The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Category: Sports

  • Jacks Pass

    Jacks Pass

    By Jacks Pass

    Softball – Humboldt State Softball Is in the Top 5 of the Division II National Fastpitch Softball Rankings. Sitting in third place of the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The Jacks split day two’s doubleheader with Sonoma State Saturday afternoon. HSU fell to the Seawolves 3-1 in game one and captured its first victory of the series in game two 7-1.

    With the game two win the Lumberjacks improve to 33-11 overall and 21-10 in CCAA action. The Seawolves now sit at 35-15 overall and 25-11 in California Collegiate Athletic Association play.

    Humboldt State concludes its regular season next weekend with a four-game homestand versus Cal State Monterey Bay.  

    Track and Field – Humboldt State track and field hit national qualifying marks and set personal records against regional competition during Saturday’s Border Battle held in Redwood Bowl.

    The HSU women had a successful day with many strong performances. Marissa McCay, Ellie Earle-Rouse, and Brailee VandenBoom swept the women’s high jump. McCay continues to improve and she finished with her personal best 5-10 in the high jump, hitting the national automatic qualifying mark. Freshman Earle-Rouse also recorded a personal best jump to finish second. Her mark of 5-7.75 is a national provisional qualifying mark, which ties her for 11th in nationals.

     

    In the throws, Ariel Oliver moved to eighth in the nation in discus with a new personal record of 49.40m, and she secured her spot at Nationals. Oliver also took first in the shot put (13.86m) and fifth in the hammer throw. Ashley Ross recorded a personal best of 33.69m, giving her a first place finish in the javelin.

    Humboldt State senior Marissa McCay was named the California Collegiate Athletic Association Field Athlete of the Week after her record-breaking performance on Saturday.
    McCay earned a national automatic qualifying mark as HSU swept the Women’s high jump at the Border Battle. Her jump of 5’10” is a personal best and further solidifies her HSU All-Time record, which she last set on March 18th at the Hornet Invite.

  • Border Battle 2017 – “Chumboldt” Versus Oregon

    Border Battle 2017 – “Chumboldt” Versus Oregon

    By Andre Hascall

    Oregon and California clash at Humboldt State University. It is called the Border Battle due to the participating schools from Humboldt, Chico, Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech. Humboldt State and CSU Chico teamed up to represent California, Oregon was represented by Southern Oregon University and Oregon Technical Institute. Many of the top performers of the weekend were competing for Humboldt.

    Brendan Roderick, sophomore Kinesiology Major, finished in second place in the triple jump, gaining points for the California team. Roderick is originally from Springfield,Oregon, but he lived in southern california before coming up to Humboldt State. “Its one of my favorite meets because it’s california versus oregon,” Rodrick said. “So we got Chico and Humboldt, also known as Chumboldt, versus Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech.”

    Caitlyn McCoy, junior, runs the 100 and 400 meter hurdles. McCoy placed second in the 100 meter hurdle. McCoy mentioned that hard work all season built this team for success. “We have made huge progress I remember back in the first practice everyone was dying and out of shape,” McCoy said. “Now we can run our events and get first, second or third.”

    Roderick was amongst one part of the successful men’s team that featured plenty of runners and throwers who performed well. Corey Berner, a sprinter on Humboldt Men’s Track. Berner gave his fellow relay runners a strong finish to cement a win. He did this, of course as an anchor being the last runner in the relay. “It was back and forth we got the baton at the same time, and I could see him in the corner of my eye,” Berner said. “I’m pretty sure he took the lead for a moment but I told myself to relax and then I pulled forward, it was close, but we got it.”

     

  • Jacks Pass

    Jacks Pass

    By Keaundrey Clark

    No.1 HSU Softball Splits  first 2 games of 4 game Series with No.13 Chico State

     

    No.1 Humboldt State Softball returned home for a four game series against No.13 Chico State. Postponed earlier in the season due bad weather conditions. They played this game in McKinleyville. HSU split its first day doubleheader against No.13 Chico State Monday afternoon. Chico State took game one 2-0, while HSU bounced back claiming game two 10-4. The Wildcats have a two game lead in conference play over the Jcks.

    In the loss Madison Williams was very solid in the circle for the Jacks as she only allowed 4 hits while striking out ten batters on her way to her 15th complete game of the season.

    In Game two Kalyn Paque improved to 13-2 on the season, completing her 8th complete game of the year.

    The second back to back games of the doubleheader were cancelled because of rain.

    HSU finished the homestand  29-8 overall with a conference record of 17-7.  

    For both HSU, pitching has been a strong point this season. HSU leads the conference in strikeouts with 214 while allowing the second least amount of earned runs, giving up 67 in 35 games. The Jacks also rank third in the conference with a team ERA of 2.03

     

    Rowing Ranked No. 2 First West Region Poll

     

    Humboldt State Women’s Rowing debuted at No. 2 across the board in the first Division II West Regional ranking on Tuesday. HSU sits behind Western Washington who captured the number one across the board.

    The Lumberjacks are back in action at the Covered Bridge Regatta in Eugene, Ore. April 15.

     

    HSU Track and Field dominates Chico Distance Carnival and Twilight Invitational

     

    Humboldt State’s Track and Field team had strong showing at the Chico Distance Carnival and Twilight Invitational on both the men and women’s side Saturday.

    Ariel Oliver had a strong performance in shot put and discus. HSU dominated  shot put as Oliver placed first with a distance of 13.83m and teammates Lily Bankas and Marissa McCay came in second and third with throws of 12.28m and 12.16m.

    HSU also had four of the top six spots in the discus as Oliver placed first again. Eliana Campos finished second, Ashley Ross fifth and Lily Bankas sixth. Alyssabeth DeJerez, Marissa McKay, and Ellie Earle-Rouse all matched National provisional marks in the 200, long jump, and high jump respectively.

    On the men’s side Tiegan Eilers had a PR in the discus with a throw of 36.89m. Dustyn Salomon looked strong winning his heat in the 800m, while Daniel Tull placed 3rd in the Invitational Mile. Calvin Herman placed second in the 400m Hurdles, and Mario Kaluhiokalani ran a fast 110m hurdle race earning himself a spot in finals.

    Track and Field travels to Long Beach, Calif. 4/13-4/15 for its next meet.

     

  • Softball Field Inaccessible

    Softball Field Inaccessible

    By Danny Dunn

    One of the greatest aspects of playing sports is the ability to play in front of a home crowd. Unfortunately, Humboldt State’s top rated softball team has not been able to play a single game this season on their own home field.

     

    The team had to play their last home series in McKinleyville located about 5 miles north of Humboldt State University.  

    This did not prevent fans from coming out and showing their support for the softball team. Sydney Roberts, who plays second base for the Lumberjacks, said fans had

    creative ways to come out and watch the team.

    “In McKinleyville we had people ride up on horses to come watch our game,” Roberts said. “Locals love us, they support us, and we cannot have their support if we cannot play at home.”

    Roberts spoke on whether the team will be able to even play a home game at Humboldt this season.  

    “We cannot if it rains two days in a row at Humboldt,” Roberts said. “We are hoping to play our first home game against Chico on April 10th…we have already had to reschedule twice already with them.”

    Roberts went on to say how she would like to play at least a couple of home games at HSU in her senior year, and considering that the softball team is one of the winning teams on campus it would be great to play at home for the fans to see.

    “We do not lose at home,” Roberts said. “But we do not get the opportunity everyone else gets playing on their home field…it is harder to keep yourself pumped up when you do not have that home field advantage.”

    Breonna Bejaran, who plays catcher and 1st base for the lumberjacks, says that playing at home can really energize the squad.

    “We really feed off of the home crowd energy,” Bejaran said. “Something should have been done along time ago with the success of our team, not just this team, but past teams also…there  should be a field that is playable for us in Humboldt County…I would love to play here as senior at least once.”

    Pitcher Madison Williams expresses her feelings about not being able to play at home.

    “It is definitely frustrating having to play all of our games on the road,” Williams said. “But we cannot control the weather…Our home field is in bad condition and it would be dangerous to play on right now.”

     

  • Raider Nation Finds New Home

    Raider Nation Finds New Home

    By Juan Herrera

    Party! Party! Party! that’s all I see in the new Las Vegas Raiders future as a professional football team. Early morning on March 27 the National Football League passed a vote moving the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas, Nevada. The former Oakland Raiders packed up their bags and started getting ready for their new home in sin city.

    Being a Raiders fan my whole life, hearing this news was like a nightmare you wish to wake up from. The Oakland Coliseum has always been the home of the Raiders and now it will truly never be the same. Ever since I can remember, my household was always the epitome of “Raider Nation” every Sunday during football season. Taking away the Raiders from Oakland is like ripping a tradition from my family for years.

    A major concern I have with the Raiders relocation is the amount partying that might take place in their off time. This is a young team that previously has had troubles complying with rules on and off the field in the NFL which brings an even more concern when moving to the “party” city.

    According to Josh Planos from the Washington post, since 2000 the Oakland Raiders have committed a whopping 2080 penalties. Planos goes on saying this sets them with 215 more penalties than any other team in the league.

    Although I am devastated over the move, Humboldt State student and former Oakland resident Lorea Euskadi expresses how she is torn apart over the change as well.
    “Ever since I could remember my mom would always secure our spots for our season tickets for the Raiders, but not this year.” Euskadi said. “Growing up in Alameda, where the Raiders practice field was, makes them not only a team but apart of my childhood and town.”

    Euskadi goes on to mention how even though she is spiteful against the Raiders moving she is still a loyal fan and is hoping for a strong season in 2017.

    Another heartbreaking change that is coming with the Raiders’ move is a large increase in ticket prices. According to Levi Damien from the online sports publication SB Nation, almost every section of ticket prices have increased by at least 25 percent with some even increasing by 100 percent. Damien reveals how the Raiders new stadium will cost around $925,000 per year and $3.5 million in total, which explains the fans having to pay the price in ticket increases.

    Even though many people are upset about the move, Kassidy Hayes, an HSU student from Las Vegas, talks about how she is more than excited for the new Las Vegas Raiders.

    “As I transfer to UNLV, I am beyond excited for what the Raiders are gonna do for my college in terms of football.” Hayes said. “The amount of recognition that the Rebels will be getting is incredible.”

    Hayes also discusses how as a resident of  Nevada it might not so inviting to have them come.

    “The area already gets ridiculously congested with traffic,” Hayes said. “And the location of the stadium is going to make matters worse.”

    As a Raider fan all I can hope is that the new Las Vegas Raiders will truly succeed and not get distracted from the crazy environment they now call home.

  • 13 Jacks qualify to two prestigious Division I track meets

    13 Jacks qualify to two prestigious Division I track meets

    By Erin Chessin

    Track and field coaches Sarah Ingram and Scott Pesch were frustrated to find that very few of the athletes they entered into two Division I track meets made it.

    They entered  a total of 13 HSU athletes into two prestigious Division I track meets; the 90th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays and the Stanford Invitational.

    “The ones we entered who didn’t make it had very strong marks,” Ingram said. “It’s really surprising.”

    Four women, Ariel Oliver, Alyssabeth DeJerez, Marisa McCay and Kori Gilley, qualified for Texas Relays, hosted by University of Texas in Austin. No men qualified for Texas Relays.

    Ingram and Pesch entered in the same four women they had entered into Texas Relays into Stanford Invitational as a backup in case their entries were rejected. Three more women were entered into Stanford Invitational. Two high jumpers, Ellie Earl-Rouse and Brailee VandenBoom, qualified.

    Ingram said distance events at Division I tournaments, such as the 800, the 1500, the 5k and the 3000 meter steeplechase, are highly competitive and are tougher to get into. When junior Tatiana Gillick did not qualify in the 1500 meters with her impressive 4:31, Ingram and Pesch were shocked.

    “That was like a slap in the face,” Ingram said. “If you have a better mark than somebody, you deserve to be there.”

    Both coaches expressed that division 1 track and field meets often favor division 1 over division 2 athletes when they receive the entries.

    Luckily, six males and four females made it into the entries for Stanford Invitational.

    Mario Kaluhiokalani, a sprinter on HSU’s track team, will be racing for the second year in a row at Stanford Invitational this weekend.

    “Last year I only made it for the 110 meter hurdles,” Kaluhiokalani said. “I’m hoping to get a provisional mark in both my events this weekend.”

    Kaluhiokalani will be running the 110 meter hurdles and the 400 meter hurdles at Stanford Invitational.

    While ten athletes will be competing in Palo Alto and three in Austin, Texas the rest of the track and field squad will be competing in San Francisco at the 2017 San Francisco Distance Carnival.

    The meet will be hosted by San Francisco State on Friday, March 31 through Saturday, April 1, 2017.

    One athlete is actually competing at both Stanford Invitational and San Francisco Distance Carnival. Junior transfer Corey Berner said he is looking forward to running the 100 and the 200 meters at Stanford and the 4 by 100 meter relay at San Francisco.

    “It’s definitely going to be a busy weekend. There’s going to be good competition at both meets,” Berner said.

    The sprinter is aiming to get pulled to fast times in his events since he will be running up against Division I athletes.

    “Stanford will definitely be my main focus,” Berner said. “The competition is there at Division I tournaments.”

     

    Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays

    1. Alyssabeth DeJerez led the way with another strong performance in the 400m hurdles. She finished 10th against top level division one competition. DeJerez finished in a time of 58.96.
    2. Ariel Oliver placed tenth in the Shotput throwing 44-00.00.
    3. Marissa McKay ran a 14.59 in the 100m hurdles
    4. McKay Placed 14th in the High Jump clearing 5-05.00.
    5. Kori Gilley saw her outing cut short when she was injured in the 300m steeplechase trying to avoid a fallen runner.

    Stanford Invite

    1. Teigan Eilers placed 5th in the Javelin throw with a toss of 56.05m.
    2. Also placed 13th in the High Jump, clearing 1.91m.
    3. Calvin Herman placed 13th in the 400m hurdles with a time of 54.26.
    4. Mario Kaluhiokalani placed 24th in the same event coming in at 56.29.
    5. Corey Berner placed 24th in the 100m dash with a time of 11.22.
    6. Ellie Earle-Rouse placed 6th in High Jump clearing 1.60m.
    7. Bailee VandenBoom finished 9th.

     

  • Humboldt Chainsaw Massacre

    Humboldt Chainsaw Massacre

    By Danny Dunn

     

    ‘The Humboldt Chainsaw Massacre’ is what new Humboldt State football defensive coordinator, Barry Sacks, calls the team’s new defensive system.

    “There are 11 links on the chain, and you have to earn each link,” Sacks said. “ You have to play for one another and not for the individual.”

    Sacks talked about how the defense has to pursue the ball so hard and so fast that it feels like there are 12 guys on the field, when there are actually only 11.

    Spring practices are officially under way at HSU, which means it is time to train and evaluate players. It is also time for coaches to get settled into their new roles on the team.

    Coach Sacks said the first week of practice was fun getting to know the players and work with head coach Rob Smith. Sacks said coach Smith is incredibly knowledgable, and it takes a special person to coach at this level, with the daily grind of football.

    Sacks has been coaching for over 30 years, for several different programs, including Portland State, Boise State, Adams State, University of Nevada, and University of New Mexico. Sacks spent the 2016 season at San Jose State University as the defensive line coach.

    Sacks has known about the HSU football program since his days as a coach at Portland State in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

    Sacks chose to come to Humboldt State mainly do the recent run of success, and winning culture that head coach Rob Smith has installed at HSU.

    Humboldt State head football coach Rob Smith spoke about new defensive coordinator Barry Sacks now that week one of spring practices are in the books.

    “I love the energy,” Smith said. “I do not know where Coach Sacks gets it…but again he has great energy and it is fun to see.”

    After finding out about the HSU opening, Sacks called Coach Smith to inquire about the position. The two were both born in Washington, they are the same age, but they had never met until the American Football Coaches Convention in Nashville, Tennessee in January. From there Coach Smith invited Sacks to HSU for a formal interview and to take a look at the campus.

    Sacks knew immediately that Humboldt State was a huge part of the community in Arcata. HSU really does not have to compete with other colleges in the area for football, so HSU gets a lot of local fans that did not necessarily go to the school, but enjoy rooting for this team.

    “We are the show in town,” Sacks said. “We are in a community that is starved for this type of venue.”

     

  • Jacks Pass

    Jacks Pass

    By | Keaundrey Clark

    Softball – After five consecutive weeks in the number one spot, Humboldt State softball dropped to No. 4 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll.

    The Lumberjacks are 21-4 overall and 14-4 in CCCAA play after dropping three out of four games at Cal State San Bernardino this past weekend.

    HSU has a bye this week before it resumes play at the Tournament of Champions in Turlock, Calif., March 31 when they take on Hawaii Pacific. The Jacks have yet to play a home game at their softball field due to bad conditions.

    Rowing – Humboldt State rowing had a very successful showing in Saturday’s Blue Heron Regatta. The Blue Heron Regatta featured HSU, Cal Maritime, Chico State and Mills College.

    The Lumberjacks got off to a great start, when their A and B teams took home first and second place in the Women’s Varsity Eight. HSU’s A team finished with a time of 7:05, while the B team completed the race right behind them with a time of 07:11.7.

    HSU saw the same results in the Novice Four when its A and B teams took home first and second place, respectively, with times of 7:39.5 and 7:58.8.

    The Jacks are back in action next weekend when they travel south to participate in the San Diego Crew Classic.

    Track and Field – Humboldt State senior Alyssabeth DeJerez was named the California Collegiate Athletic Association Female Track Athlete of the Week two weeks in a row after record-breaking performances the last 3 weeks.

    The senior earned an automatic qualifying mark when she finished first in the 400m hurdles on Saturday. Her performance resulted in a career best time of 58.84, strengthening her number one ranking in the all-time program record book.

    DeJerez was named Athlete of the Week for the first time this season on March 7 after earning a provisional qualifying mark with a 54.96 finish in 400m dash at the Kim Duyst Invitational.

    Earlier this season teammate  Ariel Oliver was named Athlete of the Week Oliver snagged victories in the shot put and discus at the Chico State-hosted Wildcat Invitational earlier in the year.

    Her distances of 14.17m (shot put) and 46.33m (discus) were both provisional qualifiers for the 2017 NCAA Track and Field Championships.

    Oliver leads the nation in the shot put and ranks third in the discus.

  • HSU Student Athletes on How Budget Cuts Can Effect Them

    HSU Student Athletes on How Budget Cuts Can Effect Them

    By | Keaundrey Clark

  • Women’s sports working hard through Springbreak

    Women’s sports working hard through Springbreak

    By Curran Daly

    While school stopped for students over the past week, not everyone was given a break. A few of HSU women’s sports teams had a busy week.

    Women’s track and field competed at the Hornet Invite in Sacramento. With multiple standout performances.

    Most notable was track athlete, Alyssabeth DeJerez. DeJerez ran the 400m hurdles in 58.84 seconds. Her time automatically qualified her for nationals and improved on the Humboldt State record that she already held in the event. DeJerez was named CCAA student athlete of the week.

    This was not Dejerez’s first great performance of the season. Earlier in the season DeJerez was also named the CCAA Female Track Athlete of the Week for her performance at the Kim Duyst Invitational at Stanislaus State.

    “I got to Humboldt with this determination to make a name for myself,” DeJerez said. “I kinda sacrificed a lot. I don’t go out on the weekends, I build my diet around how I want to perform, I have to prep my body and roll out.”

    Humboldt State Women’s track and field team is ranked number two in the country. Coach Scott Pesch believes it is his runner’s hard work and his fellow coaches that have helped the women’s program reach its number two ranking.

    “I gotta thank my coaches,” Pesch said. “I can’t do this alone that’s for sure.”

    Women’s track is not the only nationally ranked women’s team on Humboldt’s campus. The Humboldt women’s softball team has been ranked number one in the nation in recent weeks and the Humboldt Women’s Rowing team opened the season ranked fourth in their pre-season poll.

    Women’s rowing had a very busy spring break competing in Sacramento, Davis, and then spending the rest of the break in Newport Beach training before racing in the Berg Cup this past Saturday. Overall, the women’s team spent nine days on the road a busier spring break then they are used too.

    “We’ve never trained the entire week of spring break, so this was kinda a new adventure,” Coach Robin Meiggs said. “We raced some of our big division one rivals.”

    Those rivals include UC San Diego, UC Irvine, Long Beach State and Sacramento state.

    The break was an opportunity to get away from cold early morning practices. The team was able to enjoy practices that started at 9 a.m. and enjoyed weather about 15 degrees warmer than their used to.

    On March 25. the women’s rowing team will be participating in the Blue Heron Redwood Sprints Regatta in Eureka. The meet will start at 7:45 a.m. and will end around 10:30 a.m.

  • Jacks Win Streak Snapped by Coyotes

    Jacks Win Streak Snapped by Coyotes

    By | Andre Hascall

    Back to back doubleheaders against Cal State San Bernardino snaps Humboldt Softball’s seven game winning streak. The team had to play in high temperatures in San Bernardino, a harsh difference from Arcata weather. Humboldt Softball is ranked at the top of the CCAA conference. Out of four games this weekend, Humboldt took home one victory. The Lumberjacks are now 14-4 in conference play.

    Senior pitcher Madison Williams, who is still currently leading the conference in batters struck out, added 12 strikeouts to her resume this past week. She now leads the CCAA in strikeouts with 100 in total, 27 more than the second highest.

    “We can be beat by anyone. For me it’s all about improvement, when you go 11-0… you feel like no one can beat you,” Williams said.

    The Jacks had been successful through their first 11 games of the season making them top ranked in the conference at the time.

    With the losses aside, Humboldt ended Sunday on a high note earning their only win of the weekend.

    Second baseman, Sydney Roberts, played a big role in the team’s win this weekend both at bat and on the field.

    “Every ball that came to me just got stopped,” Roberts said. “I feel like I did well. A hit went between Bre [Bejaran] and I, and I dove on it, got up on my knees and threw it to first.”

    Roberts was not the only player who played well in the game. As catcher, Breonna Bejaran hit two home runs in the last game of road trip. Those two home runs tied Bejaran for first in home runs in the CCAA  with nine on the season. She is also first in slugging percentage with .800, slugging percentage being the amount of bases gained by one person divided by the number of times that person is at bat.

    “I was just looking for a base run and it came to me,” Bejaran said.

    Before Bejaran’s second home run, there was a controversy with an interference call that the umpire overturned.

    “I knew the pitcher was coming for me and I had to swing,” Bejaran said.

    Photo by | Andre Hascall

    Even with the tough weekend considered, the Jacks must look forward as the championship tournament is no longer far off in the distance.

    Yesterday at the weekly sports conference at HSU the team’s head coach, Shelli Sarchett, spoke on her team’s recent shortcoming against CSU San Bernardino.

    “Half this team knows what it takes the get there, and we are not doing that. We are going to get refreshed and focused, obviously our focus is the national championship, but how are we going to get there, ride on what we’ve always done or strive to get better,” Sarchett said.

  • Humboldt State Softball Pitcher threw a no-hitter on March 6 against Cal State East Bay.

    Humboldt State Softball Pitcher threw a no-hitter on March 6 against Cal State East Bay.

    By Curran Daly

    Maddison WIlliams threw a no hitter in a 6-1 win over Cal State East Bay on Monday.

    Cal State East Bay first batter reached second base on a Lumberjack error, which doesn’t count as a hit. The baserunner then made their way to third after a ground out. Finally they came home on a wild pitch. That sequence left the Lumberjacks trailing 1-0 but meant that Williams hadn’t let up a hit.

    After the sequence Head Coach Shelli Sarchett saw Williams go to work to keep Humboldt in the game.

    “Maddy was just really being her typical maddy. East Bay, looking on paper, they have a really good hitting team.” Coach Sarchett said, “She continued to keep them off balance with her off speed and down pitches.”

    Williams went on to strike-out seven East Bay hitters throughout the game. Keeping Humboldt in the game until a third inning run could tie the game. The game stayed tied until the seventh inning when Humboldt scored five runs to win the game 6-1.

    Williams realized how well she was pitching in the third inning and knew what she had to do to keep her team in the game.

    “I was thinking to myself, I’m not gonna let them score again, if they get on base,” Williams said, “I’m not gonna let them get a hit off of me, I’m not gonna let them beat me on my best pitch.”

    The no-hitter came after Williams and Humboldt first loss of the season to Stanislaus State on March 4.

    “After coming off a loss, her first loss of the season, she really buckled down,” Coach Sarchett said, “she came back and threw the game that we know that Maddy is capable of.”

    This was Williams second no-hitter of her career at Humboldt State. Hard-work throughout her four years have prepared her according to her pitching coach, Hannah Jones.

    “Her hard work, determination, and focus sets her apart from the competition,” Jones said, “and it has been a joy to witness her growth over the years.”

    Hard work pays off and Williams recognizes that time spent during practice and in the offseason helped her grow into the pitcher she is this season for the Lumberjacks.

    “It’s really cool, like having all my hard work pay off,” Williams said, “what you do in practice really does make a difference in the game and it just feels really good that i can help my team out.”

    In typical softball and baseball fashion no one mentioned the potential no-hitter to Williams during the game. Coach Sarchett was surprised to see after the game that Williams had pitched a no-hitter.

    “Maddy comes up to me after the game and said ‘Did i throw a no hitter?’” after looking down at her clipboard Coach Sarchett said, “yup, you did.”

    The Lumberjacks hope to host Cal State Dominguez hills this weekend it what would be their first home game. Due to wet conditions and their normal field being unplayable, the games may be held at Mckinleyville High School. As of right now the games are scheduled for noon and 2 p.m. friday and 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. saturday.

  • Former HSU athlete comes to U.S. From Mali for education

    Former HSU athlete comes to U.S. From Mali for education

    By | Danny Dunn

    Moussa Sy is a 21-year-old junior at HSU, majoring in environmental science. Sy moved from the country Mali, located in West Africa, to Ojai, California in 2011 at the age of 16.

    Every year scholarships are given to African students, to give them the opportunity to come to America and study. The scholarship is good for three years.

    Sy was awarded this scholarship and began attending a boarding school in Ojai, where he was determined to learn English.

    One of the toughest things for Sy was learning English once he came to the United States. Back home in Mali, he grew up speaking French and a mix of other African dialects.

    It took Sy about a year to learn the language, he would study night and day trying to master it, while taking an English as a Second Language course at his boarding school.

    Humboldt State was not Sy’s first choice when he thought about college. Sy had hopes of playing Division two, or Division three basketball before an injury hindered his plans. Sy broke his leg during his senior year of high school, which lead him to start considering other options in college besides playing basketball.

    Humboldt State’s Environmental Science program caught Sy’s attention, and with a combination of the program and the Humboldt scenery Sy chose to attend HSU.

    Upon arrival at HSU Sy attempted to join the Humboldt basketball team, however lingering injuries prevented him from playing.

    This did not deter Sy from playing sports. In the fall of 2016 Sy joined the HSU soccer team and played the position of center guard. Sy felt welcomed by the guys on the squad from the very first day of practice. Sy admitted it was a little strange being the new guy, but his teammates helped him make an easy transition to team.

    Sy was forced to stop playing after only one semester do to a heavy school and work load. Sy is currently enrolled in 15 units and works 20 hours per week on campus.

    “I would wake up at 5 a.m. every day to get to the 6 a.m. soccer practice. I would not get home until 10 p.m. which left no time for studying or doing homework, just go straight to bed to wake up for practice the next morning,” Sy said. “ It was just too much to handle.”  

    Thinking back on his first week at HSU, Sy recalled it being an interesting environment.

    “The smell, and people were so different here at HSU, it was a little overwhelming seeing all the people,” Sy said. “The redwood forest stuck out the most though, that and the air was more pure than city air.”

    Due to financial issues Sy has been unable to return to his home in Mali to see his family, specifically his mother who was Sy’s hero growing up. Sy’s father would travel a lot for work while Sy was growing up, so his mother acted as head of the household.

    Back home Sy would play or watch soccer every day, his favorite team is Manchester United. Sy knew that in America soccer was not the most popular sport, but had to admit he was still shocked that people here really do not follow as much as back home in Mali.

    Sy’s plan for after graduation is to stay in America for awhile, perhaps around Santa Barbara, California, and gain some experience in the working world. Once he returns home, Sy hopes to help the underprivileged children of Africa.

    “Children are the future, and I would like to one day build my own orphanage to help the children of Africa,” Sy said.

  • Jacks Pass (March 1 to March 7)

    Jacks Pass (March 1 to March 7)

    By Keaundrey Clark

    Jacks Pass

    Men’s Basketball

    Sophomore Tyras Rattler Jr. was named to the All-CCAA Second Team. Nikhil Lizotte and Malik Morgan was named to the Honorable Mention Team. Rattler started all 29 games for the Lumberjacks this season as a redshirt sophomore. He led the Green and Gold with 13.9 points per game, shot 81.6 percent from the free-throw line and swiped a team-high 37 steals. He was also the team’s second-leading rebounder averaging 5.9 a game. Rattler reached double-digit scoring totals 21 times this season.

    Lizotte also started all 29 games this season finishing second in both points (13.8) and assists (2.1) per game in his sophomore campaign. He was a sharpshooter from outside the arc and led the Jacks in 3-pointers made with 75. Lizotte scored 10 or more points in 20 of HSU’s 29 games this season.

    For the third year in a row Malik Morgan was an All-CCAA selection. His freshman season landed him both Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-CCAA honors. Morgan earned First Team All-CCAA accolades in his sophomore campaign. The junior point guard averaged 11.7 points per game while leading the Jacks in assists with 3.8 per game.

    Women’s Basketball

    Freshman Tyra Turner (3) brings the ball up court in a game at the Humboldt State arena. | Alexandria Hasenstab

    Humboldt State’s Tyra Turner was named CCAA Freshman of the Year. She is the first HSU Women’s Basketball player to earn the award. Teammate Catherine Rees was named to the ALL-CCAA Honorable Mention team. Turner was the conference leader in minutes played (38.3) and led the Lumberjacks with 11.8 points and 4.6 assists per game. She played in all 27 games, and she scored in double figures 14 times.

    The San Bernardino, Calif., native becomes the first HSU player to earn CCAA Freshman of the Year honors. The last Lumberjack women’s basketball player to earn a Freshman of the Year award was HSU Hall of Famer Nicole Lynch (2001-02), who competed during the program’s run as a member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

    Rees was the Jacks’ top long-range shooter and an impact player on both ends of the court. She finished the season with a team-high 63 treys, and she connected on 34.8 percent of her attempts from outside the arc. The Paradise, Calif., product averaged 9.5 points per game and ranked second on the team with 21 steals.

    Softball

    The number one team in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Humboldt State took all four games against the Stanislaus State. Sitting at 14-1. The Jacks have rolled through their competition, All-American Madison Williams is 7-1 with a 1.10 era. She has 62 strikeouts already. Williams tossed her second career no-hitter  as Humboldt State swept a doubleheader against Cal State East Bay on Monday. Senior First Baseman Breonna Bejaran leads the Jacks with 5 home runs. Senior Second Baseman Tiffany Hollingsworth and Sophomore Shortstop Illa Haley are tied for the team lead with 12 RBIS.  

    Track and Field

    Humboldt State shot putter Ariel Oliver broke the program record and earned NCAA provisional marks in the process at Kim Duyst Invitational. With a throw of 47’3.50’, she broke Barbara Weavers’ throw of 41’1.50’. A mark that had stood since 1999. Alyssabeth DeJerez ran a 24.8 in the 200m. Her personal best and a time good enough for second all-time at HSU. She was named the CCAA Female Athlete of the Week. 

  • Jack’s Pass (Feb. 22 to Feb. 28)

    Jack’s Pass (Feb. 22 to Feb. 28)

    By | Keaundrey Clark

    Men’s Basketball

    Humboldt State men’s basketball closed out the regular season with a home loss, 88-74, to San Francisco State.  Freshman Tyler Green had a career-high 28-points. Green finished the game with eight treys, two shy of matching Issac Gildea’s single-game record of 10. Despite Saturday’s loss, the Lumberjacks clinched a spot in the California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament. HSU will travel to face No. 1 seed UC San Diego next Tuesday in RIMAC Arena.

    Women’s Basketball

    Humboldt State women’s basketball ended the 2016-17 season on a high note with a strong performance in Saturday’s 58-51 win over San Francisco State. Juniors Mikaela Shannon, Ashlynn Cox, and Kindall Murie all scored in double figures for the Jacks. Shannon scored 14 second half points to turn the tide in the Jacks’ favor. She finished with a career-high 17 points.

    Softball

    Humboldt State’s softball team is the number one team in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Humboldt took all four games against the San Francisco State Gators. The Lumberjacks dominated with a 18-4 advantage. Senior All-American Madison Williams  recorded two wins. She went 16 innings and had 22 strikeouts over her two starts.

  • Dreams of American baseball

    Dreams of American baseball

    By | Danny Dunn

    Miki Fukasawa’s journeyed from Sagamihara City, Japan, to Arcata, Calif. in his pursuit of playing baseball in America.

    “My lifelong dream was to play baseball in America and now I am,” Fukasawa said.

    Fukasawa is a catcher on the Humboldt State Intramural Baseball team. Fukasawa came to HSU in a study abroad program. He previously attended J.F. Oberlin University, located about an hour outside of Tokyo, Japan. There, Fukasawa was studying English. Fukasawa was also a catcher on the J.F. Oberlin baseball team and hopes to rejoin the his former team after his semester at HSU.

    “When I move back to Japan, I want to learn more English, and play baseball as long as possible,” Fukasawa said. “The dream would be to become a professional baseball player either in Japan, or even for Major League Baseball.”

    Fukasawa found out about the study abroad program, from some friends at his university back home.

    Fukasawa said that so far he cannot complain about the Humboldt life. His favorite food since arriving at HSU has been the pizza from The Depot on campus. Fukasawa said that he feels no added pressure to perform on the baseball team, and that he enjoys his teammates very much

    Fukasawa found housing in Arcata with fellow intramural teammate and HSU student Christian Clouthier. Clouthier is a second year transfer student from Sacramento. This is Clouthier’s second season with the team, while also acting as the team treasurer. These duties include getting people reimbursed for away games, collecting the dues of the players, and estimating the total cost of the season expenses.

    Clouthier has done more than that, he has opened his apartment to Fukasawa for the semester. Clouthier lives in the same complex with an international student coordinator at Humboldt State, who told him about Fukasawa.

    “It was just me and my girlfriend in the apartment, she is half Japanese and thought it would be a good idea,” Clouthier said. “We had an extra room, so we thought it would be a good thing to do.”

    Fukasawa is not the only Japanese ball player on the HSU intramural squad, Shinya Arai is from Kanazawa, the capital city of Ishikawa, Japan. He also plays catcher and a little bit of third base for the intramural team.

    “I have always wanted to attend an American university. I chose HSU because I like the California climate,” Arai said.

    Arai started playing ball around when he was around 9 years old, but stopped around junior high school. He was fortunate to have the opportunity to contribute to the HSU team.

    Arai has enjoyed his time in Humboldt County, he is staying in an apartment in McKinleyville. His favorite food so far has been from the Chinese restaurants around town.

    Arai likes playing on the baseball team, but says at times there can be confusion on the field with the language barrier.

    When Arai returns home he will continue with school, and learn more about travel and english, in hopes of one day becoming a sightseeing organizer.

  • Humboldt State loses, but makes CCAA tournament

    Humboldt State loses, but makes CCAA tournament

    Humboldt State’s loss to San Francisco State Saturday didn’t knock them out of the California Collegiate Athletic Association [CCAA] Men’s Basketball Tournament. Humboldt was the last team to guarantee their spot as the eighth and final seed in the tournament.

    In the tournament Humboldt will face UC San Diego, the number one seed.

    In their only meeting this season Humboldt lost 67-88. UCSD finished the season with a 17-3 conference record which saw them named CCAA Regular Season Champions.

    The Lumberjacks who finished the season with a 7-13 conference record are the defending tournament champions.

    In their last game of the season the storyline was similar to that of many other games this season. The Lumberjacks started strong and kept the game close until halftime, then the game slipped away from them at the start of the second half. The Jacks were down five at the half, but a quick start by SF State saw that margin jump to 22 with 12 and a half minutes remaining.

    “Something about us coming out of the locker room at halftime has been a struggle often this season,” head men’s coach Steve Kinder said. “And obviously this late in the year we haven’t found out the magic or the remedy of that problem.”

    Coach Kinder is looking to find a new halftime speech for the Jacks upcoming game against UC San Diego.

    “I need to throw away my halftime speeches,” Coach Kinder said. “If we are playing on tuesday night I need to come up with a new halftime speech for at least one more game.”

    Tyras Rattler Jr., 21, is powering through the defense while teammate Jeryn Lucas,24, trailing Rattler to finish the play. | Juan Herrera

    Despite the large deficit, the jacks were able to cut down SF State’s lead to 12 point by the end of the game, in large part due to the three point shooting from freshman Tyler Green.

    Green shot 9-14 from behind the three point line and finished the night with a career high 28 points. Green’s nine three-pointers was a season high for the lumberjacks.

    Moving forward the Lumberjacks will need to find a way to keep themselves in games during the second half. Green believes that a more positive and confident approach could fix the issues the Jacks have had in the second half of games.

    “Just keep our heads up, next play, when they started their run there was 18 minutes left so that’s a lot of basketball left,” Green said, “if we kept our heads up, next play, we would be solid that’s all you can think.”

    Going into the final game coach Kinder had talked to his team about finishing the season with a solid win to set the foundation for a potential tournament run.

    “We didn’t play either half at that level that we need to be at for next tuesday,” Coach Kinder said.

    Despite the loss Coach Kinder found positives in the way the team kept playing and battling back against the second ranked SF State team. Looking forward to the tournament Coach Kinder thinks the Jacks can be successful if their key players are able to step up and play big.

    According to Coach Kinder, for the Lumberjacks to have a strong postseason they will have to rely on Nikhil Lizotte’s ability to shoot three pointers and Jack Kaub’s facilitating. The Jacks will also rely on Calvin Young II and Will Taylor’s rebounding and toughness.

    “If Tyler Green plays like that and Tyras [Rattler Jr.] plays like he did earlier this season,” Coach Kinder said, “and Malik [Morgan] plays like he did and leads this team like he did to last years championship, I like our chances.”

  • Humboldt Hogs ready for redemption

    Humboldt Hogs ready for redemption

    By | Andre Hascall

    Men’s lacrosse player Shane Hayes played one of his best games so far, being awarded with Humboldt’s player of the game sledgehammer on Feb.25. Despite losing 13-3 to  Sierra Nevada College at their home field, Humboldt State Men’s Lacrosse, otherwise known as the Humboldt Hogs, still has hope for the season.

    “We’ll be in playoffs,”Hayes said.

    The Hogs stand at a 2-3 record overall, but their record in league matches is 1-1. Head coach Tony Silvaggio was

    Logan Salcuni walking off the field after defending a score from his opponents of Sierra Nevada. | Juan Herrera

    looking forward to the season immediately after the game.

    “If things work out, we’re going to see them again,” Silvaggio said.

    With a loss, it is important to look at what you can improve on. Two of the Humboldt Hogs defenders, Logan Salcuni and Matt Lopez, know which part of their game they would like to work on prior to the next match.

    “All day, everyday practice,” Salcuni said. “I feel like we have to communicate in a positive way, and no shitty shots.”

    Salcuni wants to switch the focus over to lots of work with an emphasis on taking shots at the net at the right time.

    “Work on the basics, passing and catching and definitely conditioning,” Lopez said.

    The hogs look forward to a chance to play Sierra Nevada, who were last season’s champions, again as there are high tensions between the two teams. Sierra Nevada seemed to have talk more trash than the amount of goals they scored.

    “These guys are wealthy and they recruit, they think they are D-1 [Division One] but they’re not,” Lopez said.

    The Hogs will be getting the month off after the loss, giving them plenty of time to improve before going on to play University of the Pacific on April 1. in Stockton, Calif. This is followed by a match against UC Davis the day after on April 2., at Davis.

    The Humboldt Hogs next home game will be on April 15., against San Jose State, on the College Creek Field at 1 p.m.

  • Men’s Basketball control their own destiny heading into final game of the regular season.

    Men’s Basketball control their own destiny heading into final game of the regular season.

    by Curran Daly

    Calvin Young II dunks late in the game against Sonoma State. | Curran Daly

    Humboldt State’s 65-56 loss to Sonoma State on February 23, creates a win and in situation for the Lumberjacks heading into the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA).

    The Lumberjacks started strong jumping out to a 13-3 lead in the first five minutes of the game. The Jacks were able to keep their 10 point lead throughout the half leading 39-29 at the half.

    “We almost scored 40 points in the first half,” Coach Steve Kinder said, “so it was about us scoring and being able to play free against their regionally touted defence.”

    Despite the great first half, the Lumberjacks were not able to close out the game with a win. In the second half Sonoma State’s defence was able to hold the Lumberjacks to just 17 points.

    “We played tentative, non aggressive, nonchalant basketball,” Coach Kinder said, “and for some reason we took a step back on our heels and lost confidence.”

    The Lumberjacks committed 24 personal fouls and sent Sonoma State to the line 31 times. The high number of fouls meant that the Lumberjacks were forced to rotate their squad. Leaving the team missing key members, like Redshirt Sophomore Tyras Rattler Jr, as the game began to wind down.

    “We had a lot of fouls and they just capitalized on offense,” Rattler said, “and we wasn’t making shots in the second half.”

    The loss left the Lumberjacks with a 7-12 conference record and 13-14 overall record. The Lumberjacks currently sit in 8th place in the conference just on the edge of making the CCAA tournament.

    One game behind Cal State Los Angeles, 8-11, and one game ahead of Cal State San Bernardino,7-12, the Lumberjacks can control their future with a win. If the Lumberjacks win their next game against San Francisco State, 15-4, they will guarantee their spot in the tournament. If the Lumberjacks lose their next game they could miss out on the tournament if San Bernardino were to defeat Cal State Dominguez Hills, 10-9.

    The Lumberjacks play San Francisco State at 7:30 p.m. Saturday 25 in the Lumberjack Arena.

  • Green and Gold Open Kicks Off Track Season

    Green and Gold Open Kicks Off Track Season

    By Keaundrey Clark

    Grace Hall, HSU sprinter, running her hardest on her second lap during the women’s 800 meter race on Saturday Feb. 18, 2017. | Juan Herrera

    Humboldt State’s track and field began the 2017 season with the annual Green and Gold Open Saturday at the Redwood Bowl.

    The intrasquad scrimmage, which hosts visitors from College of the Redwoods and local participants, gave the Lumberjacks an opportunity to tune up before the Kim Duyst Invitational in Turlock, Calif., on March 4.

    HSU’s Gold Teams won the event  versus the Green Teams. The Gold Women outscored the Green Women 45-35 and the Gold Men narrowly beat the Green Men 33-29. The top three finishers in each event were awarded points with first place earning 4 points, second place 2 points and third place 1 point.

    Highlights of the event included the return of decathlete Teigan Eilers. Eilers finished first in the long jump and javelin, second in the 400m dash and fourth in the discus. His 7.18m distance in the long jump was his personal best, while his 56.69m toss in the javelin is one of the top eight performances in program history. Eilers returned from an injury that cost him the 2016 season.

    After representing the Green and Gold at NCAA Outdoor Nationals last season, Alyssabeth DeJerez showed she was ready to return  this season with Saturday’s times. DeJerez earned first place finishes in the 200m dash (24.96) and the 800m (2:17.49),

    Tatiana Gillick and Dustyn Salomon were top finishers in the women’s and men’s 3200m races, respectively. Marissa McCay held the top spot in the javelin, 100m hurdles and high jump and second in the 200m dash and shot put.

  • Winning in Intramurals takes friends

    Winning in Intramurals takes friends

    By Curran Daly

    True teammates, Diego Padilla gets his shoe tied by his teammate during a recent intramural game. | Curran Daly

    If you grew up playing sports then you might find it difficult to give them up once you start college. Intramural sports offer a way to keep playing sports and meet new people. Logan Ashdale, a junior recreation administration major, and his intramural volleyball team won last semester’s A league championship. Last season’s championship was Ashdale’s team’s second win in successive semesters. This season they’ll be looking for their third championship in a row.

    “We’ve won the last two semesters,” Ashdale said. “I just love it, obviously I want to keep winning, but if I can just be on the court for one extra night I might as well.”

    Ashdale grew up up playing volleyball. He joined the club team when he got to Humboldt. He started to play intramurals as a way to be on the court one more night a week.

    “I was originally playing on someone else’s team and then I had a bunch of new friends from the club team and I wanted to have my own team and run it the way I wanted,” Ashdale said. “I recruited all my friends and a lot of them happen to be really good and that’s how it got started.”

    The best teams are often the teams that play together well and that comes from the relationships within the team.

    “You gotta find people that you’ll play well with on the court, and I think it’s important to build those friendships on the court,” Ashdale said.

    Friendships can be developed on and off the court. Diego Padilla is a senior geography major who has been playing soccer with the same group of friends since the first semester of his freshman year.

    “My first day here at HOP [Humboldt orientation program] I met some friends and we played soccer every day since that first day of HOP,” Padilla said. “We heard of intramurals and we made a team and we’ve been playing together since first semester freshman year. We’ve grown closer and closer and we’re still playing today.”

    Playing with the same group of people multiple times a week can create strong bonds and friendship. While, they struggled through their first few seasons, they continued playing and eventually started winning.

    “Every year we picked up someone new and got better and better and it just clicked and we started winning,” Padilla said. Padilla’s teams last semester did very well.

    “All my teams won last semester.” Padilla’s experiences playing intramural soccer with his friends has left him with advice for people just starting out.

    “Don’t get discouraged when you lose, you’ll find these super good teams,” Padilla said. “Over time just keep at it and keep going you’ll find the people that work well together and win.”

    Freshman environmental studies major Leo Meza played intramural soccer in his first semester at Humboldt. He isn’t playing this semester, but he still talks to all of the friends he made playing last semester.

    “We did pretty good, a lot better than we expected,” Meza said. “And it was a lot of people who didn’t know each other and we got to meet new people that I’m still friends with now.”

    In the future Meza hopes to be on a successful team and keep his friends together.

    If you can get a group of friends together you can win and even if you lose, you’re still playing the games you love.

  • Jacks Pass

    Jacks Pass

    By Keaundrey Clark

    Jacks Pass

    Men’s Basketball

    Humboldt State men’s basketball team saw its three-game winning streak snapped this past weekend as they lost 88-67 to UC San Diego Saturday Night.

    Sophomore Nikhil Lizotte led the Jacks in scoring. He scored 19 points. Hitting four 3-pointers. Currently sitting in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, the Jacks would earn a spot in the conference playoffs if the season ended today. Home games against two of the CCAA’s top three programs await the Green and Gold. Sonoma State visits Lumberjack Arena Thursday, and HSU hosts San Francisco State for Senior Day Saturday. Fans are encouraged to wear black for Thursday’s Black Out Night promotion. Both games tip off at 7:30 p.m.

    Women’s Basketball

    Humboldt State women’s basketball fell to UC San Diego, 64-55 on Saturday in La Jolla. The Lumberjacks traded baskets with the Tritons early, and the teams were tied 15-15 at the end of the first quarter. San Diego closed the first half on a 10-2 run, and had a 31-24 lead at the break. The Tritons took advantage of their free-throw opportunities, and they converted 13-of-15 first half attempts

    Tyra Turner scored 12 of her team-high 15 points in the second half, but it wasn’t enough for the Green and Gold. The Tritons led by 10 points through three quarters and by as many as 15 points with 5:11 left in regulation.

    The Tritons shot 39.1 percent from the field and 50 percent from outside the arc. Dalayna Sampton was San Diego’s top performer with 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks. She was 7-of-9 shooting and went 5-of-5 at the free-throw line.

    Three Jacks scored in double figures, and Catharine Rees and Kindall Murie chipped in 10 points apiece.  Turner dished out a team-best six assists.

    HSU closes out the regular season in Lumberjack Arena with the first of two home games coming against Sonoma State Thursday. Fans are encouraged to wear black for the Black Out Night promotion.

    Softball

    Humboldt State softball took the No. 1 spot in this week’s National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 released last week.

    The Lumberjacks are off to a 5-0 start after traveling to Las Vegas for the Desert Stinger Tournament. HSU holds the top spot for the first time since the 2014 Week 1 poll.

  • Humboldt State Football Recruiting

    Humboldt State Football Recruiting

    By Danny Dunn

    HSU Head Football Coach Rob Smith. | Danny Dunn

    Humboldt State’s head football Coach Rob Smith understands that there is a stigma that comes with recruiting at Humboldt.

    “We address the marijuana reputation head on and say yes that element exists here, but we think it exists anywhere…and that is not who we are,” Smith said.

    Despite the stigma HSU’s football staff feels there are many reason’s for football recruits to choose to play for Humboldt.  

    “This is a football program with a proud tradition, and a solid success rate recently, seven consecutive years nationally ranked…that is what we focus on here,” Smith said.

    The recruiting process is arguably the most important part of the offseason for college football programs. With all the turnover from season to season because of graduating seniors or students transferring elsewhere for eligibility purposes, coaches need to fill the voids that are left by these departures.

    That is why Humboldt State Football is very fortunate to be returning a majority of their offensive core, including quarterback Robert Webber, running back Ja’Quan Gardner, and All-American lineman Alex Cappa.

    “There is always a good group of seniors that leave, but I feel we have a good base to build around, and we have high expectations for next season,” Cappa said.

    With the retention of the offensive core, it allows Humboldt State Football to focus primarily on the defensive side of the game when it came to recruiting.

    Linebacker Curtis Williams remembers what it was like when he went through the recruiting process.

    “It was stressful, but also exciting with the coaches showing an interest,” Williams said. “Overall I would say I enjoyed it.”

    Williams went on to say that he felt that Humboldt State was the right fit for him.

    “Out of the schools I visited with, Humboldt was the most family oriented,” Williams said. “The coaching staff really makes you feel wanted.”

    Head Football Coach Rob Smith says that recruiting is really time consuming. He relies heavily on his coaching staff to help with the process, including setting up official visitation days where the recruits and parents can come see what Humboldt has to offer.

    “I am upfront and honest with the recruits, and sell them on the athletic benefits at Humboldt State,” Smith said.

    Smith went on to say that relationships are the key to landing a recruit.

    “There’s no magic formula to it, just be yourself and develop a relationship with not only the recruit, but the recruits parents…and continually show that recruit that he is wanted at Humboldt State,” Smith said.