Humboldt Roller Derby brings the heat at Redwood Acres
Humboldt Roller Derby took on the ShEvil Dead from Bay Area Derby and Shasta Roller Derby this weekend. HRD lost the bout against the ShEvil Dead 121-171 while the second team, Root Force, picked up the win against Shasta 159-123.
Stomping Hound of the ShEvil Dead breaks through the Humboldt Roller Derby Blocker to score a pass in the first bout on Sept. 28 at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Announcer Jason Whitcomb practices addressing the crowd for a volunteer recruitment pitch during a brief break in the action during the first bout of a double header on Sept. 28 at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds. | Photo by Thomas Lal
The melee of a jam plays out during the first bout of a doubleheader as Humboldt Roller Derby takes on the ShEvil Dead from San Francisco on Sept. 28 at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Skaters take a brief moment to assess the situation during a bout between Humboldt Roller Derby and the visiting ShEvil Dead on Sept. 28 at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Humboldt Roller Derby’s jammer looks for a way thorough the ShEvil Dead’s blockers in the first bout of a double header on Sept. 28 at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Barry’em 6 ft under from Humboldt Roller Derby knocks Stomping Ground from the ShEvil Dead out of the track limits during the first bout of the day on Sept. 28 at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds. | Photo by Thomas Lal
For those unfamiliar with roller derby, each team has five players on the track each with a jammer designated by a star on their helmet. In order to score, a team’s jammer must make it past the opponent’s blockers. The bout on Saturday was HRD’s second to last event for the season with their final event scheduled for October 19 at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds.
Skaters work their way around the track during a jam in the second bout of a doubleheader between Root Force and Shasta Roller Derby on Sept. 28 at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds. | Photo by Thomas Lal
California Senator Mike McGuire helps present a donation check from Humboldt Roller Derby to Humboldt Animal Rescue Team during intermission on Sept. 28 at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds. McGuire was in the area making the rounds that weekend and was a suprise presence. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Root Force Jammer Atreyu accelerates away from Shasta Roller Derby’s blockers as she scores a pass in the second match of a doubleheader on Sept. 28 at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Root Force jammer Ossifrage (88) makes her way though the Shasta Roller Derby’s blockers on the way to a scoring pass in the first second bout of a doubleheader on Sept. 28 at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Jacks win both games on Saturday but postpone Sunday games due to weather
The Humboldt State club baseball team was scheduled to play a doubleheader on both Saturday and Sunday at the Arcata Ballpark. They swept their doubleheader on Saturday under sunny skies, but wet and cold weather conditions on Sunday forced the Jacks to cancel the rest of the home-stand after only playing two and a half innings.
The fall season is about development and chemistry building before the team begins its competitive season in spring, but the players were happy with the results of their doubleheader.
Jacks pitcher Nick Mavrolas at the top of his pitching motion. HSU baseball played a doubleheader against local teams at the Arcata Ballpark. | Photo by Liam Warner
The Jacks played two scrimmages against local teams mostly comprised of high school players from around the county, the Northern Humboldt Giants and the Humboldt Eagles. The two teams proved to be good competition for the Jacks.
Pitching and defense was the theme of the day for Saturday’s games. Nick Marvolas started game one for the Jacks against the Northern Humboldt Giants, only giving up two runs in three innings pitched.
The Jacks started scoring in the third inning when catcher Alejandro Caravalho ripped a line drive into right-center field giving the Jacks a 1-0 lead. Unfortunately, Caravalho was tagged out trying to advance to third base on the play. After the Giants took a 2-1 lead in the third inning, the Jacks responded in the fourth when Christian Amador hit an RBI single and then scored on a wild pitch to give the Jacks a 3-2 lead. In the seventh inning, Xander Gonsalves scored on a steal of home and the Jacks won game one by a score of 4-2.
Ryin Alexander in his batting stance as he waits for the pitch. HSU baseball played a doubleheader against local teams at the Arcata Ballpark. | Photo by Liam Warner
The second game of the day against the Humboldt Eagles followed a similar pattern.
Caravalho started the game on the mound for the Jacks and put together a spectacular performance against the Eagles hitters. He went five innings, allowing no runs despite allowing five hits and three walks. Christian Amador pitched the last two innings, only giving up one earned run. Offensively the Jacks made the board early again and took a 1-0 lead in the second inning as Willie Cestarollo drew a walk with the bases loaded.
The Jacks added three more runs in the fourth inning with the aid of a Justin Miller triple and a Lorenzo Hernandez double. A couple of runs came across in the seventh for the Eagles, but the Jacks held on for another 4-2 win.
Shortstop Christian Amador heads for third base. HSU baseball played a doubleheader against local teams at the Arcata Ballpark. | Photo by Liam Warner
On Sunday, in the typical Humboldt spirit and despite the downpours and the chilly weather, the Jacks attempted to play their first game against the Humboldt B52’s. After two and a half innings, the weather conditions forced the teams to cancel the rest of the day’s action.
Despite their homestand getting cut short, the Jacks were happy to be out on the field playing. For Jacks’ first baseman Chris Friedley, who grew up in Humboldt County, being able to play on the same field that he watched his baseball heroes play on when he was growing up made the whole experience special.
“I’ve been playing on this field since sophomore year of high school,” Friedley said. “Having my family be able to come out and watch, honestly it’s a gift.”
Men and women’s rugby play against former players during alumni game
Humboldt State’s alumni rugby games began with women’s teams. To advance during plays, players must use their upper body strength to block others and throw the ball.
During the first half, HSU student and kinesiology major Libby Treu helped her team gain yards, but defensive plays and staggering hits from the alumni team prevented the students from making points.
Hannah French (left) and Libby Treu pose for a photo during the alumni game halftime on Sept. 28. | Photo by Alberto Muro
During the second half, HSU junior Zelaya Ceja attempted to make a recovery during a kick-off. She managed to gain momentum and maneuver around the alumni defense, but multiple alumni players closed in on Ceja and thwarted her possession of the ball which allowed a recovery for the alumna.
Libby Treu maneuvering through the defensive HSU Alumni team on Sept. 28 during the women’s match. | Photo by Alberto Muro
Hannah French taking on Zelaya Ceja during the Annual Alumni Rugby Game on Sept. 28. | Photo by Alberto Muro
A fight for possession ends on the ground during the women’s rugby game on Sept. 28. | Photo by Alberto Muro
HSU alumni loses possession during the first half of the women’s alumni rugby match on Sept. 28. | Photo by Alberto Muro
HSU Junior Zelaya Ceja taking on alumna players during the Sept. 28 women’s match. | Photo by Alberto Muro
Multiple occasions of yards gained and ball possession helped the alumni seal a concluding victory over the students. A loss for one team did not diminish the clubs spirit. After the game, they lined up for a traditional handshake and got together.
When asked, Treu said she took the game as a learning experience.
“The alumni always win,” Treu said. “That’s part of it, but this is the best game of the year because we learn from it.”
The women’s rugby season doesn’t start until spring 2020. For now, they look forward to training and fixing problems they encountered during the game against former players.
Some alumna keep in touch with the younger generation of HSU players to help them work on their plays. Rugby is a tough sport, and HSU women’s player Hailey French knows that tackling is crucial.
“I’m definitely pleased with the alumni today,” French said. “I’m impressed with the girls too, but they need to work on their tackling.”
HSU alum Seth Perez (’07) before the men’s match begins on Sept. 28. | Photo by Patrick McGown
Volunteer Forward Coach Nate Whittington (HSU alum ’01) during the pregame speech on Sept. 28. | Photo by Patrick McGown
Volunteer Coach Nate Whittington (’01) makes a hard tackle during the first half of the men’s alumni rugby game on Sept. 28. | Photo by Patrick McGown
Adonnis Johnson kicks the Gilbert toward opposition during the alumni men’s rugby game on Sept. 28. | Photo by Patrick McGown
Tumanako Te’i breaks a hard tackle during the alumni men’s match on Sept. 28. | Photo by Patrick McGown
Delivering hits the right way ensures that players do not experience injuries early on in the game.
During the men’s game, alumni Ricky Gomero gained possession of the ball and moved his team down the field. It was another well-executed run and pass technique that seemed endless before the students delivered a hit causing the alumni to lose possession.
In what looked like a stack of bodies piling up, the fight for possession of the ball continued as both teams delivered hits.
HSU senior and psychology major Glenn Denning was injured during the play, but instead of worrying about his foot he quickly had it wrapped up and went back onto the field.
Glenn Denning gets patched up before heading back onto the field to finish the rugby alumni game on Sept 28. | Photo by Alberto Muro
While the alumnus put up a fight, they eventually fell to the students. After the game, they lined up for handshakes and shared advice with one another.
“Rugby is a lot of chemistry base,” Denning said. “It’s all about cohesion and commodity as a team. You gotta know where your partner is gonna be at.”
Positive team chemistry has an impact on any sport. Rugby can be tough, but a clear head is what makes the experience enjoyable.
(From left to right) Cameron Whitney Jr, Ricky Gomero (alum ’18) and Chris Armstrong after the men’s alumni rugby game on Sept. 28. | Photo by Patrick McGown
Gomero graduated last year, but his dedication to return for an alumni game drove him to play hard and have fun. Before the match, Gomero was in Colorado playing in the Aspen Ruggerfest 52nd Annual Rugby Tournament.
“I just got done playing the Ruggerfest in Aspen last week,” Gomero said. “I figured I needed to come and give the boys support.”
Gomero plans to head back to the University of Boulder to pursue his graduate degree in law. He also gave some advice to all future graduates of HSU, to make sure to live life and love it.
Part 1: It’s a solo sports show this week to start things off! Set loose by scheduling mishaps, Thomas takes a look at Jacks sports performances from the week and looks at what is on the horizon for the upcoming days in local athletics.
Part 2: The San Jose Sharks preseason is discussed briefly along with possible lines for opening night and Elliott drops in to save everybody from repetitive rambling! We also talk a little about the upcoming MLB playoffs and discuss the Oakland A’s/Seattle Mariners series to round off the regular season.
Part 3: We talk about the passing of local running coach legend Jim Hunt and dig deeper into the playoff picture for baseball. On the topic of Seattle we discuss possible names for the city’s future NHL team and Muro joins us straight from class to wrap things up with a little more local talk.
Women’s and men’s soccer win big, cross country performs well in Oregon and volleyball faces some tough competition at home
This past week was successful for Humboldt State Athletics. The women’s soccer team soundly defeated the visiting William Jessup Warriors 4-0 in the friendly confines of College Creek Field. Men’s soccer traveled to Redding and kept their goal scoring barrage going with a 5-1 win over Simpson University. Cross Country traveled to Monmouth, Oregon and reached excellent individual numbers with both the men’s and women’s teams finishing in fourth place. Volleyball started their CCAA conference schedule at home in Lumberjack Arena, winning the first match and then losing the next two to some very tough competition.
Tuesday’s press conference at Lumberjack Arena featured comments from all of the head coaches and selected athletes from each sport.
Women’s Soccer
The Jacks played their home opener on Saturday and played effectively against the visiting William Jessup Warriors. The tone was set early in the match when senior midfielder Lindsay Stoner scored just three minutes in. From there, the Jacks never relinquished control of the game.
Even though, to the untrained eye, there was not much fault in the game for the Jacks, Head Coach Paul Karver noticed that after scoring the first goal his players were losing a bit of focus.
“We had a conversation at halftime about we need to play our style, and we need to have a real identity and we need to get back to that,” Karver said. “And that was a challenge because everyone is trying to do more and get on the scoreboard.”
Men’s Soccer
Right now, the Jacks seem like an offensive force that is going to be very hard to stop. In the last two games the Jacks have outscored their opponents 10-2 and overall this season they are already averaging almost four goals per game. Head Coach Fred Jungemann was happy with the results of his team thus far. He feels that his team is ready for the tough CCAA conference which begins on Friday as the Jacks take on Sonoma State in Rohnert Park.
“Certainly the preseason has helped and brought us to a level of confidence,” Jungemann said. “We’re going to this game on Friday with a self-belief that we can step on the field and compete with anybody we play against whether we score five goals or not.”
Cross Country
In addition to both cross country teams finishing in fourth place, the Jacks had some standout performances. For the men, it was Daniel Tull who finished second in the race and earned himself an all CCAA award for the second time this season. For the women it was Cessair McKinney who had the standout performance for the Jacks, finishing seventh and earning herself student-athlete of the week.
The men’s team also earned an 8th place NCAA regional ranking based on their recent performances and for freshman runner Finn Tyvoll the ranking is a validation of the team’s success.
“It’s fantastic because it shows how much work we’re putting in,” Tyvoll said. “It’s worth it because of the grind and putting Humboldt on the map.”
Volleyball
The Jacks volleyball team went 1-2 on their opening homestand at Lumberjack Arena last week. They won their home opener 3-1 against Cal State Monterey Bay in front of a packed crowd. The next night, the Jacks lost 1-3 to the nationally ranked Cal Poly Pamona Bronco’s. A significant challenge was presented to the Jacks on Saturday as the No. 1 team in the nation, Cal State San Bernardino, played at Lumberjack Arena and swept the Jacks 3-0.
Despite the daunting task, Head Coach Kelly Wood was not phased by the level of competition that CSU San Bernardino presented.
“Overall we went into it very loose, understanding that the pressure is always on the team that’s expected to win,” Wood said. “I think we could have competed harder than we did and maybe we could have played a little better and taken a few more points off of them, but there’s always room for improvement.”
Featuring: Thomas Lal, Deion Alston, Albert Muro, Skye Kimya and Elliott Portillo
Part 1: We talk about Humboldt State sports from the week including the volleyball team’s first conference win at home. We also discuss the men’s and women’s soccer team away games. At the end of the segment, conversation turns to international sports and we talk about the U.S. women’s national team.
Part 2: We discuss the start of the NHL preseason with a focus on the San Jose Sharks and LA Kings while brining any non-hockey fans up to date on the rivalry between the Sharks and the Las Vegas Golden Knights. We also address the IIHF’s banning of Evgeny Kuznetsov for four years compared to the NHL’s three game ban for illegal substance use.
Part 3: After waiting on the topic last week, we finally delve into the Antonio Brown saga and attempt to understand exactly what went wrong in Oakland and how on earth the Patriots keep getting better and better. We also talk about week two performances around the NFL and our favorite teams.
Part 4: In the debrief section of the show we talk a little baseball with playoffs just around the corner. We also discuss Bruce Bochy’s 2000th career win as a manager and the Humboldt Crabs Alumni who made it to the MLB.
Jacks make it look easy as they beat William Jessup 4-0 at home
It was a moment of glory for Humboldt State women’s soccer as they shut out the William Jessup Warriors and collected their first win. After a rough start to the season, the Jacks found a way to turn their errors around and create game winning plays.
Three minutes into the first half was all it took for midfielder Lindsay Stoner to score the opening goal. This scoring opportunity gave midfielder Sabine Postma a chance to capitalize on a second goal minutes later. Jacks held a 2-0 lead just five minutes into the game.
Since the start of the season, the Jacks have outshot every opponent but have come up short on finishing for a goal. Midfielder Pikake Hix produced six shots on goal and scored during the second half, putting the Jacks at a 3-0 lead.
“I think we’ve always been able to build well as a team,” Hix said. “We just haven’t been able to finish.”
HSU forward #4 Kendal Spencer tries for a standing tackle on the William Jessup. | Photo by Liam Warner
HSU midfielder #7 Rose Hartman sizes up the Jessup defender. | Photo by Liam Warner
HSU midfielder #16 Sabine Postma takes on the William Jessup defender. | Photo by Liam Warner
Warriors’ goalkeeper Camile Cavey put forth a valiant effort of 13 saves, but it was not enough to sway her team’s morale to overcome the onslaught of the Jacks’ offensive line.
“We knew we had to come out hard,” Hix said. “Especially for our first home-opener, we were excited. We wanted to keep the momentum up.”
It was all quiet on the western front for Jacks’ goalkeeper Katelin Talbert. The effectiveness of their offense ensured that the Warriors would struggle to keep the ball out of their zone.
With the second half winding down, the final goal came from Jacks’ midfielder Rose Harman. The Jacks now held a 4-0 lead over the Warriors. Harman pointed out that an important strategy of the game was to capitalize on the momentum.
“We had more of an attacking mentality especially coming into the second half,” Harman said. “We knew we needed more goals and wanted more goals. So playing positive instead of negatively and just finding the pockets to play the ball was definitely our strategy.”
Jessup forward #44 Abigail House takes on HSU midfielder #16 Sabine Postma. | Photo by Liam Warner
HSU midfielder Rose Harmon looks for her next move as she takes the ball up the field. | Photo by Liam Warner
HSU midfielder Pikake Hix sends a cross into the penalty box with a Jessup defender in front of her. | Photo by Liam Warner
After the game, head coach Paul Karver spoke with his players about their performance against William Jessup. He was satisfied with overcoming a scoring deficit that the team has experienced in their last games, but most importantly he enjoyed letting all his players get play time. However, Karver didn’t ignore the fact that too many opportunities for goals were overlooked.
“When you have as much goal creating production as we have I think we need to do a better job at finishing the opportunities,” Karver said. “We spent the last year and a half really reworking the system to create these opportunities for the players, and it’s something that’s difficult.”
Women’s soccer will play their next game at College Creek Field against San Francisco State University. This recent win has created momentum for the team to capitalize on, and for players like Rose Harman, they look forward to competing against SFSU.
HSU forward Erin Siegel #2 gets a shot off as she is draped by Jessup defenders. | Photo by Liam Warner
#14 Selena Osorio leads the attack for the Jacks in the second half. | Photo by Liam Warner
#16 Sabine Postma and #22 Pikake Hix celebrate after the Jacks scored to go up 4-0 and seal the win. | Photo by Liam Warner
“We need to keep the attacking mentality like I said in this game during the second half,” Harman said. “They’re a good team and it’s gonna be a challenge, but we’re up for it.”
HSU Volleyball hopes to rest up after losing to CSUSB 40-19
The Humboldt State volleyball team saw their current homestand end Saturday night with a loss to the number-one-ranked team in the nation, Cal State San Bernardino.
Outside hitter Summer Hansen knocks the ball across the net towards the opposition during Humboldt State’s match against CSUSB on Sept. 21 at Lumberjack Arena. | Photo by Thomas Lal
The Jacks lost all three sets and were out-killed 40-19 by the Coyotes on a night where they struggled to find a way to crack CSUSB’s tall front line. Humboldt’s scoring leader for the night was sophomore Lenox Loving, who managed to put up eight kills. Loving was followed by Lexi Riggs and Summer Hansen who had four kills apiece.
The Coyotes established the tempo of the match early on in the first set, scoring quickly and often. The Jacks were outworked on several occasions and were only able to score 10 points to CSUSB’s 25. Another contributing factor was a handful of unforced errors when it came to passing the ball, which resulted in giving up several scoring opportunities for the Jacks.
Outside hitter Lenox Loving delivers a ball across the net during Humboldt State’s match against Cal State San Bernardino on Sept. 21 at Lumberjack Arena. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Coach Kelly Wood made some rotation adjustments throughout the second set. She hoped to help the team find a way past the Coyote’s tough defense. The changes had some success as the Jacks improved to 13 points but CSUSB still took the set with 25 points.
In the final set of the evening, Humboldt State slightly improved as they moved up to 15 points, but CSUSB still took it with 25 points. The Jacks seemed determined to put up a fight, capitalizing on more scoring opportunities and maintaining a roughly five-point gap through the middle stages of the set before falling back.
The Humboldt State volleyball team encourage each other after being scored on in their match against Cal State Bernardino at Lumberjack Arena on Sept. 21. | Photo by Thomas Lal
Redshirt sophomore Carla Crespo recorded five digs for the Jacks. Crespo was disappointed that the Jacks didn’t perform better but made it clear that the team was strong enough to rebound from the loss.
“I think our team is a really resilient team,” Crespo said. “We do whatever we can to try to support each other, we’re pretty close-knit. It can be hard when there’s a really good team, but I think we do a good job at playing together. We win together and we lose together.”
Volleyball head coach Kelly wood talks with her players during a short time-out during Humboldt State’s match against Cal State San Bernardino on Sept. 21 at Lumberjack Arena. | Photo by Thomas Lal
After the match Head Coach Kelly Wood felt that her team had been somewhat worn down by the Coyotes defense and she was slightly disappointed at the lack of change to effectively adapt to the pace of the game.
“We were getting blocked a lot,” Wood said. “They were big, and they were a presence at the net. Our girls were kind of scratching their heads a little bit trying to figure out how to put balls away against them. It tends to wear on you a little bit when you’re getting blocked over and over, but I just want to see them stay aggressive, keep swinging high and mixing up shots here and there.”
Outside hitter Lenox Love serves the ball during the third and final set during Humboldt State’s match against CSUSB on Sept. 21 at Lumberjack Arena. | Photo by Thomas Lal
After a lengthy stint of games that saw the Jacks compete in four matches over seven days, Coach Wood hopes to use the week in between their next game to allow athletes to recover.
“We haven’t had an opportunity to heal or just get through soreness because we’ve been on such a marathon of matches,” Wood said. “I’m excited for the girls to get some rest and come back strong next week.”
A look at what Charles Leclerc’s win did for the 2019 season
Ferrari may only have an outside chance of winning the Formula 1 championship this year, but fans of the longest-tenured team in the sport cheered plenty as Charles Leclerc crossed the line first at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. In his first season with the team, Leclerc took his second career and consecutive win, giving Ferrari their first home win in almost 10 years.
Formula 1 is the top category of open-wheel motorsport supported by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and races internationally in 21 different countries. The current grid features 10 teams, most of which are based in Britain. Each team runs two cars for each race with championship points being scored in the top 10 positions and fastest race lap. Front-running teams like Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull Racing Honda are currently spending anywhere between $315 million and $410 million per season to stay competitive.
Since a shift to turbo-hybrid V6 engines in 2014, the Mercedes F1 team has been dominant, winning eight combined drivers and constructor’s championships. This has left fans of Ferrari in a painful situation, watching their team lose time and time again. Italian fans of Ferrari are also known as the Tifosi, and the recent pecking order had deprived them and Formula 1 of Ferrari success at the legendary Monza circuit only two hours away from their Italian factory in Maranello.
The win for Ferrari at the 2019 Italian Grand Prix is more important than just another win for the Italian automaker. There has been a sense of dissatisfaction with F1 over the past few years due to Mercedes being mostly untouchable. This was not the case when Leclerc won in Italy this season though. Social media accounts relating to F1 blew up as Ferrari fans and the motorsports community celebrated the 21-year-old winning in front of the Tifosi.
The race itself was exciting, with wheel-to-wheel battles happening all over the track. Leclerc proved himself in an outright fight against four-time champion Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas in a series of moves that toed the line between legal and penalty-inducing. This was perfect in a gutsy on-track performance that had the fans present cheering all day. The strategic aspect of the race kept fans on the edge of their seats wondering who would come out on top after all the pit stops had been completed.
While the race was a spectacle, the podium celebrations were where it became clear that this Grand Prix will likely go down in F1 history. The loyal Tifosi flooded the track below the podium in a sea of scarlet smoke and flags. The cheers only grew louder as the champion of the Italian fans stepped onto the top step punching the air in victory. Leclerc’s win may be heralded as the start of a legacy in F1, but even if Hamilton goes on to claim the championship Ferrari fans will remember the 2019 season because of this win.
Volleyball bounced back, women’s soccer took a loss and cross country preps for an upcoming meet in Oregon
As Humboldt State sports fans wait for Jacks games to return to College Creek Field and Lumberjack Arena, the volleyball and soccer teams competed along the West Coast and beyond. Volleyball suffered an initial setback at the West Region Showcase in San Francisco, but bounced back with two wins. Women’s soccer managed a loss and a draw in Portland and men’s soccer traveled to Billings, Montana and won both of their games. Cross Country did not compete last week, but they are training for their upcoming meet in Monmouth, OR.
The weekly HSU Athletics press conference at Lumberjack Arena featured comments from the coaches and chosen players from each sport.
Volleyball
The Jacks traveled home from San Francisco with a 2-2 record. Thursday brought a doubleheader loss to both San Francisco State and Cal State Dominguez Hills, both by a score of 3 sets to 1. Friday and Saturday proved to be much better, as the Jacks swept Fresno Pacific and Dominican 3 sets to 0.
Outside Hitter Lenox Loving scored 60 kills in the four matches, earning her HSU student-athlete of the week honors. She talked about how the team chemistry and energy have improved over last season, with the benefit of the team returning ten players from last year’s squad.
“Even when we lost everyone was working hard,” Loving said. “I think it’s just that the team chemistry is so much better this year, and everyone has the same attitude of working hard and getting the job done.”
Cross Country
The Jacks weren’t in competition this week; however, they were still hard at work as they prepare for their upcoming competition at the Sundowner Invitational in Monmouth this weekend. Head Coach Jamey Harris talked about the team’s preparation and what to expect with the course in Monmouth.
“We’ve been training hard out in the marsh and in the forest trying to make ourselves better,” Harris said.
He also talked about the course that the Jacks are going to race this Friday, saying it is milder than the home course in Arcata and he expects times to be faster.
“It’s almost all grass, so it’s similar to our home meet,” Harris said. “It’s not nearly as hilly, but most of it is not entirely flat.”
Men’s Soccer
The long days of air travel paid off for the Jacks in Montana, as they swept their road trip and won both games convincingly. On Friday they beat MSU-Billings 2-0, and things only progressed as they put the University of Mary away with ease in a 5-1 win on Sunday. The Jacks made history in the second game as Isaiah Dairo scored just 10 seconds into the match, which broke a team record for the fastest goal in a game. Dairo took us through the process of the goal that started at the opening whistle and how he noticed the defenders playing farther away from their own goal.
“From the start, we had seen that they were playing a high line,” Dairo said. “My teammate Dalton Rice plays a fantastic ball, and it took maybe two touches at most.”
Women’s Soccer
The Jacks are still searching for their first win. Their trip Portland included a 3-1 loss to Concordia and a 0-0 tie in double overtime to Saint Martin’s. Head Coach Paul Karver talked about the need to finish their chances, as the team only had two goals on 63 shot attempts over the two games. He also discussed the pressure on the team as they search for their first win.
“It’s a big old gorilla on the back and the girls feel the weight,” Karver said. “It’s just that in that final moment we’re not making the right decision.”
Cross country dominated at home, volleyball won two of three games and soccer had mixed results
The Humboldt State men’s and women’s cross country teams stood out at the Baywood Golf and Country Club on Sept. 6, while women’s soccer lost on the road and men’s soccer started the season with a 1-1 record. The volleyball team won two out of their three games at the Toro Classic in Carson, CA.
The HSU cross country team performed well in front of the home crowd as they walked away with sweeping wins in men’s and women’s competition. Senior Daniel Tull took first place for the Lumberjack men, and freshman Hannah Hartwell nabbed first place for the HSU women.
The HSU volleyball team lost their first match in Carson against Cal St. Dominguez Hills (3-0), but were able to bounce back with sequential wins against Academy of Art (3-0) and Notre Dame De Namur (3-2).
Women’s soccer went 0-1-1 on their Bay Area road trip, losing to Academy of Art (2-0) and tying against Notre Dame De Namur (1-1). Men’s soccer was able to go 1-1 on their San Rafael road trip, pulling off a comeback win against Dominican (4-3) in overtime and falling to Holy Names (3-2).
At the Sept. 10 HSU Athletics press conference, each coach and player from their respective sport spoke on their team’s performance and looked ahead to upcoming matches.
Cross Country
Head Coach Jamey Harris was ecstatic about his team’s performance in front of the home crowd at Baywood, and it helped that the Jacks had a supportive home crowd behind them. Harris noted the fact that HSU President Tom Jackson was in attendance, along with several members of the local running community.
“I couldn’t have asked for the season to start any better,” Harris said. “This was sort of an early-season meet just to see where we are at as we go into more specific training.”
Harris also talked about how important it was to the team that the community came out to support and noted how it works both ways, with the team also wanting to contribute back to the community.
“It shows our runners that the community cares and that the campus cares,” Harris said. “It helps them see the value in investing their time in the community, and it becomes a great cooperative relationship that way.”
The cross country team has a little more than a week to train and prepare before they make their way up to Monmouth, Oregon for the Sundowner Invitational on Sept. 20.
Volleyball
Head Coach Kelly Wood was happy about the Jacks bouncing back after losing the first match against Dominguez Hills. Wood talked about the unforced errors that the team made, but also acknowledged that the season had just started.
“We absolutely looked like a team playing its very first match of the season against Dominguez Hills that first night,” Wood said. “We made 36 hitting errors. That’s an insane amount of hitting errors, and that’s a recipe for disaster.”
Despite a rough first match, the Jacks were able to steal wins against their next two opponents at the Toro Classic. According to junior outside hitter Lexi Riggs who had the second-most kills during the classic with 37, the group raised their energy level for those next two matches.
“Everybody stepped up,” Riggs said. “Every single person on the team stepped up and got themselves going. I think what turned it around for us was the energy.”
The volleyball team will travel to the West Region Showcase in San Francisco for matches Sept. 12-14.
Men’s Soccer
The Jacks had a mixed weekend against Dominican and Holy Names, but the win against Dominican was a season opener that many on the team won’t forget anytime soon.
Going into the 53rd minute, the Jacks trailed 3-1. They were able to score twice and force overtime, and then defender Gus Baxter drew a foul in the penalty box and buried the game-winning goal to complete the comeback.
Baxter gave credit to his teammates for putting him in the position to draw the game-winning penalty. He gave credit to Dalton Rice for his two clutch goals, one in the first and one in the second half of the game.
“There were a couple of good passes around the box and then all of a sudden the ball is at my feet,” Baxter said. “I shoot, and it hits the guys hand. I took a deep breath, stepped up to it and buried it.”
The Jacks will get on a plane early Thursday morning and head to Billings, Montana this weekend where they will play Montana State University at Billings and the University of Mary.
Women’s Soccer
The Jacks weren’t able to get a win on their road trip, but they did get the tie in a hard-fought game against Notre Dame De Namur. Despite the results, Head Coach Paul Karver was able to see early-season improvements in the team.
“I think we saw a lot of the hard work that was put in over the offseason,” Karver said. “Going 2-0 would be super fun, but in a weird way, I’ll take where we’re at. The lessons we learned were really important, and that is what the preseason is all about.”
The Jacks will travel up to Karver’s hometown of Portland, Oregon this weekend for matches against Concordia and Saint Martin’s.
HSU Women’s Rugby trains for a new division placement and tougher opponents
An evening of practice with the Humboldt State Women’s Rugby team consisted of preparation for their first home game of the season on November 23 against Sacramento State. The team has recently moved to Division II which means this season they will be competing against 10 schools as opposed to five.
HSU athletics is no stranger when it comes to long distances of travel. Rugby athlete Libby True spoke on the recent division transition.
“I began playing during my freshman year,” True said. “We started off playing against 10 games then to six games and now back to 10.”
Having additional opponents gives the team an opportunity to capitalize on more wins and get an early lead in their division. They are making modifications to their practice routines to prepare for the extensive weeks of play against opponents they have never faced.
“We’ve never played against them, so we aren’t sure what we’re up against,” player Hanna Hartman said. “But with the way we’ve been practicing it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Despite the unknown challenge that awaits, there is no denying that the team will utilize techniques that keep their players operational. Whether it’s taking hits or falling, Hannah explained that playing efficiently is key to avoiding unwanted injuries.
Junior Zelaya Ceja throws the ball to a teammate during a touch game in practice for the women’s rughby team on September 5. | Photo by Thomas Lal
“We learned how to hit and fall properly,” Hartman said. “There’s a right way to do it safely.”
Rugby is physically demanding with frequent body collision and the occasional injuries, therefore players are encouraged to work on their endurance to take hits routinely.
Claire Branson has played rugby for three years at HSU and provided her input on avoiding injuries.
“Keep your core muscles strong, when you get tackled it’s a lot of core strength,” Branson said. “Make sure it’s tight, so you’re not pulling muscles.”
During practice, players utilize precautions to ensure safety. When playing an impact sport like rugby, building endurance is essential.
Safety Officer and player Janay Aoga has high expectations with endurance training, since it lands on days that players invest their time working out.
“On our conditioning days we focus on staying strong and fast because fit rugby is fun rugby,” Aoga said.
A sport can’t be fun if there’s no one around to play, but it’s a different tone when it comes to the HSU women’s rugby team. Their love for the sport shines through their resilience and determination.
Part 1: We discuss the opening seasons of competition for Humboldt State sports including cross country, volleyball and soccer. We also provide an update on HSU basketball alumni Justin Everett’s move to professional basketball in the Republic of Georgia.
Part 2: With hockey season just around the corner we recap the San Jose Shark’s 2019 playoff finish and offseason. We also talk free agency with the Sharks’ losing Captain Joe Pavelski, and give our thoughts on the re-signing of Defenseman Erik Karlsson as well as Timo Meir and Kevin Labanc.
Part 3: Conversation turns to the start of the NFL season and the teams we support. We talk about some of the more notable scorelines form the weekend. We also dip into some NCAA news, with California attempting to pass a bill that would see college players compensated for having their likenesses used by schools.
Part 4: In the closing segment we talk some Formula 1 off the back of the Italian Grand Prix heading into Singapore and speak about the death of Formula 2 driver Anthoine Hubert. We also address the international basketball scene with the U.S.A. being eliminated from the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
Sharks Forward Evander Kane speaks out about racism in the NHL
On August 28, the San Jose Sharks’ forward Evander Kane shared a comment, left by a fan, on his recent Instagram post. The fan was telling the 10-year National Hockey League veteran to stick to basketball. Kane stands out on the ice not only due to his physical play and scoring prowess, but also because of his ethnicity.
Kane is the only player who openly identifies as black on the Sharks roster and is one of only a handful of active black players in the NHL.
Kane responded to the post by reaffirming his belief that racism surrounding the NHL needs to be more thoroughly addressed.
“This exact thing was shouted at me in the penalty box in Denver during game 4,” Kane wrote on Instagram. “It’s racially motivated. It’s a problem in society and in sports. There is a focus on racism in football, basketball and baseball but in the hockey world it’s easier to ignore, dismiss and forget because let’s face the facts; hockey is a white sport.”
Kane’s remarks point to the fact that although the NHL was never officially segregated when it was founded, it wasn’t until 1957 when Willie O’Ree took to the ice for the Boston Bruins that a black player played. Even after O’Ree broke through the unspoken color barrier, there was never an influx of black players in the league.
“There is a focus on racism in football, basketball and baseball but in the hockey world it’s easier to ignore, dismiss and forget because let’s face the facts; hockey is a white sport.”
Evander Kane
According to a 2016 survey by TD Ameritrade, parents generally spend $100 to $499 per month on youth sports. The San Jose Junior Sharks list on their website costs of $1,800 to $6,900 for a full season of hockey depending on age that typically lasts around six months. The median income for a family household in the U.S. is approximately $77,000 per the Census Bureau while for black families, the median is only around $40,000. This adds yet another opportunity barrier for young black players to participate in youth hockey.
In addition to the upfront cost, there are constant purchases needed to maintain sporting equipment and replace broken gear. This massive price presents an additional difficulty for families in minority groups who historically may not have the disposable income to support the financial burden of hockey for their children.
If the financial support and skill are present to allow a player of color to make their way through the youth hockey system into the NHL, players tend to have experiences similar to that of Kane.
After scoring a game-winning playoff goal in 2012, Joel Ward was the subject of racial bigotry on social media. Also in 2012, two-time All-Star Wayne Simmonds had a banana thrown at him during a pre-season game in London, Ontario.
In 2018, Washington Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly was the victim of several fans chanting ‘basketball’ at him while he was in the penalty box, suggesting the black winger was in the wrong sport.
These overt displays of racism within the NHL fanbase prove that there is still a long way to go to educate and diversify fans of the sport. While some fans may complain that players are speaking about their experiences, the only way to improve matters will be through players like Kane speaking out and bringing attention to the problem.
Humboldt State runners get off on the right foot with a resounding win
The Lumberjacks kicked off their cross country season Friday, running a commanding full team effort at home for the Humboldt Invite. The race took place at the Baywood Golf Course and Country Club which offers very little flat ground for the runners. This seemed to suit the Jacks just fine as they recorded individual and team wins in the women’s and men’s races, respectively.
Rosie Melville follows CSUMB runner Brook Roy onto the main straight during the Humboldt Invite on September 6. Melville would go on to finish third for the Jacks, passing Roy who finished fifth.
Left to Right: Lucy Atkinson and Hannah Hartwell lead the pack during the opening stages of the Humboldt Invite on September 6. Hartwell would go on to win the race for the Lumberjacks while Atkinson finished sixth.
Maddie McGarry works her way up the steepest hill on the course at the Humboldt Invite on September 6. McGarry would go on to finish 17th.
Finn Tyvoll holds off a charge from Menlo College’s Benjamin Ronoh as they pass HSU coach Jamey Harris at the Humboldt Invite on September 6. Ronoh would eventually pass
Tyvoll to finish second with the Jacks runner finishing in third.
The women’s team finished the afternoon with 26 points, comfortably outscoring the next best team, Oregon Tech, who earned 46 points. The strong points production came to the Jacks courtesy of five top 10 placements. The consistency of this women’s team was accomplished in part by the runners working together in small groups to pull each other up the standings.
An easy standout performer from the women’s race was freshman runner Hannah Hartwell, who won her first race for Humboldt State by a margin of 30-seconds from the Oregon Tech runner up Delani Dietrich.
Daniel Tull makes his way on to the main straight with a comfortable lead at the Humboldt Invite on September 6. Tull would go on to win the race for the Jacks.
Left to Right: Lucy Atkinson and Hannah Hartwell lead the pack during the opening stages of the Humboldt Invite on September 6. Hartwell would go on to win the race for the Lumberjacks while Atkinson finished sixth.
The start of the men’s race at the Humboldt Invite on September 6.
Runners make their way up the steepest hill on the course as supports cheer them on at the Humboldt Invite on September 6.
Hartwell jumped out into the lead of the race early on, working with fellow freshman Lucy Atkinson to extend a gap on the chasing athletes. As the race progressed, Hartwell was able to pull away from her teammate and ran by herself for much of the 6K distance.
Despite not having the benefit of working with somebody for a majority of the race, Hartwell was able to close out the competition and get the first win of the season for the Jacks.
“It was cool to win,” Hartwell said. “I’m stoked that I won. I think that it will be really fun to get back into competing again.”
With a winning performance from the women, the men’s team hit the course and didn’t miss a beat, placing six runners in the top 10 to finish with 20 points on second-place Menlo College who earned 51 points. With strong performances all around for the men, it was race-winning senior Daniel Tull who stood out.
Daniel Tull makes his way on to the main straight with a comfortable lead at the Humboldt Invite on September 6. Tull would go on to win the race for the Jacks.
Hannah Hartwell makes her way up the steepest hill on the course while leading the field at the Humboldt Invite on Spetember 6 on the way to victory.
Maddie McGarry narrowly leads a pack of runners through the back stretch of the course at the Humboldt Invite on September 6. McGarry would go on to finish 17th.
Elliott Portilllo leads the way early on for the Jacks at the Humboldt Invite on September 6. Portillo would go on to finish third in the race.
Tull finished 39 seconds ahead of the next runner to cross the line, Benjamin Ronoh of Menlo College. Ronoh was followed to the line by four more successive Humboldt runners who solidified the overwhelming team win.
Tull was happy to have crossed the line first for the Jacks and was also quick to point out positive overall performance from the team.
“I know our whole team has had a really good summer of training,” Tull said. “We’re all fit, we’re all strong, and we’re all having fun out there doing it. If you look at these guys, they’re all smiling and laughing even though they just ran five miles fairly hard, so that’s what you want to see.”
Head Coach Jamey Harris was also pleased with the team’s performance, saying that it proved the depth of the team from new recruits and returning athletes. Along with training for racing in groups, Harris pointed to the bond between teammates as a key to their win and the future.
HSU cross country coach Jamey Harris congratulates Hannah Hartwell after winning the Humboldt Invite on September 6.
Michael Gengo recovers from after crossing the line 24th at the Humboldt Invite on September 6.
Finn Tyvoll crosses the line in third just behind Menlo College’s Benjamin Ronoh at the Humboldt Invite on September 6.
Freshman Hannah Hartwell hugs her mom Lisa Roop after winning her first race for the Jacks at their season opening Humboldt Invite on September 6.
The HSU mens cross country runners raise their fists in celebration after taking both the individual and team wins at the Humboldt Invite on September 6. | Photo by Thomas Lal
“We’ve done a lot of running together,” Harris said. “But also they just come together. It’s a really well-united team. The team chemistry is fantastic, and obviously, that impacts everything in a positive way.”
The Jacks will have some time to recover and keep improving before heading to the Sundowner Invitational in Monmouth, Oregon on September 20. The team and its competition will also return to Humboldt on October 26 for the CCAA Championships.
HSU’s club baseball team gets ready for competition with informational meeting
The Humboldt State Baseball Club prepared for its upcoming fall season with an informational meeting on Sept. 7 at the Redwood Bowl. The team went over basic information like club dues, practice times, expectations of the players and their tentative season schedule.
HSU’s Baseball Club President Martin Gordillo at the Redwood Bowl on Sept. 6. | Photo by Liam Warner
Even though Humboldt State does not have an intercollegiate baseball team that would have the benefit of being in the NCAA and able to recruit players on athletic scholarships, the club team offers a more tight-knit atmosphere. It also allows players of all skill levels the experience and play time that they might not receive elsewhere.
According to the club’s president Martin Gordillo the important part of being on the team is the experience and having a good time.
“You get the travel experience, and you get the playing time,” Gordillo said. “It’s like when you were playing baseball in high school.”
HSU Baseball Club Vice President Alejandro Caravalho at the Redwood Bowl on Sept. 6. | Photo by Liam Warner
The club baseball team is completely student-coached. For Alejandro Caravalho, the club’s vice president who transferred from the College of The Redwoods baseball team, the student-coached model allows for more flexibility and more player choice in how the team is run.
“It’s more collaborative, rather than a dictatorship where the coach’s word is law,” Caravalho said. “I have a more informed role on the team where we discuss finances, and we get a say as opposed to a coach telling us what to do.”
The club baseball team also gets the benefit of practicing and playing their home games at the Arcata Ballpark in downtown Arcata. The park is home to the Humboldt Crabs during the summer months.
Travel Secretary Willie Cestarollo (#6) practices his pitching motion at the Redwood Bowl on Sept. 6. | Liam Warner
During the meeting, Travel Secretary Willie Cestarollo talked about the Arcata Ballpark being one of the best baseball facilities in Northern California and mentioned how visiting club teams praise the ballpark as one of the best facilities that they visit.
The team plays in the National Club Baseball Association, which is comprised of club baseball teams from schools across the country. HSU’s division consists of teams such as Stanford, Sacramento State and St. Mary’s and are teams that HSU will play in the spring.
Slated for the fall season is a trip down to Chico State and two non-conference home series games at the Arcata Ballpark. The first one is September 28-29 against the Humboldt Eagles and then November 16-17 versus Sonoma State, weather permitting.
“I like the team because it’s small,” Gordillo said. “It’s easier for us to get closer with one another.”
2nd Annual Mad River Enduro hosts 111 riders in Blue Lake
On Saturday, the hills south of Blue Lake were filled with the sound of bicycles shooting down the trails. The 2nd annual Mad River Enduro hosted 111 riders who traveled through the five stages, twisting pathways created by Redwood Coast Mountain Bike Association. Riders took to the course at 9 in the morning and rode for 7 hours before retiring to the Mad River Taproom for drinks and the podium ceremony.
Rusty Buholz of Team Roaring Mouse heads down a small incline while competing in the men’t expert 40-49 catagory of the Mad River Enduro in Blue Lake on Spetember 7.
Ashli Lewis exits a berm on during a fast section on stage four of the Mad River Enduro on the way to finishing thrid in the Open/Pro Women’s class on September 7.
The upper tube of local artist Joel Grave’s bike featuring graphics themed for each stage of the Mad River Enduro in Blue Lake on September 7. S1: Cobbler S2: Woodrat S3: Gnome of Love S4: Pits S5: Woodstock
Transition Bikes rider Bonnie Burke makes her way through stage two of the Mad River Enduro course on the way to winning the Open/Pro Women’s class on September 7
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John Cahill drops down an almost vertical trail at a marshalling station on stage three of the Mad River Enduro in Blue Lake on the way to winning the Sport/Beginner Men’s 50+ class on Spetember 7.
Nigel Hill of team Revolution Bicycles takes a series of jumps while going down stage four of the Mad River Enduro in Blue Lake while competeing in the Open/Pro Men’s class on September 7.
John Cahill drops down a slope at the start of stage five of the Mad River Enduro in Blue Lake on the way to winning the Sport/Beginner Men’s 50+ class on Spetember 7.
Vincent Kimber takes a little extra air on a jump during stage 4 of the Mad River Enduro while cometing in the Open/Pro Men’s class on Spetember 7.
Coaches and players from HSU’s volleyball, cross country and soccer teams spoke about the upcoming season
The fall sports season is almost underway here on the North Coast and head coaches and select players from Humboldt State’s volleyball, cross-country and soccer teams were in the press room at Lumberjack Arena to discuss their upcoming season.
They talked about their previous season of play, along with their expectations and strategy against their opponents. The mood in the room was hopeful and optimistic as each sport has its entire upcoming season around the corner.
Volleyball
Lumberjack volleyball started their 2019 season on September 6th at the Toro Classic in Carson, CA on the campus of Cal State Dominguez Hills. After a winless 2018 conference play season, the volleyball team finished with an overall record of 3-23. Head Coach Kelly Wood is determined to change the dynamic going into this season.
“We don’t want to go through that again, we don’t want to end on another losing streak,” Wood said. “They worked really hard on the basics again, serving and passing and all that, but also are having a lot of tough and difficult conversations.”
Despite past struggles, Wood seemed hopeful with the group of players that she has going into the 2019 season.
“I just think we’re all on the same page, and we all have a little more faith and a little more trust in one another,” Wood said.
Cross-Country
While all other sports start out on the road, the men’s and women’s cross country teams start their season at home. The Humboldt Invitational was on September 6th Baywood Golf and Country Club in Arcata.
Head Coach Jamey Harris talked about the advantage of being at home and knowing the course better than the visiting competitors.
“Knowing how to run fast on some of the more difficult parts and how to measure your effort through it should be helpful both this weekend and through the season,” Harris said. “We love getting out there and knowing our first meet is going to be at home on our own course,”
“We’re looking forward to showcasing what we’ve got, and hopefully the Arcata running community will get excited,” Harris said.
Senior runner Joseph Shanahan also went up to the podium and talked about his experience running the Baywood course.
“For me, it was a relatively difficult course,” Shanahan said. “There’s a big hill and a pretty gradual uphill, and you’re either going up or going down.”
Women’s Soccer
The HSU women’s soccer team finished with a record of 6-9-2 last season, but the record was mostly attributed to playing in the very competitive CCAA conference. Head Coach Paul Karver knows what the team needs to do to win, but he also understands what the team is up against in CCAA play.
“They’re really dedicated to making that push, and we have the players that can get it done,” Karver said. “Unfortunately, everyone else in the conference does, and we play in the best conference in the country.”
Karver talked about the preseason practices being very competitive, and with a smaller roster than usual more players will get a chance to play during the season.
“We have a lot of high soccer-IQ kids, and that’s going to allow us to move things around,” Karver said. “It has made training every single day competitive, it made it really fun and it’s a really fun group to be around.”
Men’s Soccer
The HSU men’s soccer team came off a 2018 season finishing 7-8-2, but the good news is they return with a good core group of players from last year, along with some bright new prospects. One of the experienced returners, senior goalkeeper Robert Quintero, mentioned how a skilled and fast team made him hopeful.
“I think we’re strong both offensively and defensively,” Quintero said. “Offensively we have some of the fastest guys on top, and they can put the ball in the back of the net.”
Head Coach Fred Jungemann talked about the team’s goals. For example, trying to make the CCAA conference tournament and win more games than last year. Building a strong culture for HSU soccer and having guys who mesh well together was another big emphasis.
“There’s a really good group of guys, not just on the field but their personalities fit together very well,” Jungemann said. “One of our biggest strengths is that we have a close-knit group of guys that enjoy being together, not just on the field but off the field.”
Benjamin Shaeffer’s double life as an HSU philosophy professor and Crabs’ baseball announcer
It’s a brisk June night in downtown Arcata as Benjamin Shaeffer arrives at the ballpark around 6:30 in the evening. He climbs up the ladder to the media booth, sets his personal belongings down, and says hello to the other people working in the booth that night.
Before the game starts, Shaeffer will usually talk to the others in the booth about world events of that day, philosophical musings, or about how bad the Giants are doing. He looks over the lineups for both teams, noting the pronunciation of the players’ names and he fills out his fielding chart, putting a player’s name in each position on the baseball diamond.
It’s around 6:45 p.m. when Shaeffer gets ready to put his voice on air, connecting to hundreds of radios, phones, and computers across Humboldt County and beyond. He puts his headset on, waits for the countdown to go on air, then begins the broadcast with, “Good evening Crabs fans around the world and around the block, on the world wide web, and on the radio, it’s time for Crabs baseball!”
Shaeffer is the current philosophy department chair and for almost 10 months of the year he teaches philosophy full time at Humboldt State University. For two months every summer, he spends his evenings in the Arcata Ballpark broadcast booth.
Shaeffer grew up in the Southern California city of El Monte, 13 miles east of downtown Los Angeles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. Journalism was his primary interest as he was the editor of his high school paper and then majored in journalism at Pasadena City College. But it wasn’t long before he started to lose interest in journalism, and it was then that he began to find what he believed to be his true calling in life.
“When I discovered philosophy, I realized that these are the questions I’ve been wondering about my whole life. I just didn’t know that you could get paid to ask them.”
Benjamin Shaeffer
“It seemed like it was more about selling papers than it was about informing people what was going on in the world,” Shaeffer said. “When I discovered philosophy, I realized that these are the questions I’ve been wondering about my whole life, I just didn’t know that you could get paid to ask them.”
Shaeffer went on to get his bachelor’s degree at UC Santa Cruz and then later received his Ph.D. at UC Santa Barbara. In 1998, not long after earning his degree at UCSB, Shaeffer accepted what he thought at the time was a one-year teaching position at Humboldt State University. Like many students and faculty who make the trek from LA to Humboldt, Shaeffer was not sure what to expect and was anxious about living in an unfamiliar place so far from home. He was certain that he wasn’t going to be in Humboldt for long and imagined he would return to his job in SoCal soon.
“I had this image of Humboldt,” Shaeffer said. “I thought I was going to live in the woods and it was going to be quiet like a small town. But when I got to Eureka and saw the Bayshore Mall, I was a little bit upset.”
Benjamin Shaeffer fills out his scorebook prior to the game. | Photo by Liam Warner
Aside from his interest in philosophy, a constant presence and a dear friend throughout Shaeffer’s life has been baseball. Shaeffer does not consider himself a sports fan as he has never been interested in other popular sports like basketball or football, but when it comes to baseball, he can recall the exact moment he fell in love with the sport.
“When I was seven, at the end of the street I grew up on, there was a park with a little league field,” Shaeffer said. “I remember going down there and just being fascinated by watching these kids plays baseball. I started to play as soon as I was old enough to play, but I didn’t get past little league.”
Thankfully, it wasn’t long before Shaeffer discovered the Humboldt Crabs baseball team that played their summers in downtown Arcata.
“I was in heaven,” Shaeffer said.”I started to hang out at the games, and in 1999 there was an opening for a ballpark announcer. I wanted to be the ballpark announcer.”
Although Shaeffer didn’t get the ballpark announcing gig, there was an opening for an official scorer and he took that position. After being the official scorer for a year and hanging out in the booth next to the radio broadcasters, Shaeffer was given a chance to be on the radio. He would then join Robert “Hoke” Holcomb on the Crabs radio broadcast, and that started a summer tradition that continues to this day.
“I always said that if you didn’t get along with Benjamin Shaeffer you had a personality disorder and you needed to see somebody.”
Hoke Holcomb
“So I sat right next to [the radio broadcasters],” Shaeffer said. “I would interject things over the air, and then after the first season Hoke asked me if I wanted to volunteer. He asked me ‘why don’t you be my color man?’”
Benjamin Shaeffer and Hoke Holcomb would develop both an on-air and off-air friendship that would last 19 summers before Hoke retired at the end of the 2018 season. Shaeffer and Hoke both came from an academic background, were politically active, but most importantly loved the game of baseball, and that made for instant on-air chemistry.
“I always said that if you didn’t get along with Benjamin Shaeffer you had a personality disorder and you needed to see somebody,” Holcomb said. “I think he brings enthusiasm to the broadcast without having that enthusiasm drown out what he’s conveying.”
Throughout his summers as the voice of the Crabs, Shaeffer has brought a unique perspective to the sport of baseball, often sprinkling philosophical musings throughout the broadcast. His philosophical background allows him to view the game in a different light, valuing the slow and building moments of the game rather than the high energy, action-packed moments.
Photo by Liam Warner
“I think the thing about baseball that is philosophical is its slowness and its meditative quality,” Shaeffer said. “It creates tension and that’s the source of its excitement, rather than speed and things moving really fast. It builds to these moments of tension that have to get resolved.”
Tim “Tres” O’Brien is one of the Crabs’ current ballpark announcers. He worked in the booth back in 2004 and then returned to his ballpark announcing duties in 2016. Tres has listened to Shaeffer both in the booth and on the radio, and he talked about what made Shaeffer a unique baseball announcer.
“Benjamin, while I think his style is more straightforward, he would have intellectual humor that would come out here and there,” O’Brien said. “He would ‘mini ponder’ about a certain play, and he would bring this other element to announcing a baseball game.”
Shaeffer’s day job might be teaching philosophy for most of the year, but to him, there is no better place to be during the summer than high up on that perch above the Arcata Ballpark, watching baseball.
“If I find somewhere where there’s baseball, I go,” Shaeffer said.
A Q&A with HSU interim Athletic Director Jill Willson
The athletic department at Humboldt State is in a transition phase under the new administration of President Tom Jackson Jr. Previous interim Athletic Director Duncan Robins left his position in June.
While searching for a permanent Athletic Director, President Jackson recruited Jill Willson and her company Double L Consulting for the position. Willson received her degree in biology from West Texas A&M University, then went on to coach the women’s basketball team and later run the athletic department for the university. Willson specializes in Division II athletics, more specifically in community outreach and recruiting and she serves on an NCAA committee for Division II athletics. Willson created Double L consulting to help Division II schools run their athletic department during times of transition.
Could you tell me about your personal background and the company you are with?
I’m a longtime women’s basketball coach and former athletic director at Texas A&M- Kingsville, which is where I spent the majority of my career. In 2007 I started my own company, which is called Double L consulting, two L’s in Jill and two L’s in Willson is how I came up with the name. I really founded the company to help Division II schools across the country. I help schools with the membership process and the transition from NAIA or Division III to Division II programs. I arrange all of the community engagement events for the Division II National Championship events. Three years ago I diversified Double-L consulting to help schools hire athletic directors, and what we do is help fill the seat while the athletic department is doing the search, so they are not down a staff member.
What are your goals, within the athletic department, for the upcoming academic year?
Our job is to help build a quality pool of candidates for the search committee to help find the next Humboldt State Athletic Director. It’s my goal to do a bit of a program review and evaluate what kinds of things we are going well and what things we need to work on so that when the permanent athletic director is hired in January, they can take off and run.
What is your current evaluation of the athletic department and where do you want it to be when you turn the reigns to the next athletic director?
Honestly, what makes Humboldt such an amazing institution is the people, and the athletic department staff is no different. They do a tremendous job at recruiting student-athletes and getting them to be great athletes, helping them do well academically and getting them to graduate. I think this is a great opportunity to help the athletic department to do an even better job at what they already do well.
What qualities are you looking for in the next athletic director for Humboldt State?
You need to have someone come in that is committed to making a difference in Humboldt County and on-campus at HSU. We need to have someone who can help fundraise, and the responsibility of the next athletic director will be to find new revenue streams and open up the athletic department to new boosters and new donors. Being a great leader and leading by example on campus for the student-athletes is crucial, and we need to be able to hold coaches accountable for academic success as well.
James Harden or Giannis Anteokounmpo: who deserves the MVP award?
James Harden is looking to capture his second straight Most Valuable Player Award despite pressure from Giannis Antetokounmpo (and the Golden State Warriors).
Seven-time All-Star James Harden of the Houston Rockets has led another impressive campaign for the 2018-2019 NBA season. After leading the NBA in scoring in 2018 with 30.4 points per-game and giving the Rockets the best record in the NBA, Harden won his first MVP award.
This season Harden has played lights-out, bringing the Rockets from an underwhelming 11-14 start of the season to the fourth seed in the Western Conference. With injuries piling up, Harden carried the team and averaged an impressive 36.1 points, 7.5 assists and 6.6 rebounds per game.
He tied Kobe Bryant for the most 30-point games in one season in the last 30 years with 56 30-point games. Harden delivered in the first round of the playoffs, helping to defeat the Utah Jazz four games to one.
This man is dangerous and may be the most lethal player on the court in this year’s playoffs. He is looking to bring the Rockets out of another hole during their current series against the Warriors in the semifinals. Harden’s eye started bleeding in game two, but even with blurred vision he managed to deliver a big win to save the season.
It seems if the Rockets and Harden want to bring a championship to Houston, they will need to find a way through Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant before making the finals.
Another MVP contender this season has been three-time All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo, playing for the first place Milwaukee Bucks. Antetokounmpo has been nothing but freakish this season, earning the nickname ‘Greek Freak’ for his incredible athleticism and skills.
No one in the NBA can drive to the basket the way he can. He’s a dominant force both offensively and defensively. 2000 MVP Shaquille O’Neal called Antetokounmpo ‘better than himself’ at that age.
The ‘Greek Freak’ averages 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. Antetokounmpo and the Bucks made a serious impression in the first round of playoffs after they swept the Detroit Pistons. After a strong first game from the Boston Celtics, the Bucks bounced back with authority.
Antetokounmpo is leading the way with 29 and 32 points in games two and three.
James Harden will likely get his second MVP after averaging eight more points than Antetokounmpo throughout the season. Harden put the injury-prone all-star point guard Chris Paul on his back and lifted his team to an outstanding playoff push.
What Harden has done this season has been spectacular and can’t go unnoticed. Antetokounmpo may not get the MVP this season, but he at least has the Bucks in position to go to the Conference Finals.
Two-wheeled transportation celebrated all month with a range of bike-related events
Cyclists, rejoice! May 1 officially ushered in Bike Month, an international holiday that Humboldt County takes very seriously. Events will be happening all month long and a variety of businesses have stepped up, offering discounts and special deals for those who arrive by pedal-power.
Oona Smith is a member of the Bike Month Humboldt Coalition, an informal group of bike enthusiasts and advocates that helps curate the events and deals being offered. She was tabling at the Trails Summit held last weekend in the Kate Buchanan Room, and said to many participants that “every month is bike month.”
“Our goal is to normalize biking as a convenient, fun and accessible form of transportation,” Smith said. “Not enough people use bikes for those short, one to three mile trips that are beyond a reasonable walking distance.”
One event that Smith expects to have a large turnout is Arcata’s bike-to-work day which takes place on Thursday, May 9. All you have to do to participate is ride your bike to work, but early birds or those in need of bike maintenance will want to make it out to the Arcata Co-Op from 7-9 that morning. A pop-up station will be offering free breakfast snacks and coffee for riders and free tune-ups if your ride has been acting up recently.
A similar event will be held at the Eureka Co-Op on Thursday, May 16. There will also be a rally at noon on May 6 where cyclists can congregate in the Arcata Plaza for food, fun and bike tune-ups courtesy of Revolution Bikes.
A variety of bike-friendly-businesses are offering their own special deals and discounts to celebrate this month. Highlights include Los Bagels offering free coffee and Richards’ Goat Tavern and Tea Room offering 25 percent off your tab if you mention Bike Month, both of these deals available May 5-11.
Other events like a bike film festival, kid’s bike rodeo and an array of morning “pancake” rides with a complimentary breakfast will be happening throughout the rest of the month. Details for these events can be found on the Bike Month Coalition website at bikemonthhumboldt.org.
The other major component of National Bike Month is the National Bike Challenge. Participants can register at the Bike Month Coalition website and use a tracking app like Strava to track the miles they travel by bike over the course of the month. The team or individual who logs the most miles wins a litany of discounts and prizes from local businesses.
Last year Humboldt riders were able to log over 31,000 miles in just this one month. Thanks to an especially quick start this year, Smith thinks that Humboldt cyclists can collectively track more than 35,000 miles before the end of the month.
Smith thinks that commuting by bike is not just a fun way to stay fit, but a way to de-stress on the way to work. She thinks it’s important for the future of our planet.
“Cars should be the exception, not the go-to. We can’t treat our planet that way,” Smith said. “Bikes bring a quality of life that many haven’t been exposed to. They’d be surprised at the joy and freedom of simply riding a bike.”
Three HSU sports teams nail game changing athletes
Last season, volleyball finished with a 3-23 overall record and a 0-18 conference record. Despite a disappointing 2018 season, Head Coach Kelly Wood looked to pick up versatile players that could contribute to the future success of the program.
Senior outside hitter Natalie Picone served from the back line in the Lumberjack arena Thursday night. | Photo by Matt Shiffler
On May 2 it was announced that four signees will be added to volleyball’s 2019 roster.
Riley Moore (Loomis, California) – Division II transfer from the Montana State-Billings
Moore, a 6’2” opposite, will be an incoming sophomore majoring in environmental science. As a Montana State Yellowjacket she played in 27 matches and finished with 184 kills. During her high school career at Del Oro in Sacramento, Moore finished with 1,044 kills, 171 aces, 118 blocks, and a .260 hitting percentage.
Lexi Riggs (Las Vegas, Nevada) – Junior college transfer from Southern Nevada
Riggs, a 5’11” outside hitter, will be majoring in psychology. As a Southern Nevada Coyote she recorded 358 kills, 265 digs, and 52 aces. She started 20 out of 28 matches and received a Third Team Academic All-American Award as well as the Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award during the 2017-2018 season.
Riley Tishlarich (Wilton, California) – Incoming freshman from Pleasant Grove High School
Tishlarich, a 5’10” setter, will be majoring in kinesiology. She was her high school conference’s assist leader for the last three years. In 2017 she led in service aces.
Malia Coyle (San Anselmo, California) – Incoming freshman from Sir Francis Drake High School
Coyle, a 6’0” hitter, will be majoring in marine biology. She was a First Team Marin County Athletic All-League selection and was awarded as her team’s MVP along with a leadership award.
Last season, men’s basketball fell just shy of playoff continuation as they fell to Cal Poly Pomona in the first round. They finished with a 17-14 overall record and a 11-11 conference record. Head Coach Steve Kinder searched long and hard to ensure that his 2019 squad would be one to remember.
Forward Justin Everett takes flight for an easy layup at the rim at the Lumberjack Arena. | Photo by Matt Shiffler
Throughout the spring semester, six different announcements have been made about the new 2019 signees.
Robert Lewis (Compton, California) – Division I transfer from Texas Southern University
Lewis, a 6’4” guard, was a First Team All-Conference selection after his performance at San Bernardino Valley College. There he averaged 10.2 points and completed 44.2 percent of his shots during his freshman season. Out of high school, Lewis was awarded the First Team All-CIF Honors and was recognized as Division II Player of the Year.
RaySean Scott Jr. (Compton, California) – Division I transfer from Florida Gulf Coast University
Scott, a 6’7” forward, was ranked as the nation’s 22nd best small forward by ESPN out of high school which put him in the three star recruit category. As a freshman at FGC, Scott averaged 3.4 points per game. As a sophomore he averaged 6.6 points per game, and as a junior he averaged 5.5 points per game.
Isaiah Sampson (Camas, Washington) – Incoming freshman from Camas High School
Sampson, a 6’6” guard, was a three-year varsity player and was twice a First Team Selection after his junior and senior years. Sampson is leaving his high school with only triple-double ever recorded at his high school as well as an all-time career rebound record of 457.
Leland Green (Compton, California) – Division I transfer from the University of Hawaii
Green, a 6’2” guard, played three seasons with the Hawaii Warriors and played in a total of 84 games, starting in 36 of them. He averaged 5.1 points and 2.1 rebounds. Throughout his high school career, Green was awarded MVP three times and and received the All-CIF Open Division First-Team Selection twice.
Gabrys Sadaunykas (Lithuania/Santa Maria, California) – Junior college transfer from Allan Hancock
Sadaunykas, a 6’4” forward, averaged 6.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists during his only season at Hancock JC. After his senior year at St. Joseph High School he was an All-CIF selection.
Joey Rodrick (Portland, Oregon) – Incoming freshman from Cleveland High School
Rodrick, a 6’5” guard, was a three-year standout at his high school and was admired in his community with two Portland Tribune Athlete of the Week recognitions. He averaged 17 points, 6.8 rebounds and three assists per game during his senior season.
File photo.
Women’s crew announced two signees over these past two months as they look to make it to another championship next season. This season they won their third straight Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championship team points trophy.
Megan Bach (Boulder, Colorado) – Incoming freshman from Watershed School
Bach is the first student-athlete from her high school to sign an NCAA National Letter of Intent. She will be majoring in wildlife science and management.
Sophie Reich (San Diego, California) – Incoming freshman from Mt. Everest Academy
Reich holds five years of rowing experience as she has been a part of the ZLAC Rowing Club since 2014.
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