basketball courts.

Senior Liam Dyer is far from the only star on a St. Bernard’s boys basketball team that has now won 16 straight games — his teammates Garrett Shanahan and Carson Costa, among others, have also been hugely influential — but few players are as dangerous offensively and have had as big an impact this winter.

Over the past seven days, Dyer posted a pair of double-doubles in three games, while averaging 20 points in wins over Del Norte, St. Vincent de Paul and Hoopa Valley.

He has been one of the best shooters in the area over the past few years and that continues to be the case in his final season of high school ball.

And that makes him our choice for one of our athletes of the week this week.

Dyer is joined by a freshman who has wasted little time in establishing herself as one of the best wrestlers in the state in her first year of high school competition.

Arcata’s Taylor Bell is enjoying an outstanding season on the mats and is the top-ranked girls wrestler in the North Coast Section at 110 pounds.

The sky’s the limit for the young grappler, who appears poised for one of the best careers of any H-DNL girls wrestler we’ve ever seen.

Our team of the week, meanwhile, also goes to the Tigers.

The Arcata girls basketball team is coming off a memorable week, with victories over McKinleyville, St. Bernard’s and Eureka in the past seven days and appears to be peaking as we head towards the business end of the season.

Saturday’s win at St. Bernard’s was particularly impressive, as the Tigers overcame a late nine-point deficit to end a four-game losing streak to the Crusaders.

The SB girls had pulled out thrilling victories over the Tigers in the 2024 Division-4 NorCal final and in last year’s Dick Niclai Tournament championship game, and it appeared as if they were headed to another impressive win over them.

But the Arcata girls dug deep and finished strong to give them one of their most impressive wins of the campaign.

And that’s not all.

They followed that with a dominating win over Eureka on Wednesday night, taking over sole possession of top spot in the Big 5 standings as they look to defend the title they won a year ago.

Submitted photo

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK 

Taylor Bell

Arcata Wrestling, Freshman

Anyone who has followed the career of the young Bell in recent years expected her to make some noise on the high school mats, and she has not disappointed.

Bell is not only the top-ranked girls wrestler at 110 pounds in the North Coast Section, but she is also one of the top-ranked wrestlers in the state right now, coming in just outside the top 10.

Bell has placed first at four of her five tournaments so far, including Del Norte’s Battle at the Border, the McKinleyville tournament, the Grants Pass Winter Kickoff, and the Brittany David tournament.

For more on Bell, see Arcata Tigers celebrate their seniors, get set for stretch run …

Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

Liam Dyer

St. Bernard’s Basketball, Senior

Dyer is enjoying an outstanding season for the Little 4 frontrunners and is showing no signs of slowing down.

The senior guard posted double-doubles this week against St. Vincent de Paul on Monday and against Hoopa on Thursday, helping the Crusaders continue a remarkable season that has seen them win 16 straight games.

Make no mistake, the team’s success is founded on a very talented lineup and not just one player, but Dyer is playing as big a role as any of his teammates.

For more on his big week, see Red-hot Crusaders enjoy big night offensively against Hoopa …

Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Arcata Girls Basketball

Many local fans thought the Tigers would be the best team in the H-DNL this season, and they backed that belief this week with impressive wins over St. Bernard’s and Eureka.

Under the guidance of head coach Charlie Espinoza and assistant Romeo Steele, the Arcata girls left no doubt as to who is the top team in the Big 5 right now with a 19-point win over the Loggers on Wednesday night in a game that really wasn’t as close as the final score would suggest.

Through the first half of conference play, the Tigers have outscored their four opponents by an average of 25.5 points.

Twin sisters Tae and Mae Wolford lead the way and look like the favorites to be named co-conference MVPs for the second straight year, but the team’s success is built on more than two players.

Several of their teammates are also enjoying big campaigns, including a trio of standout sophomores — Betty Miles, Colby Eisner and Anevay Gruetzmacher — who are playing beyond their years right now.

There’s still a long way to go this season, but thus far the Tigers have been the best team in the area and that makes them a well deserved choice for our team of the week.

For more on their big week see Can anyone in the H-DNL stop the Tigers after their big week? …