The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: Men’s Basketball

  • This week in Lumberjack athletics

    This week in Lumberjack athletics

    by Vanessa Saltos

    MEN’S BASKETBALL

    Over Thanksgiving break, men’s basketball competed at home in Lumberjack Arena. On Saturday, Nov. 18, the ‘Jacks faced Cal Maritime. They were down in the first half with a score of 37 – 40. Humboldt took the game in the second half after a hard fought battle, the final score being 80 – 70. The following week, they competed against Northwest Indian College on Tuesday, Nov. 21. This was a high scoring game for the ‘Jacks. Rob Diaz III recorded 21 points and four steals, four other Lumberjacks also posted double digits. The final score was 104 – 71. Thursday, Nov. 30, they will be back in Lumberjack Arena playing against Cal Poly Pomona. Tip off is set for 7:30 p.m. Then, on Saturday, Dec. 2, Cal State San Bernardino will be traveling to Arcata for a game time of 7:30 p.m. 

    WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

    On Saturday, Nov. 18, women’s basketball had their home opening game against Concordia University Irvine. The ‘Jacks competed hard and took the game with a score of 72 – 63. Some standouts were Sara Ahmadpour leading the team with a career high of 21 points and nine rebounds, Emilia Long followed suit recording 20 points. In the fourth quarter alone the ‘Jacks recorded 30 points. After their home opener, Humboldt traveled to the Azusa Pacific Thanksgiving Classic. Friday, Nov. 24, they played Azusa Pacific. Despite coming off of a victory, the ‘Jacks fell with a final score of 64 – 87. Saturday, Nov. 25, they faced off with Biola, and their hunger to win showed by taking the game into overtime. The final score was 63 – 53. The ‘Jacks are back at home this week. Thursday, Nov. 30, they are opening CCAA play with Cal Poly Pomona, tip off is set for 5:30 p.m. Humboldt will also be playing at home Saturday, Dec. 2 against Cal State San Bernardino at 5:30 p.m. 

  • Cal PolyHumboldt hosted this years CCAA Basketball Championship

    Cal PolyHumboldt hosted this years CCAA Basketball Championship

    by Angel Barker

    For the first time under the Cal Poly Humboldt name, the university hosted the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) championship basketball tournament.

    Although neither basketball team for Cal Poly Humboldt was a part of the tournament, it was a great success for the university. The three day tournament took place from March 3 through 5, creating a lot of foot traffic to the Lumberjack Arena.

    “It is awesome for us to host the CCAA Championship tournament as we get to show people in the conference how special Cal Poly Humboldt and Humboldt County is,” said Joe Danahey, Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations, in an email statement.

    Photo by Angel Barker

    “They get to see how beautiful our campus is and the surrounding area,” Danahey said. “We also get to bring the best student-athletes and programs in NCAA division II to our campus.”

    For the men’s championship game, it was California State University San Marcos versus California State University San Bernardino. San Marcos dominated the entire game from winning tip off to scoring the first three points with an impressive swish from outside the three point line.

    San Bernardino was never far behind, with four minutes left in the game, San Bernardino was only three points down. However, they were unable to come back and the San Marcos proved to play better, leaving the final score 85-71.

    The women’s side of the tournament was controlled by California State University East Bay. Just like the winners of the men’s team, they won tip off and scored the first points. They were ahead the whole game, but the San Marcos women were neck and neck with them the entire time.

    Going into the second quarter, San Marcos was only three points behind, but before half time, East Bay was able to steal the ball twice in back to back plays. By half time, East Bay was up by nine points. The final score was 80-66 with East Bay winning their third CCAA championship. The women are on a seven game winning streak going into their next tournament.

    Photo by Angel Barker

    There were many game highlights, but for Cal Poly Humboldt student Andrew Gonzales, who was working security for the tournament, it was being able to learn what the game of basketball is.

    “The more I keep watching, the more I understand the game,” Gonzales said.

    Josh Doody, Assistant Athletic Director for Financial Operations, was a huge part of making the tournament happen. For him, watching the games throughout the tournament was the best part.

    “[My biggest highlight was] the increasing caliber of play that really showcases the talent in the conference,” Doody said.

    For Danahey his highlight was deeper than the game.

    “Just being able to reconnect with my colleagues and also hang out with the game officials and also with the coaches from the 12 teams,” Danahey said. “I have been involved in the CCAA for 17 years. 14 years at SF State and three at Humboldt, so I have made a lot of friendships in this conference.”

    Danahey explained that in order for a school to host a post season CCAA tournament, they go through a bidding process that takes place two years prior. This is not the last of the tournaments to be hosted by Cal Poly Humboldt as the university is going to host the men’s soccer tournament in 2023.

  • Basketball honors their seniors in last game

    Basketball honors their seniors in last game

    by Jake Knoeller

    Two seniors celebrated their college basketball careers for Humboldt in the Lumberjack Arena on Saturday night.

    For the women, Sharon Roldan closed out her second season for the ‘Jacks with 8 points and an emotional moment at the end of the game with her coaches Michelle Bento-Jackson and Guillermo Blas, who she said have had an amazing influence on her.

    “They helped me both on and off the court,” Roldan said. “Coach Blas especially, he would work around my work schedule too. I would always ask him ‘Hey, can you open the gym’ at 7 or 8am. He would always come no matter what.”

    Roldan also expressed how grateful she was that Bento-Jackson accepted her into the Lumberjack family.

    “I can’t thank her [Bento-Jackson] enough,” Roldan said.

    On Thursday night, she scored a career high 20 points and left it all out on the court.

    On the men’s side, Amari Green finished off his fourth straight season with the Jacks, playing 38 of his total 2,054 minutes on Saturday and scoring 10 points.

    “Amari’s meant a lot to this program,” coach Tae Norwood said. “We got this memoir that we utilize: I give myself for the team. He represents that to the fullest.”

    Green said he was very grateful for the memorable night he had celebrating his career here at Humboldt. His family was up in Humboldt for this game and he said how it was amazing to have them and his teammates supporting him.

    “I just loved it,” Green said. “Thank you to the environment, thank you to the fans for coming out, and it’s everything I thought it would be.”

    Both of these teams faced a lot of challenges and adversity during the season and showed a lot of perseverance through it all. They were hit with a lot of injuries and absences and showed their character by never slowing down, even when the results didn’t always show.

    “Obviously our record is not indicative of what these girls went through, however I do feel like we underachieved in certain areas too,” Bento-Jackson said.

    Even though the team will not be playing in the conference championship tournament, the coach did show a lot of optimism about the experience all of the returning players have gained this season from their minutes and believes they will move forward and become much better next year. Norwood had similar feelings about his team, touching on how they always play hard.

    “When we got eliminated from this conference tournament about 3 or 4 games ago, some teams tank it and just go through the motions,” Norwood explained. “I thought these guys came and practiced hard and practiced with great intensity.”

  • HSU Basketball bounces back after COVID-19

    HSU Basketball bounces back after COVID-19

    Basketball season is speeding up this month with both the men’s and women’s teams heading on to away games.

    The women’s team continued their competitive season with a game that resulted in double overtime and a loss for Humboldt State.

    “This (week) will be a tough stretch for us,” Coach Michelle Bento-Jackson said. “It’s a road trip that involves both a northern and southern team so the travel, in general, will be more gruesome than normal road trips.”

    The team will travel to play against East Bay and Dominguez Hill. East Bay is currently undefeated and, similar to HSU has a strong defense.

    “We had an outbreak of COVID within our team,” Coach Bento-Jackson said. “Since we came back from break we only had two practices under our belt.”

    With the team recovered and back to regular practice they have their spirits high and are keeping up with COVID-19 protocol to have safe games throughout the season.

    The men’s team is continuing their competitive season which has been a struggle with more COVID-19 outbreaks.

    “I’m always worried about one of my guys getting COVID,” Coach Tae Norwood said. “We test frequently. We test before we play our opponents.”

    The players are also very responsible for their personal safety against COVID-19 with social distancing, wearing their masks, and avoiding large gatherings. The players have a 100% vaccination rate and a 95% booster rate.

    “I really focus on the effort from my guys,” Coach Norwood said. “They play hard but we gotta do a better job of executing it.”

    The basketball players will be continuing to practice and work on their defense before their games against East Bay and Dominguez Hill this week. AJ Sims is back and continuing as the leadership of the team and the best shooter. With more players stepping up, the team is hopeful about the rest of the season.

    • #23 Thomas Melonja in the Saturday game against the Cal Poly Pamona Broncos Jan. 15
    • #20 Jaden Edwards against the Cal Poly Pamona Broncos on Saturday Jan. 15
    Photos by Morgan Hancock
  • Chico State Steals the Jacks’ Spotlight

    Chico State Steals the Jacks’ Spotlight

    Wildcats win, but the Jacks put on a good game

    The Humboldt State University men’s basketball lost Feb. 27 against the Chico State University Wildcats, 86-57.

    Thursday’s home game wasn’t just another game for the Jacks. It was the last game of the season and senior night. The game was a special night for the team’s seniors, Leland Green, Rob Lewis, Victor Mijas, Jackson Strong, Deion Alston and Zachariah Christian.

    “It’s a huge event really, with senior night being number one, our last game of the season, two, and a rivalry game,” Head Coach Steve Kinder said. “It brings a whole different level and a lot of dynamics. There’s a lot of storylines from every player on the team to every coach on the team. As a coach, to see all that in front of you and put that together and experience a night whether we win or lose—it’s special.”

    The Wildcats took the lead 8-0 in the first two minutes, but the Jacks were quick to score some points. A three by Jackson Strong and two free throws by Noah Viera left the score at 12-11 with 13 minutes left in the first half. The Wildcats were quick to outscore the Jacks, ending the first half at 49-27.

    With only 18 minutes left in the second half, the Jacks showed some senior teamwork. Christian passed the ball to Strong, who then passed the ball back to Christian. Christian passed to Alston, who made two points in the green.

    “The relationships I’ve built with last year’s team and this year’s team—it’s been great. The family and the team, the coaches—that’s what it is. It’s just a family and I’ve had such a good time.”

    Jackson Strong

    Throughout the game, Alston stepped up and led the scoring. Kinder was proud of him and said he told the assistant coaches they should’ve played him more throughout the season.

    “He played with a lot of fire and he played aggressive,” Kinder said. “He did a really nice job.”

    Alston had a season high of 13 points, while Strong put up 11. Viera scored a season high of 10 points off the bench and Lewis scored 8.

    With three makes from beyond the arc, Strong finished his career with the Jacks after playing for the team for two years. With 173, Strong placed fourth on HSU’s all-time career list in three-point field goals made. His 84 three-pointers is third on the Jack’s single-season list. He made 89 last season, which is second all-time.

    Kinder said he wished Strong had played for the Jacks all four years.

    “The relationships I’ve built with last year’s team and this year’s team—it’s been great,” Strong said. “The family and the team, the coaches—that’s what it is. It’s just a family and I’ve had such a good time.”

    Strong said after he graduates he plans to continue playing basketball—hopefully overseas—to try to play the game he loves for as long as he can.

  • Jacks Fall to Second in Conference Coyotes

    Jacks Fall to Second in Conference Coyotes

    Men’s basketball leads early but drops second in a row at home

    Humboldt State’s men’s basketball home game on Feb. 8 was a challenging one for the team as they took a loss, 72-94, against California State University, San Bernardino.

    The Jacks ended the night with a loss and an 8-15 record, but a few highlights kept the fans engaged.

    In the first half, Jackson Strong made back-to-back three-pointers, while Zachariah Christian gave the Jacks an early 6-0 lead. The Coyotes caught up, bringing the score to 19-11 in the next nine minutes to take a 19-17 lead on a lay-up by Jordan Mitchell.

    • #0 Leland Green drives into the paint. | Photo by Liam Warner
    • #3 Isaiah Pope goes up for the basket. | Photo by Liam Warner

    The Coyotes increased their lead to 24-17 with eight minutes left in the first half. Rob Lewis cut the Coyotes lead to 37-30 with four straight points. Coyote player Richard Laku hit a three, which left the score at 40-30 right before halftime. In the second half, the Coyotes led and eventually outscored the Jacks by 22 points, taking the win.

    The Jacks had several players with double-digit points. Christian scored 18 points, while Isaiah Pope put up 16. Amari Green had 12 and Lewis scored 10. The Coyotes had 43 rebounds and the Jacks had 34.

    Head coach Steve Kinder said it was a hard game, but he was happy with the good start to the game.

    “What stood out to me the most was how good Cal State San Bernardino is,” Kinder said. “We just played a very good basketball team. We’re their 19th win—their last victim. They’re a very good basketball team and we competed with them well at the beginning of the game. I thought we did a nice job staying pace with them.”

  • Signees give Lumberjack athletics hope

    Signees give Lumberjack athletics hope

    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.

  • Jacks punch ticket to CCAA Tournament

    Jacks punch ticket to CCAA Tournament

    Jackson Strong leads the way for HSU with seven threes in a 78-66 win against Sonoma State

    The Lumberjacks men’s basketball team clinched a spot in the California Collegiate Athletic Association tournament with a 12 point win over Sonoma State University. HSU improved to 11-10 in Conference play and 17-12 overall on the season.

    Junior guard Jackson Strong shot 40 percent this year in both field goals and three-pointers. Also, Strong now has the second most three-pointers made in Humboldt State history for a single season.

    “My three shot just felt really good in tonight’s game,” Strong said. “Jamarlin and I got up shots after shootaround today. Honestly, in warmups, I think I hit two three-pointers out of however many, and I wasn’t feeling it then. I don’t know what it was.”

    Strong missed in warmups but made it count when it mattered most, helping the Jacks get a possible 7th seed in the CCAA tournament. Strong would lead all scorers with 23 points and six rebounds and shoot 7-10 from the three-point line.

    IMG_9718.jpg
    Zero easy buckets when redshirt junior Calvin Young II is in the lane. | Photo by Matt Shiffler

    Physicality started early between the Seawolves and the Jacks on Thursday night. In the first quarter, junior guard Jamarlin Jackson delivered a quick 18-foot jumper over the Seawolves guards to get the Jacks rolling. This was a competitive quarter with Sonoma fighting back hard each time HSU would go on a run.

    Later in the first quarter, junior forward Justin Everett drove to the basket, and the Seawolves defenders watched alongside some 500 fans as Everett threw down a one-handed dunk with authority. This dunk from Everett brought the crowd to their feet and the cheers continued all night.

    Junior forward Calvin Young II started the second quarter with an aggressive layup. Young was physical as well when grabbing boards as he compiled eight rebounds in the game.

    Strong put the Jacks on a long run throughout the second which led to a timeout. Driving and using his body to fade away and drain jumpers was impressive, as was his ball-handling skills.

    IMG_9682.jpg
    #2 Calvin Young II goes straight up against the Seawolves defender scoring two point with a layup. | Photo by Matt Shiffler

    Strong hit a big three to start his night off, and would drain six more before the final buzzer. The defense was playing great in the second quarter and contained Sonoma throughout. The Jacks kept the Seawolves shooting under 33 percent, and headed into the second half with a 34-24 lead.

    Head coach Steve Kinder said that the defensive effort was the key to the game.

    “Being able to keep Sonoma to 40 percent from the floor as well as they transition,” Kinder said. “I thought we did a nice job surviving their runs and getting stops at crucial times and countering on the offensive end.”

    Everett started a run to begin the second half with a couple of excellent jumpers and got HSU up 16, their largest lead of the night. HSU controlled the third quarter and entered the fourth with Strong hitting his hot streak. Strong continued to catch and shoot, only taking three’s in the game.

    Despite Sonoma pulling to within seven in the fourth quarter, Strong continued to hit from behind the arc. He would pull up from behind a screen, receive the pass and shoot instantly. The quick release combined with well-timed screens shut down the Seawolves’ ability to pressure Strong.

    The fourth quarter was competitive, and you could tell that there was tension on both sides with occasional chatter at one another during free throws and hard fouls on both teams. HSU just wanted to get into the tournament, no matter what seeding.

    IMG_9745.jpg
    Junior guard Jamarlin Jackson looking for open passing lanes to find an open teammate. | Photo by Matt Shiffler

    Jamarlin Jackson and Justin Everett both put in 16 points and make crucial shots for the Jacks. Kameron Curl also added eight points and five rebounds.

    The Jacks take on San Francisco State on Saturday for their regular season finale at 7:30 p.m. in the Lumberjack Arena. It’s also Senior Night for the Jacks and a night to honor former HSU coach Frank Cheek. The Jacks will then play Tuesday in the CCAA Tournament (Schedule TBD).

  • Men’s basketball sweeps Monterey Bay

    Men’s basketball sweeps Monterey Bay

    The men’s basketball team defeated the California State University, Monterey Bay Otters 87-79 on Feb. 3, following their epic 82-75 overtime victory against California State University, East Bay on Feb 1.

    The Jacks started the Saturday game off hot, as they began on a 10-2 run. However, they cooled down a bit and the game became a back-and-forth affair in the last three quarters.

    Senior forward Davasyia Hagger led the Jacks in points with 20, while also putting up a double-double with 10 rebounds as well.

    Other notable performances for the Jacks include junior guard Romario Wilson, who scored 17 points, and senior forward Justin Everett, who scored 13 points.

    Romario Wilson picks up the ball for a layup in the second half of Humboldt State University’s 87-79 win over California State University, Monterey Bay on Feb. 3 in the Lumberjack Arena. Photo by Diego Linares.

    “I liked how we executed the game plan,” Jacks head coach Steve Kinder said. “Especially defensively early, which led to some good stops, which led to some breakouts and high percentage shots in transition.”

    The Jacks started off slow behind the three-point line, as they only shot 3-10 from there in the first half. They attempted four threes in the second half, and only made one.

    “Three-point shooting was a high-alert issue at halftime,” Kinder said. “We certainly didn’t want to trade baskets or shoot threes up and down with this opponent.”

    Despite their three-point woes, the Jacks had the advantage on the boards, as they out-rebounded Monterey Bay 45-38.

    They also won the turnover battle, the Otters turning the ball over 15 times as opposed to the Jacks’ eight.

    “That’s good basketball,” Kinder said, “especially for these Lumberjacks this season, being able to limit ourselves to four turnovers at half time.”

    Monterey Bay certainly made it tough on the Lumberjacks, as they hit 14 of their 27 three-point attempts. The Otters average 27 threes per game, and they certainly showed that they could make it rain from deep.

    The Otters were led by forward Josh Kollman. He had 16 points, while shooting 4-5 from beyond the arc, including two late threes that kept his team in the game until the end.

    The win moves HSU to 8-15 overall, with a 5-12 record within the California Collegiate Athletic Association. In their first meeting earlier this year, the Jacks lost 67-62.

    The Jacks have five games remaining before the CCAA tournament begins, starting with a game on the road against California State University, Stanislaus on Feb. 10.

  • Best of Humboldt sports this weekend

    Best of Humboldt sports this weekend

    By | Keaundrey Clark

    Football

    No. 16-ranked Humboldt State was unable to overcome a 28-point deficit as it fell to No. 7 Central Washington 42-28 Saturday in Redwood Bowl.

    The Lumberjacks finish the season with a 8-2 overall record and a 6-2 mark in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.

    “Let’s give credit to Central Washington, they are the best team in the GNAC – that’s clear,” said Head Coach Rob Smith. “Today they were much better than we were, much better prepared and much better coached.”

    Senior running back Ja’Quan Gardner got the Jacks on the board before halftime with a run that found the end zone from three yards out with 14 seconds on the clock. Gardner was stiffled by the Central Washington defensed, he finished the game with 11 carries for 22 yards and a touchdown.

    HSU fought back in the second half. Davaeon Johnson picked off Central Washington QB Reilly Hennessey on the first drive of the half, he returned the pick 77 yards for a touchdown. Next possession a double pass with senior Chase Krivashei caught the Wildcats off guard. A 37 yards to a wide open Jamere Austin brought the game within 14 points.

    “Our kids weren’t going to roll over,” said Smith. “I told them at halftime we have two choices, respond or roll over, and we responded in that third quarter.”

    JacksBall got one more score with its senior led duo of Webber and Gardner. A 19-yard touchdown pass from Webber to Gardner brought the score to 42-28. Webber threw for 300-yards.

    “We are 8-2 and that is a very successful season,” said Smith. “These 24 seniors that end their career today – what a special group they are.”

    The Jacks honored their 24 seniors during pregame ceremonies, and 5,467 fans were on hand for the regular season finale.

    Women’s Basketball

    Humboldt State women’s basketball ended the West Region Crossover Classic play at 0-2 with a 54-50 loss to Western Washington Saturday afternoon.

    Jovanah Arrington led the Jacks with 13 points off the bench. Sophomore Tyla Turner like Arrington had double digit points with 11 and a team-high six rebounds and three assists.

    HSU returns to Lumberjack Arena Wednesday to play Notre Dame de Namur in a non – conference game, tipoff is at 7 p.m.

    Saturday they play on ESPN3 facing archrival Chico State.

    Men’s Basketball

    Humboldt State’s men’s basketball team will host its 2017-18 home opener Monday night against Pacific Union at 6 p.m. at Lumberjack Arena.

    The Jacks won its first game of the year, a 90-81 win over Palm Beach Atlantic (Fla.) this past weekend, the team dropped it’s two next games in the Disney Division II Tip-Off Classic, falling to Saint Leo 66-65 and Upper Iowa 60-55.

    Tyras Rattler Jr. led the Jacks with 22 points against Palm Beach Atlantic. He scored 14 points against Saint Leo.. Colin Caslick scored 11 points to lead the Jacks versus Upper Iowa.

    “The most positive thing about our basketball team right now is our depth,” said the coach. “We played every guy in every game and everybody had a contribution. Outside of Tyras, we don’t have one particular player who’s scoring a lot of points. It’s spread-out and we’re sharing the ball well.”

    Cross Country

    Junior Tatiana Gillick has earned an at-large bid to represent Humboldt State at the 2017 NCAA Division II Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships.

    This will be Gillick’s first NCAA DII Cross Country Championships appearance.

    The championship will be at the Angel’s Mound in Evansville, Ind., on Sat., Nov. 18. She finished in eighth place at regionals, and she completed the 6k race with a time of 21:30.0.

    Gillick helped the Jacks to a ninth place finish at regionals in Monmouth, Ore, two weekends ago and was awarded All-Region honors for her performance.

    Volleyball

    On senior night where the jacks honored their six seniors prior to the game,

    Humboldt State volleyball lost to Cal Poly Pomona in straight sets Saturday night in Lumberjack Arena.

    The loss moves the Green and Gold to 3-21 overall and 2-16 in conference play to end the 2017 campaign.

    Freshman Lauren Reid led the Jacks with seven kills. Redshirt Freshman Kayla Costello had a season-high 14 assists. Junior Sarah Shively finished with a team-high 15 digs and two aces.

  • HSU’s basketball doubleheader makes ESPN3

    HSU’s basketball doubleheader makes ESPN3

    By | Skye Kimya

    Humboldt State Basketball is ready to play against rival Chico State on ESPN3 Nov. 18. It will be a humbling experience for both the women’s and men’s team as they perform on a national stage.

    “My mom told me everybody will be watching from back home,” Sophomore, Tyla Turner said.

    This game is an opportunity for family and friends back home to watch the Jacks play at home with a raucous crowd behind them.

    Pic3_Print_Color
    Junior Tyrus Rattler Jr. driving to the basket. | Juan Herrera

    “The fans are really into it,” said Turner. “Several people have told me that they can’t wait for basketball season to start so I feel they are just ready to fill up the bleachers.”

    The Lumberjack Arena expects a big crowd as they promote a White Out theme. The first 500 people to arrive will be given a free shirt to help ‘white out’ the stands.

    The women’s game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and the men’s game will begin at 7:30 p.m.

    “It’s exciting,” Junior, Tyras Rattler said. “I have never played on ESPN before, and we are expected to have a good turnout.”

    HSU Men’s Basketball is coming off of a 13-16 season. They were led by Sophomores Tyras Rattler Jr. and Nikhil Lizotte who held over 13 points per game a piece.

    HSU’s Women’s Basketball is coming off of a rough season where they finished 8-19. They return CCAA Freshman of the Year, Tyla Turner who is both excited and nervous about playing on ESPN.

    “I am nervous before every game,” Turner said, “but we can’t focus on Chico State if we haven’t focused on what comes next.”

    Women’s Basketball Head Coach, Michelle Bento-Jackson took over the program in 2016 with over 20 years of coaching experience already under her wing. She has led several championships throughout her coaching career, including West Coast Conference Division I with Santa Clara University.

    “To get national exposure like this,” Bento-Jackson said. “We just feel honored that we are getting this opportunity.”

    Bento-Jackson and her players made it very clear that although this is a big game to think about, the team has prior duties to focus on and work toward.

    “We are focusing on our first opponent,” Bento-Jackson said. “Which at this time is Simpson. And the week leading up to Chico, we will be in preparation for them.”

    Humboldt State’s basketball doubleheader against Chico State should bring not only excitement to the players and a great atmosphere to the arena, but also substantial recognition to both basketball programs.

    “When the fans are excited, that makes me excited,” Rattler said. “I’m trying to win for them.”

     

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Jacks Pass

    Jacks Pass

    By Keaundrey Clark

    Men’s Basketball

    lMalik Morgan scored a season-high 22 points  as Humboldt State men’s basketball beat to Cal Poly Pomona, 71-60 Saturday in Lumberjack Arena.

    Morgan accounted for 11 of the his 22  points in the second half. Sophomore Nikhil Lizotte helped the Jacks following intermission. He scored 14 points in the final 20 minutes, including seven from the free throw line in the last minute. Redshirt Sophomore  Calvin Young II led the Jacks with eight rebounds. HSU travels to face Cal State San Bernardino on Friday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

    Women’s Basketball

    Humboldt State women’s basketball fell to Cal Poly Pomona, 68-44, Saturday in Lumberjack Arena.

    HSU struggled to find an answer for Pomona and trailed 21-3 after 10 minutes of action. Junior  Catherine Rees scored the Jacks only field goal of the 1st quarter. HSU fought back  in the second quarter, cutting the lead to  31-22, at the break. Freshman  Madeline Hatch led the Jacks with nine points at the half. Pomona went on an 11-0 run to start the second half. They took a commanding 32-point lead into the final period. Tyra Turner and Hatch led the Jacks with nine points apiece. Turner finished with six rebounds, three assists and five steals.The Jacks travel to face Cal State San Bernardino Friday at 5:30 p.m.

    Softball

    Humboldt State senior Tiffany Hollingsworth was named the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II National Player of the Week Wednesday. In the Desert Stinger Tournament. She batted .438, slugged 1.063 and drove in nine runs earning Tournament Most Valuable Player honors. The senior helped HSU open the season with a 5-0 record with four consecutive multi-hit games and three straight games with a home run. She went 3-for-3 with a double and a home run in the Jacks 12-1 win over Western New Mexico. Hollingsworth hit a two-run homer in game two. She went 3-for-4 at the dish, drew a walk and drove in two RBI to go with her third home run of the season. During the preseason, Hollingsworth was named a member of the 2017 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player of the Year Watch List.

    Cross-Country

    The Humboldt State cross country program collected U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic honors. Megan Alfi, Kori Gilley and Annie Roberts represented the Green and Gold as individual all-academic selections. The individual All-Academic honor was awarded to student-athletes who compiled a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.25 and finished among the top 30 percent of eligible runners at his or her regional championships and/or the top half of the field at the NCAA Championships. The men’s and women’s teams captured All-Academic honors with 3.02 and 3.40 GPAs, respectively. Teams must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 and must have scored at an NCAA Division II regional meet to qualify for All-Academic awards.