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By Ray Hamill — The Arcata girls basketball program appears in be in good shape these days.

Not only did the Tigers win a second straight Big 5 championship and a Dick Niclai Tournament at the varsity level this year, but the school’s JV team also was the best in the area, as head coach Romeo Steele and his players finished up 19-1.

That included a 7-1 record in the Big 5 on the way to an outright conference championship, as well as three wins over varsity teams at the first annual Tahnia Campbell Classic — two of whom would go on to make the playoffs — in a tournament that was hosted by the school’s varsity team.

And with seven seniors ready to graduate from the varsity team, a talented group of JVs appear ready to help fill those sizable shoes next winter.

It’s also a group that answered the call after an early setback in league play.

After losing their second conference game to Fortuna, the young Tigers had to win out to claim the Big 5 title, including a pair of big victories over rival Eureka.

“I’m proud of the girls for how they stepped up and played for us this year,” Steele said. “They stepped up to the challenge and never backed down. Even when they lost to Fortuna, they were back at practice the next day and ready to go.”

More importantly, this wasn’t a team that relied heavily on any one or two girls, with several players helping to carry the load on a balanced lineup.

And that was good news for a team that likes to play high-intensity defense, with Steele utilizing a lot of players every night.

“It was kind of a well-balanced team,” the coach said. “And they did everything I could have asked for and more.”

In Steele’s own words, the young Tigers “gave a lot of teams fits” with their aggressive defensive play.

One player who was key to that and played a pivotal role on defense was freshman guard Maliyah Johnson, who helped set the tone for her teammates on that side of the ball.

“She was very aggressive on defense and moved her feet really well,” Steele said of the young standout. 

Sophomore Lily Felsenthal also played a key leadership role for the team with some composed performances on the court.

“She was the one who kept everyone calm,” Steele said of the young forward, who was one of just three sophomores on a roster of 12.

And a talented class of nine freshmen paints a bright future for the program.

Several of them had an immediate impact at the high school level, including guards Alysse Gildea and Kamplyn Mohrmann and forward/center Maleiah Boquet. 

The two Big 5 wins over Eureka, including a 48-35 conference-clinching victory on the final night of the regular season, were definite highlights this winter.

“The league championship game was huge for us,” Steele said of the rivalry game which always seems to bring out the best of both schools. “Eureka’s always good. It’s a healthy rivalry.”

The Arcata roster also included sophomores Karely Ruiz and Brooke Osburn-Walker, as well as freshmen Jasmine O’Dowd, Willow Avelar, Cassidy O’Dowd, Cadence Fitzmaurice and Lily D’usseau.

And Steele expects many of these players to continue to have an impact for the Tigers moving forward.

“I’m really excited for the future of Arcata basketball,” the coach said, “I think some of them will be ready (to play at the varsity level) for sure.”

But that’s not the only thing to admire about this group of young players.

“They were awesome to be around,” Steele added. “They did everything I asked of them, and they were really close as far as being friends off the court. They got along well really well.”