By Ray Hamill — The Ferndale football team enjoyed its biggest win of the season so far by overcoming adversity at St. Bernard’s on Saturday, which make the Wildcats our choice for Humboldt Sports Team of the Week.
But the Cats were far from the only standouts this week, as the fall sports season begin to heat up.
In girls golf, it was a good week for Del Norte’s Jaylee Keeling, who secured a second straight league win to move into contention for the league title, while in volleyball Eureka senior Tiarah Maualuga had a big week as the Loggers won two must-have games to keep their championship hopes alive.
And that makes Keeling and Maualuga our choices for athletes of the week.
The biggest story of the weekend took place at Crusader Field in Eureka, as the Wildcats came away with a 27-24 win to stretch their remarkable regular-season unbeaten run to 18 straight games.
Head coach Clint McClurg’s team passed its biggest test of the season so far in impressive fashion, overcoming a 10-point halftime deficit with four second-half touchdowns.
As usual, the Cats wore down their opponents as the game went on with their relentless physicality in the trenches, and when you have skilled position playmakers like Preston Killingsworth and Garyn McClurg, who each scored a pair of TDs in the win, that’s usually a potent combination.
As the last remaining undefeated team in the H-DNL, the Wildcats are well positioned for the second half of the season, as they get set to begin league play against Arcata this weekend.
Keeling, meanwhile, has dug deep the past two weeks to keep her championship hopes alive.
After playing a key role in helping to lead the Warriors to a first-ever league title in girls golf last year, the junior standout has been even more impressive this fall.
And like the Wildcats, she also has had to overcome some adversity on the path to success.
League leader Ingrid Monaghan of McKinleyville, who was a Humboldt Sports Athlete of the Week a few weeks ago, won the opening three rounds of league play to take early control.
But Keeling has battled her way back into contention and is now just six strokes off the lead with two rounds of league action remaining.
On Wednesday, she shot a 101 at Beau Pre Golf Course for the victory.
Maualuga was equally impressive this week, rising to the challenge in the most important week of the season for her team.
After losing their second league game to Arcata two weeks ago, the Loggers needed to beat Del Norte and Arcata this week to remain in contention for a second straight title, and they delivered with Maulauga leading the way.
The reigning league MVP had a monster night against the Warriors on Tuesday, finishing with 21 kills, six blocks and three aces, and she followed that with another inspirational performance two nights later against Arcata, adding 15 kills, 10 digs, three aces and an assist.
Her fellow senior and teammate Alena Battle also is enjoying a huge season and deserves an honorable mention here for her performances in the two games this week.
