Fred Endert Municipal Pool in Crescent City offers swim technique and conditioning lessons to adults this winter. Del Norte Triplicate / Bryant Anderson

As the county’s lone aquatic facility open to the public (apologies to the Pacific Ocean, of course) prepares for 2013, Endert Pool is testing out new programs and methods to keep Del Norte County excited about swimming.

Endert Pool programs

This winter, Endert Pool is hosting a series of technique and conditioning lessons geared toward adults. The sessions are “open for any adult who wants to improve any of their strokes,” according to Endert Pool manager Matt Hildebrandt, and are taught by certified water safety instructors.

Sessions are conducted on Mondays (7–8 p.m.), Tuesdays (12:30–1 p.m.), Thursdays (7–8 p.m.) and Saturdays (4:30–5:30 p.m.). They are currently being offered on a trial basis.

“Interest in the program was very good,” Hildebrandt said. “We put sign-up sheets on the counter and they filled up in a two-day period.”

Additionally, Endert Pool passes will be available at discounted rates — up to 25 percent off — through Dec. 22. Ten-visit, 50-visit and annual passes to the pool are available.

Promote Our Pool Foundation

Crescent City’s nonprofit Promote Our Pool Foundation, an organization devoted to raising money for Endert Pool and awareness of issues related to water activity, made a $2,000 donation for new pool covers, scheduled to arrive later this month.

I was parked by the recreation fields looking at the sign which reads “Pykes Field,” and I couldn’t help but reflect how much Vaughn Pyke had done for the Warriors.

Mr. Pyke used to own Pyke’s Variety store on the old 2nd street. He was a great supporter of Del Norte High.

When I joined the Warrior baseball team as a freshman, we were not very good, and in fact lost all our games. Back then there were no youth baseball programs at that level of competition.

Mr. Pyke decided to change that. He purchased a set of bright blue uniforms and all the equipment needed to start a baseball team. Thus the Crescent City Blues started.

This was a team made up of high school-age players and during the summer after my freshman year we played anyone we could schedule. Mr. Pyke got my dad, Shirley Trone, to coach the team and we learned a lot about how to play baseball.

In the spring of my sophomore year the Warriors fielded a lineup of mostly Blues players and went from a team that did not win a game the year before to a team that won the Humboldt-Del Norte League championship.

When school was out we again put on the bright blue uniforms of the Blues and played all summer. Now we were winning most every game we played.

Jen Anderson holds her first ever steelhead, caught Tuesday on the Chetco River. Courtesy of Andy Martin / Wild Rivers Fishing

The river’s summer-jade hue remains, but becomes less translucent, almost milky, signaling it’s time to drop lines.

Prime steelhead fishing on the North Coast has been keeping anglers busy, and the rain forecast looks to provide just enough to maintain that magic color.

Smith River

Bank fishermen were reported to have some luck plunking for steelies last weekend, and this weekend should be optimal for side drifting with some yarn, a small piece of roe and a puff ball. 

Although there are probably a few fresh salmon still to be found in the system, anglers have switched gears for steelhead. 

“There are definitely steelhead out there,” said fishing guide Jim Mitchell, who recommended fishing the shoulders of the river with the murky

Del Norte’s Sean DeArman scores 21 points in the loss; freshmen roll 

Five days after the Del Norte High boys basketball team defeated Brookings-Harbor High in Brookings, the Bruins returned the favor in gut-wrenching fashion.

Justin Murray’s 14-footer beat the buzzer in overtime as Brookings-Harbor triumphed over the Warriors, 51-49. Del Norte slipped to 2-4 overall with the loss.

The Bruins held a 43-37 lead with 1:20 remaining in regulation before Sean DeArman and Steven Maready hit late baskets. Playing for the last shot, senior Raul Zepeda made a three-point shot in the final seconds to tie the score at 44 and send the game into an extra session.

Brookings-Harbor’s Murray scored all seven of his team’s points in overtime, including an early three-pointer to put pressure on Del Norte. He finished with 21 points.

DeArman scored 21 points of his own to lead the Warriors, just when they needed him most. 

Del Norte went scoreless over the final 4:38 of the first quarter as the Bruins took an 11-4 lead. The Warriors began to feed DeArman in the post, and the senior asserted himself, scoring 14 of Del Norte’s 23 first-half points to tie the game at intermission.

Begin a high school sports season with a first-year coach and not enough players to field a team. 

Recruit enough players, win the first contest. Lose the coach, who resigns in the middle of a match. Forfeit two games as the team’s future hangs in the balance.

Find a new coach, get back on track, keep practicing. Win more matches, take home a Humboldt-Del Norte Big 5 League title, win a match in the California Interscholastic Federation North Coast Section playoffs.

Hollywood could not script a more calamitous season for the Del Norte High girls tennis team.

“Crazy,” senior Taylor Cleland said. 

Cleland and her cousin, sophomore Jordan Babich, won the Humboldt-Del Norte doubles championship and went 1-2 in NCS doubles play, a historic event for the Warriors program. As a team, Del Norte finished 5-5 overall, including the forfeiture of two matches after Max Sweeney resigned from the position during the Warriors’ Sept. 11 match against Eureka.

Jane Rumiano, president of the Del Norte Tennis Association and long time girls tennis coach at Del Norte High, was rehired days later and brought community members on to help her run practice.

 Maddison Smedley of the Redwood School’s Red team and dozens of girls from across Del Norte County played doubleheaders Saturday as the Crescent City Jaycees Tournament drew to a close. Smedley, later named to the A division all-tournament team, and the Raiders came back from a halftime deficit to defeat Cuddeback School of Carlotta, 59-44, for third place in the division.  Del Norte Triplicate / Rick Postal

 Sequoia Middle School in Redding and Toddy Thomas Middle School in Fortuna play the AAA division championship game before a standing room-only crowd at the Del Norte High School main gymnasium on Saturday night. Toddy Thomas won the game, 44-38. 

The Crescent Elk B team lines up for an inbounds play during its 50-19 loss to Stanwood A. Murphy Elementary of Scotia.  

 Uncharted Shores Academy coach Christian Taylor speaks with his team during a timeout. 

Players from several teams kill time before the tournament’s award ceremony Saturday night with a game of “Silly Susie.”  

 Crescent Elk B’s Tiphanie Barfels looks for an open player against Scotia.

Del Norte Triplicate / Rick Postal and Robert Husseman

Redwood School Red’s Mary Vance looks for her shot against Cuddeback. Del Norte Triplicate / Rick Postal and Robert Husseman

 Four of Del Norte County’s six teams record tournament wins Saturday 

The Redwood School Red girls basketball team kept some of the Crescent City Jaycees Tournament hardware in Del Norte County.

The Raiders made it to the semifinal of the A division bracket on Friday before losing to Weaverville, 32-24, on Saturday morning. 

In the third-place game, Redwood overcame adversity against Cuddeback School of Carlotta, trailing by 11 points at halftime before winning, 59-44. 

“This is the first time we’ve ever won a trophy,” Raiders coach Cris Rice said. “It feels good. I’ve had a lot of good groups over the years, but this one has improved a lot from the beginning of the season.”

The Jaycees Tournament is rife with pressure — tough opponents, personal expectations and raucous hometown crowds. 

Therein lies the challenge for coaches and players — how to play free of conscience, and also play your best.

“It’s a big deal. There’s a lot of hype, so it makes them a little nervous,” Rice said. “(Against Cuddeback) we got over the nerves and took it to them in the second half.”  

Cambria Taylor of Uncharted Shores Academy drives to the basket against Blue Lake. Del Norte Triplicate / Rick Postal and Robert Husseman

Four Del Norte High wrestlers finished fourth or better at the McKinleyville Tournament, held Saturday at McKinleyville High School. 

Jackson Evans (152 pounds), Hawk Mattz (160 pounds) and David Plechaty (195 pounds) all earned second place in their respective weight classes. Skiler Haddad took fourth place at 132 pounds. Fourteen Warriors competed in all at the one-day event.

Del Norte travels to Grants Pass for a two-day tournament beginning Friday, the Warriors’ last wrestling tournament of the calendar year.

Charter Cable Channel 4 is scheduled to broadcast the Del Norte High boys basketball team’s Dec. 7 game against Brookings-Harbor and the Del Norte girls basketball team’s Nov. 29 game against Yreka High on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.