Win doubleheader to open the season

Starting pitcher A.J. Braganti of the Del Norte Grizzlies American Legion baseball team throws a pitch against Southern Humboldt on Sunday in Crescent City. Del Norte earned 5-3 and 13-3 wins to open the season. For more photos, go to triplicate.com/photos. The Daily Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

On Sunday at home in doubleheader action against the Southern Humboldt Sixers, the Grizzlies won 5-3 and, in five innings, 13-3.

Del Norte had a late start and got only three practices in before the season began, but did not show much rust to open the year.

“We’re a young team and it was good to see them come out, be aggressive and hit the ball,” head coach Eric Enos said. “They hit the ball very well in critical situations and did an excellent job bringing runners in.”

Open season at home on Sunday

Joey LeFebvre of the Del Norte Grizzlies makes a throw during practice on Thursday. The team opens the season at home with a doubleheader on Sunday. The Daily Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

Despite a late start, with practices commencing Tuesday, head coach Eric Enos likes his team’s potential.

“We’re going to surprise people,” he said. “It’s a young but talented team.”

The Grizzlies will open the season Sunday with a doubleheader against Southern Humboldt. The first contest begins at noon at the baseball field at Del Norte High School.

It is one of only three home dates currently on the schedule. The next home contest is not until June 29 versus Northern Humboldt.

DNHS alum walks on at Humboldt St.

Former Del Norte High School gridiron standout Trevor Rook is back on the North Coast and hoping to become a contributor on the Humboldt State University football team this fall.

Rook, who played two years at Shasta College in Redding, mainly at running back, red-shirted last fall at Malone University in Canton, Ohio, and is excited to be playing football again a little more than an hour away from his hometown.

“Everything is going good for me,” he said. “I like that it’s close to home and my family can come and watch me play.”

Comes in 2nd in the shot put 

Morgan Laney of Del Norte High competes in the shot put at a meet in Crescent City on May 13. On Friday, Laney earned a second place finish at the Northcoast Section Meet of Champions in Berkeley. She earned a berth to the state championships in Clovis next week by placing in the top four. The Daily Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

The Del Norte High School junior was already in fourth place at the Northcoast Section Meet of Champions in Berkeley with a throw of 38-3 feet by the time her final attempt came up. The top four earn a berth in state, so regardless of how she fared, Laney knew she was state-bound.

That fact took a lot of pressure off her, and she just “threw it.”

“I didn’t think about it and it paid off,” she said.

Del Norte track team at Meet of Champions today

Del Norte High track and field members, from left to right: Katelynn Rowe, Nichole Fugate, Zara Gastineau, Jennifer Goacher, Kylee Bruder and Adan Rodriguez pose for a photo during practice on Tuesday. All six have qualified for the Northcoast Section Meet of Champions in Berkeley. The Daily Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

It has been a successful year for the Del Norte High track and field team.

The girls squad earned first place in the Humboldt-Del Norte Championships and eight team members have qualified for the Northcoast Section Meet of Champions in Berkeley, which is only one step away from state. The event begins today.

Assistant coach Samuel Escobar said that it’s nice to see a high number of kids make it this far. Last year, five Warriors qualified for the Meet of Champions.

“They all had a goal in mind and they made it,” Escobar said. 

Competes in the shot put

Del Norte High junior Morgan Laney competes in the shot put at the Humboldt-Del Norte Conference Championships in Crescent City on May 13. The Daily Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

While possessing the physical and athletic skills to succeed in the shot put, it’s the desire and willingness to always go the extra mile that separates Del Norte junior Morgan Laney from the rest of the pack.

Del Norte head track and field coach Robyn Parker, who specializes in the throwing events and participated in the shot put in high school, said that she and Laney spend a lot of time during and after practice perfecting her skills.

Laney has proven to be a willing student, she said.

“Morgan is extremely driven to do better in the shot put,” Parker said. “We’re usually the last ones to leave. She always pushes herself.”

Kakitsuka looks for good showing down in Berkeley

Del Norte High School senior Brandon Kakitsuka practices jumping over hurdles during practice on Tuesday. Kakitsuka has qualified for the Northcoast Section Meet of Champions in Berkeley in the 300-meter hurdles. The event begins on Friday. A total of eight Warriors have qualified for Berkeley. The Daily Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

At first, Brandon Kakitsuka was not too sure that he wanted to be a hurdler.

Kakitsuka, known previously as a runner at Del Norte High School, mainly in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, said that when he started the hurdles only last year, it was not something he initially enjoyed.

“When I first tried it I didn’t really like it,” he said. “It was not my favorite.”

Two earn  second place finishes for DN

Adan Rodriguez of Del Norte High competes in the pole vault at the Northcoast Section Redwood Empire Championships in Rohnert Park on Saturday. Rodriguez took seventh with a vault of 11 feet. San Francisco Giants pitches against the Oakland Athletics on Friday at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Submitted photo

Competing at the NCS Redwood Empire Championships in Rohnert Park, the Warriors had two team members earn second place finishes.

In the girls shot put, junior Morgan Laney threw for 38.3 feet to come in second. Senior Brandon Kakitsuka took second in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 41.20 seconds.

Del Norte baseball team ends year with 2 losses

The season ended with a whimper for the Del Norte High baseball team on Friday.

The Warriors lost to fellow Big 5 Conference opponent Eureka 8-5 and 7-2 on the road as the year ended with a seven-game losing streak.

A few weeks back the Warriors were 4-1 in the conference and in contention for the league title.

But Del Norte became tangled up in a slump as they struggled to put up runs and could not stop committing fielding errors that  sunk any hope of a Big 5 title or a playoff berth.

Top pole vaulter for the SDSU Aztecs

San Diego State University sophomore pole vaulter Kelsy Hintz competes at an event earlier this year. Hintz is a 2008 Del Norte High School graduate. Photo courtesy of San Diego State University

Despite all that’s going on in her life, Hintz continues to make her mark as an athlete and has the opportunity to earn a berth in nationals in the pole vault.

“It’s going awesome,” she said in a telephone interview with The Daily Triplicate on Thursday. “Things have been going in the right direction.”