Photos by Ray Hamill/HmboldtSports.com

By Ray Hamill — A pair of conference championship teams feature in our weekly awards this week, including a couple of MVP candidates.

In baseball, the McKinleyville Panthers clinched the Big 5 championship outright with a victory over Arcata on Wednesday, and they followed that with a big win over St. Bernard’s in a showdown of conference champs on Friday.

And that makes them our choice for Humboldt Sports Team of the Week.

Head coach Mike Dobrec and his players have been the most impressive team in the H-DNL this spring and will carry plenty of momentum into next week’s Charles Lakin Tournament, as they try to secure a third straight HDN postseason tournament title.

And that’s not all for the Panthers.

Sophomore Tate Saso is also one of our two athletes of the week.

The MVP candidate is enjoying a remarkable spring and has been one of the most dangerous and consistent players in the league for the past two months.

Saso hit two home runs against the Crusaders on Friday, helping his team to a 6-4 win.

Joining him as one of our athletes of the week is another player who is enjoying an outstanding MVP-caliber season.

South Fork junior Hailey Shepherd has been a consistent presence at the plate all year and is showing no signs of slowing down as the Cubs get set for postseason play on the softball fields.

The always-dangerous Shepherd finished 4-for-6 with a home run, a triple and two walks in a conference-clinching doubleheader split at Ferndale on Tuesday.

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK 

Hailey Shepherd

South Fork Softball, Junior

Shepherd is enjoying a remarkable season for the Cubs, as they get set for the Charles Lakin Tournament and upcoming North Coast Section playoffs.

The junior leads the Little 4 champs in several notable categories, including an incredible .571 average at the plate.

Shepherd also has an impressive on-base percentage (.630), as well as seven home runs, 41 runs, 44 hits, 30 RBIs and three triples, all of which are team highs.

And that’s not all.

The impressive junior has also showcased her speed on the bases with a team-best 15 stolen bases.

Tate Saso

McKinleyville Baseball, Sophomore

Saso has been every bit as impressive for the Big 5 baseball champs.

The sophomore standout is averaging a team-best .450 at the plate, with team-highs in home runs (seven), RBIs (25) and triples (two).

He also has been one of the Big 5’s most reliable pitchers and is 4-0 with a save and an ERA of 2.20.

For more on his big week, see Panthers win battle of conference champions at McKinleyville …

TEAM OF THE WEEK 

McKinleyville Baseball

The Panthers capped a remarkable regular season with a 6-4 win over St. Bernard’s and will carry an impressive 21-2 record into next week’s Charles Lakin Tournament as they look to continue their recent dominance in the HDN postseason tourney.

Dobrec and his staff have done an excellent job of keeping their players focused on each game and not getting carried away.

And outside of two lopsided losses to Ukiah and Eureka, the Panthers have been unstoppable.

In addition to the always dangerous Saso, the Panthers feature numerous other standouts, including Hunter Carper, who continues to be a force at the plate and on the mound.

Pitcher Joe Tanno (5-0) also has done an outstanding job on the hill, as have Saso (4-0), Carper (4-2), Rhythm Green (4-0) and Bode Reininger (2-0), giving Dobrec a lot of reliable arms for a potential deep playoff run.

Saso (.450), Reininger (.366), Ruger Baxter (.316), Green (.314), Tanno (.306) and Carper (.301) are all averaging better than .300 at the plate, while Jake Brunner has impressed behind the plate, helping to anchor the team defense. 

For more on their big week, see Panthers win battle of conference champions at McKinleyville …