Del Norte 9-10 All-Stars take second place in tournament; 2 teams win openers

The Del Norte 11-12 Softball All-Stars won their first game of the California District 26 tournament in Fortuna on Friday night. Del Norte Triplicate/Robert Husseman

Eel River, however, knocked around Del Norte’s pitching, using a 10-run fourth-inning to seal a 16-1 victory in four innings to claim the California District 26 championship.

“They just hit the ball real well,” Del Norte coach Rich Goudelock said. “We didn’t back up our pitchers real well.”

This year, the Fourth of July will be kicked off in nontraditional fashion at Pyke Field.

The Del Norte County Recreation Department’s Fourth Annual Firecracker Tournament kicks off today at 9 a.m.

According to Recreation Department coordinator John Horner, the event has attracted and become known to softball players from well beyond the North Coast, into Oregon and even other states.

“When I took over the rec program, one of the things I wanted to do was generate buzz (for our events),” Horner said. “People from the valley to the coast know this event. And what better time than the Fourth?”

The Firecracker Tournament exists under a unique format: Each batter receives a single pitch from the pitcher. If the batter hits it, the ball is in play under normal softball rules.

Registration for the 28th Annual Crescent City Triathlon is officially underway.

The Triathlon begins Sunday, August 12, at 8:30 a.m. starting at Fred Endert Municipal Pool, 1000 Play Drive, Crescent City. Cost is $45 for adults and $20 for kids aged 12 and under, with fees increasing $5 after July 31. All proceeds from the event benefit the Del Norte High School Scholarship Fund.

The Del Norte County Recreation Department’s women’s indoor soccer league concluded its fifth season Sunday, with The Razors defeating Gordi Bras, 2-1, in the championship game at the Del Norte County Fairgrounds.

Chantelle Rilatos and Bina Gonzalez scored for The Razors, and goalkeeper Deleana Saylor was named Most Valuable Player in the championship game. Saylor also earned MVP honors last indoor soccer season.

Lyndsay Veerkamp scored the lone goal for Gordi Bras, who had 23 shots on goal to The Razors’ nine.

In the third-place game, also held June 24 at the fairgrounds, Juventus defeated the Black Widows, 1-0, on a goal by Lupe Flores.

The Del Norte 9-10 Baseball All-Stars suffered their first defeat in the California District 26 Championship Wednesday night, but their season is still alive.

Del Norte fell to Eel River Little League of Fortuna, 11-0 in four innings, at the tournament game in Blue Lake.

“They kept us from getting anything going,” Del Norte coach Rich Goudelock said. “They just pitched really good. They hit the ball really hard and played good defense.”

Local kids learn fundamentals of basketball in a three-day camp

Braylee Haberman, 5, dribbles the ball down the court during the Junior Basketball Camp, held Tuesday, Wednesday and today at Crescent Elk Middle School. Del Norte High School boys basketball coach Blaine Lopez acted as the camp’s head instructor. Del Norte Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

The children filed into the gymnasium at Crescent Elk Middle School on Wednesday morning, dropped off by their parents and wished goodbye. They filled their time by sitting around, talking with friends, waiting impatiently. Aidan Malone, 7, a rising second-grader at Pine Grove Elementary School, burned some energy by running laps around the gym. “I can run so much,” he said.

Blaine Lopez, head coach of the Del Norte High School boys basketball team, produced two mesh bags filled with basketballs and encouraged the kids in the gym to have at them. Within minutes, the familiar cacophony of dribbling and shooting and passing reverberated off the gym walls.

Suddenly, this is the place for ocean fishing

Tom Bunch holds up a 17-pound salmon caught Wednesday outside of the Crescent City Harbor. Del Norte Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

Ziploc bags full of pink dinners were methodically produced by almost any angler lucky enough  to get out on the water.

“No farm-raised salmon for us!” exclaimed Alex Zubchonok as he started carving another king salmon.

Del Norte United and Challenger Sports are hosting a “British Soccer Camp” for kids ages 3–19, to be held Aug. 13–17 at Peterson Park in Crescent City.

Cost is $72 for children ages 3–4 and $97 for children ages 5–19 and includes a free T-shirt, soccer ball, poster and skills evaluation. To sign up, visit www.challengersports.com. For more information, contact Jorge Gonzalez at 916-730-7934 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

 All-Stars play again tonight

Through two games in the District 26 Baseball 9-10 All-Stars Tournament, only the weather has slowed down the Del Norte Little League All-Stars.

Giovanni Gonzalez scored off an O.J. Calleja single in the sixth inning as Del Norte topped the Eureka 9-10 All-Stars, 5-4, on Monday night in Blue Lake.

“It was real rainy, nasty conditions,” Del Norte coach Rich Goudelock said. “What they did today was, they played together as a team. Everybody contributed.”

Tsunami Sirens open bout on a 59-2 run, beat Angry Beavers

Danielle “Ragin’ Reg” Arispe of the Tsunami Sirens roller derby team lays a block on a Redding Angry Beavers player during Saturday night’s bout at the Del Norte County Fairgrounds. The Sirens defeated the Angry Beavers, 146-75. Del Norte Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

The Tsunami Sirens got their jammers out in front of the pack early and often Saturday night, defeating the Redding Angry Beavers 146-75 in front of about 350 fans at the Del Norte County Fairgrounds.