Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

By Ray Hamill — There’s something special about competing in sports in the H-DNL.

Ask any of the league student-athletes what they will remember the most from their time playing here on the North Coast, and they’ll invariably reply that the time spent with their teammates and the long (long) van rides is what always comes to mind.

But Mia Cueto had a slightly different take.

“I will remember the Dick Niclai championship, that was definitely a memory I will always remember,” she told Humboldt Sports with a chuckle just moments after signing her letter of intent to continue playing basketball at San Diego Mesa after graduation this year.

“Me and the twins (teammates Mae and Tae Wolford), before the game we were listening to a song to just get us hyped in the locker room. And we were all dancing, and we were all just like imagining us running and grabbing the trophy at the end of the game, and that’s what ended up happening.”

It was a special memory for a player who has overcome adversity on the path to success, but earned a starting spot on a championship team this year.

Cueto, the twins and all of their Arcata High teammates would go on to lift the coveted Niclai trophy at Lumberjack Arena in February, and the most memorable night in their young careers began with a pre-game dance in the locker room.

Cueto won’t be alone taking her talents to the San Diego community college.

Alongside her on Tuesday, her former Arcata basketball teammate, Zalayshia Velazquez, also signed her letter of intent to compete on the soccer fields at San Diego Mesa.

The two Arcata girls played on the same basketball team when they were sophomores and both announced their respective commitments in front of a gathering of friends, family, coaches and teammates at Arcata High.

“Thank you all for being a part of my journey,” Velazquez told the gathering. “For pushing me and helping me stay motivated to continue chasing my goals in soccer.”

Both players played key roles in their respective teams’ success this past year, with the Tigers taking home league crowns in both soccer and basketball.

And each of them are looking forward to the next chapter in their careers, both academically and athletically.

For Cueto, the decision to join the Olympians was a relatively easy one after visiting the campus.

“I chose San Diego Mesa because first I love the beaches and the environment,” she said. “And when I visited I just felt a connection with the coaches, and when I met the teammates they were super nice and they were welcoming, and even now they’re reaching out saying they’re so excited that I’m part of the team.

“I’m just super excited because they’re just so welcoming and the school is so nice, and they offer a lot of good programs.”

Mia Cueto with teammates Mae and Tae Wolford after winning this year’s Dick Niclai Tournament.

Cueto certainly left her mark at Arcata High and enjoyed tremendous success with her teammates, including back-to-back Big 5 titles in her junior and senior seasons, as well as a Dick Niclai Tournament championship earlier this year.

And on Tuesday she expressed her gratitude to her coaches, teammates and family for helping her on her journey, including Arcata High varsity coaches Charlie Espinoza and Romeo Steele.

“I will definitely remember the basketball and Charlie and Rome and all my teammates because the grow, grind, gratitude and the family that they showed me, I want to carry that over to Mesa,” she said.

“And it just was a really great experience. My senior year was amazing, just getting to have that starting spot and just becoming a shooter and the defender I was, that was really exciting, and just the family environment that Charlie made and all my teammates.”

Cueto says she wants to major in criminal justice and eventually become a police officer.

But for now, she’s looking forward to continuing her playing career while pursuing her major.

“I’m excited to start this next chapter, and thank you to all my coaches, family and friends,” she said.

Cueto will join a San Diego Mesa program that was 15-14 this past winter, while Velazquez will join an Olympians team that went 7-8-5 in the fall.

Velazquez also expressed her gratitude to everyone who has helped her on her journey, including Arcata head coach Matthew Ingram, as well as her travel team coaches, and her parents in particular.

“Thank you for always believing in me and putting me in my place and humbling me always, and of course supporting me on every step of the way,” she said. “Thank you guys for supporting me.”