By Ray Hamill — Ferndale fans won’t easily forget the impact Tanner Pidgeon had on Wildcats sports over the past four years.
One of the most dynamic playmakers the Cats have seen in recent times is moving on and preparing for the next chapter in his life and sports career, and he will leave a legacy like few others in his wake.
A three-time conference MVP and seven-time all-league selection in three different sports, Pidgeon played a pivotal role in the Cats’ march to a state championship in football in the fall of 2023.
And you could argue that’s not even his best sport.
He also helped lead Ferndale to three North Coast Section championships, two in football and one in baseball, earning MVP honors in the latter sport this spring while closing out his high school career with another monster campaign.
And while he will no doubt be missed by the Wildcats — and leaves sizable shoes to be filled — North Coast fans won’t have to travel very far to continue following his remarkable career after he recently committed his future to College of the Redwoods, where he will play football.
And maybe some baseball?
“I considered baseball in college, which I (still) might,” he said. “But football is the main one.”
Watching him on the field of competition for the past few years, it’s difficult to tell which sport he loves the most.
Whether he was breaking free for a long touchdown run or a pick six and igniting cheers from a packed house at Coach Carlson Field, or ignoring his third base coach’s signal and speeding past second base in an attempt to turn a double into a triple — and usually succeeding — Pidgeon always had a smile on his face and played the game with an effervescence and child-like joy like few others.
It was something his coaches and Ferndale fans always seemed to appreciate about this three-sport standout.
And it’s something his College of the Redwoods coaches are looking forward to seeing at the next level.
“We’re excited to get him,” CR head coach Jason White said. “He’s a very dynamic football player. He did a lot of great things for Ferndale, and he’s not only a good football player but a good person.”
Pidgeon is relishing the opportunity of competing for the starting quarterback job for his new team.
It’s a position he has been playing — and excelling at — since he first took up football in the third grade.
As a senior, while leading the Cats to an historically high-scoring season, he rushed for over a thousand yards and passed for over a thousand yards, and that doesn’t include what he did at safety.
The dual threat QB finished the 2025 season with 1,149 yards rushing on 121 carries (a 9.5 yard average) and 29 TDs, as well as completing 60 of 111 pass attempts for 1,020 yards and 13 TDs.
He earned his second conference MVP award in football in the fall and would add a first baseball conference MVP nod this spring.
Incredibly, he averaged over .325 at the plate in all four high school seasons of baseball.
While he says he considered playing baseball in college, for now he’s focused on making an impact at the next level on the gridiron.
And staying close to home and joining CR, he admits, was a relatively easy choice.
“CR was really the main school looking at me and I wanted to continue my football career,” he said. “They were willing to give me an opportunity to try out at quarterback, and my old teammate Henry Westfall is playing there, and it’s just close to home.”
Pidgeon will have his work cut out for him securing the starting job on a team that competes in the competitive National Division in a very competitive California JC landscape, but anyone who has ever watched him play the game knows he won’t back down from the challenge and few would be surprised to see him succeed.
He says he did consider playing for Southern Oregon University, but the Raiders wanted him to red shirt this year and then play either running back or receiver.
“I’ll try (QB) at CR, and if that doesn’t work we’ll see where they put me,” he said.
As he leaves Ferndale, Pidgeon will carry with him a lifetime of memories, on and off the field of competition.
In addition to his three MVP awards, Pidgeon was a three-time all-league selection in both football and baseball, earning the honor in both sports as a sophomore, a junior and senior.
But he also excelled on an underwhelming Ferndale basketball team, earning an all-league selection as a senior, one year after receiving an all-league honorable mention.
But that’s not all he will remember from his time as a Wildcat, and getting to play alongside his teammates is what made it special more than anything.
“They always had my back, no matter what happened,” he said of his teammates, many of whom he has played with since he first began youth football. “Most of the team last year have been together since we were little.”
No surprise, they also won a Six Rivers Youth Football championship in AAA youth football.
They had a common goal and succeeded together, most notably in Pidgeon’s sophomore year when the Wildcats traveled to Southern California to knock off Fairfax 29-21 in the 2023 state championship game, securing a first-ever state title for the school.
And Pidgeon describes that as one of his favorite moments in his high school career.
“The state run was memorable,” he said. “Everybody chipped in, everybody was willing to do what was needed to be done and everybody wanted to be there.
“We could have practiced five hours a day if we wanted to. Everybody on the team was willing to put in the time and effort. It was good vibes.”
In addition to acknowledging the obvious impact his teammates had on his playing career, Pidgeon also expressed his gratitude to some other people who have helped him along the way, including “all the coaches” and two other people in particular.
“Our athletic trainer Jodi (McDonald), she helped us a lot,” Pidgeon said. “Without her it probably would have been different, even on that state run. Her ability allowed us to be ready for the next game.
“And my family always supported me, especially my mom (Beckie), and just my friends, always having my back and always being there.”
Pidgeon says he wants to major in Agricultural Business.
