Del Norte High senior Katelynn Rowe has won four White Stars (2011 4x100 relay, 2011 4x400 relay, 2012 4x100 relay, 2012 400) in her career. Del Norte Triplicate / Bryant Anderson

Behind the steely competitor in Katelynn Rowe is a support structure stretching across state lines 

Rachel Stevenson would love to make it to Santa Rosa High School today for the Redwood Empire Area Track & Field Championships, but a prior commitment will cause her to miss the important meet.

After all, Del Norte High senior Katelynn Rowe will be competing in what is likely the penultimate meet in a decorated track and field career. Stevenson, a Naval Reserve officer and medical school student at Touro University in Vallejo, was in high school in Libby, Mont., when she started babysitting young Katelynn. She remains close to Katelynn and her parents, Rob and Ida Rowe, to this day.

“It’s always exciting to follow her in the papers and see how she’s doing,” Stevenson says of Katelynn.

Katelynn is a member of the Warriors’ girls 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relay teams. She also runs the 300-meter hurdles and the 400 meters, with an occasional cameo in the long jump just to mix things up.

She is ranked 10th in the California Interscholastic Federation North Coast Section in the 300 hurdles (her season-best time is 47.36 seconds); sophomore teammate Kayla Costello is ranked eighth (46.98). Katelynn shares the glory of the sprint relays with her sister, Del Norte freshman Rachel Rowe; Costello; freshman Maddie Critz, in the 4x100 relay; and freshman Joely Tynes, in the 4x400 relay. (Katelynn has earned three White Stars in relay events her sophomore and junior seasons.)

But the 400 is all hers. The concept behind the event is simple: one lap to run in an all-out sprint. There is not enough room to make tactical adjustments or adjust one’s speed to the competition.

Del Norte High pitcher Camryn Ridgley struck out 13 Arcata Tigers and walked one as the Warriors defeated the Tigers, 1-0, in nine innings. Del Norte Triplicate / Bryant Anderson

BreAnna Moore’s RBI ground-rule double in the ninth inning boosts Del Norte over Arcata

The Del Norte High softball team rode a roller coaster of emotion in Wednesday’s Senior Day game against Arcata High.

First came heartfelt sadness, spurred on by the celebration of seven departing seniors. Then came anxiety, as a heavyweight brawl of a softball game broke out and spilled over into extra innings.

Last came pure elation. Del Norte first baseman BreAnna Moore’s double bounced over the centerfield fence and scored pitcher Camryn Ridgley in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 1-0, walk-off victory at Del Norte High School. 

“It was the first one I’ve ever (hit that went) over the fence,” said Moore, a senior and the daughter of Warriors head coach Tom Moore. “I was pretty happy.”

A tumultuous season marked by inconsistency ended on a high note. Del Norte finishes the year with an 11-13-1 overall record, third in the Humboldt-Del Norte Big 5 League (6-6).

“It’s been a rough (season), but it’s been fun,” Tom Moore said. 

“This was a close, excellent game. I love playing Arcata. They’re a great group of girls.”

Jim Mitchell of Crescent City caught this monster Pacific halibut out of Bandon, Ore. at 400 feet depth using a sardine. Courtesy of Jim Mitchell

Dozens of fishermen hit the sea from Crescent City on Wednesday, and although the salmon bite outside of Tsunami Town is still slow, there are plenty of rockfish to be had.

Crescent City ocean fishing

On the first day of the season for rockfish, cabezon, greenling and lingcod on the North Coast, those fish took the show.

Only a handful of salmon were brought into Crescent City on Wednesday, but almost all anglers were able to land some groundfish, although the lingcod bite was weak.

Craig Strickhouser of Tally Ho Sportfishing got his clients’ limits of groundfish, 10 per person, mostly blacks. They also caught two lingcod.

“The rockfish is looking
really good,” Strickhouser said.

Brookings-Harbor ocean fishing

“The bottom fishing is pretty good; the halibut is
really good, and the salmon bite is non-existent,” said Scott Stewart of Ultimate Catch Charter.

Halibut are being caught every day, Stewart said, and the lingcod bite remains strong.

Only two seniors — Luke Seats and Josh Barriga — remained on the Del Norte High baseball team long enough to be honored during Wednesday’s Senior Day home game against Arcata High.

But boy, do Seats and Barriga know how to close out a career.

With the Warriors trailing by four runs entering the seventh inning, Seats scored the game-tying run on a wild pitch, and an errant throw from the Tigers’ catcher struck Seats in the chest and allowed Barriga to score the game-winning run. 

Del Norte secured its sixth win of the season, 8-7, in one of the wildest walk-off scenarios imaginable.

Seats was also the game’s winning pitcher, as he was not charged with a run in the final 1 2/3 innings, during which the Warriors (6-15 overall, 2-10 Humboldt-Del Norte Big 5 League) executed their comeback.

The first five innings of the game were relatively mellow offensively. Nathan Porter, the starting pitcher for Del Norte, allowed two runs in five innings of work. At the plate, Steven Maready’s RBI single in the third inning and Austin Healy’s run scored on a fifth-inning error allowed the Warriors to keep pace with the Tigers (12-11, 4-8 HDN Big 5).

Healy relieved Porter in the top of the sixth inning but was touched up for five runs in 1/3 of an inning. Seats replaced him and walked the first batter he faced (allowing a run to score; that run was charged to Healy) before inducing the final two outs of the inning. 

Warriors finish 2nd in girls’ team race; boys take 3rd

Del Norte High sophomore Chad Bell entered the Humboldt-Del Norte League Championship track and field meet, held Saturday at Fortuna High School, as the reigning league long jump champion.

He left with White Stars to his name, helping the Del Norte boys to third place as a team (77 points). Fortuna won the boys’ team title with 141 points, followed by McKinleyville High’s 100 points.

Bell was one of three athletes to earn three individual White Stars Saturday, along with Fortuna’s Colton Ross (boys’ 110-meter hurdles, boys’ 300-meter hurdles, boys’ pole vault) and Arcata High’s Lauren McCoy (girls’ 400 meters, girls’ 300-meter hurdles, girls’ long jump).

Bell retained his long jump title with a leap of 19 feet, 11.5 inches. He and Warriors senior Dalton Alexandre combined on a 1-3 finish in the triple jump; Bell won with a mark of 40-8; Alexandre’s mark was 39-8.75.

Bell’s best result of the day came in the high jump, where he cleared 6-3 — a personal best by three inches — to win the event.

“What amazes us is he’s quick, he’s strong, he’s graceful,” Warriors head coach Samuel Escobar said. “It’s art.”

The Del Norte girls found themselves out near the front in several events, ultimately compiling four second-place finishes and six third-place finishes.

The Del Norte High baseball team’s Humboldt-Del Norte Big 5 League games have followed a disturbing trend.

“One inning always messes it up,” Warriors sophomore Jonathan Calderon said.

On Saturday, a six-run inning and a five-run inning by Eureka High led to a doubleheader sweep by the Loggers —  10-3 and 6-1 — over the Warriors at Del Norte High School.

Calderon was the victim of the first big inning, as Eureka tagged him for six runs on seven hits to open up the first game. The Loggers scored two more runs in the second inning, but would not score again until the seventh.

“Other than one inning, Johnny pitched great,” Warriors head coach Travis Johnson said. “He did phenomenally. He always does.”

Del Norte (5-15 overall, 1-10 HDN Big 5) batters were retired in order in each of the first three innings before junior Nathan Porter’s RBI single scored junior Chris Bray in the fourth inning.

Josiah Johnson singled in Austin Healy in the sixth inning and Casey Nelson scored on a Loggers throwing error in the seventh — too little run production, too late.

In the second game, Del Norte pitcher Luke Seats and Eureka pitcher Caleb Lee were knotted in a pitchers’ duel, combining to allow three hits in the first five innings. Warriors senior Josh Barriga reached first on an error in the fifth inning, later scoring when the Loggers catcher overthrew third base on a steal attempt.

Del Norte High junior Kiera Davis (wearing chest protector) has had a strong season at catcher for the Warriors’ softball team and a strong year in the classroom, where she sports a 4.2 grade-point average. Del Norte Triplicate / Bryant Anderson

The heart of the Warriors’ defense, in many ways, lies behind the plate, with juniors Josiah Johnson and Kiera Davis.

Johnson played football with the Warriors this season before suffering a concussion and a burst appendix within a week’s time in October. He recovered from both in time to become one of the Warriors’ most consistent players offensively and defensively.

“He’s a leader,” sophomore pitcher Jonathan Calderon says.

Johnson is lauded by the Warriors’ pitchers for his arm and his ability to pick off baserunners.

“He’s blocking everything,” freshman pitcher Austin Healy says. “Even if people get on base, they don’t get farther than third. They don’t steal on him.”

Davis has made a similar impact for the softball team defensively, picking at least four runners off bases this season. 

“You’d better be there,” senior Camryn Ridgley says, “because (the ball) is going to be there.”

Warriors coach Tom Moore lauds Davis for her work ethic on the field and in the classroom, where the junior sports a 4.2 grade-point average.

Del Norte United sign-ups

Del Norte United F.C. is signing up boys and girls ages 4 to 14 to be a part of its 2013 fall soccer league.

Registration will take place Wednesday at Gordi Bros., 4301 Lake Earl Drive, Crescent City. Registration costs $50, and new league members must bring a copy of the child’s birth certificate.

For more information, contact Jennifer Tweed at 707-464-6228 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

DNHS HOF nominations 

Nominations for the 2013 Del Norte High School Athletic Hall of Fame are now available. For more information, contact Dick Trone at 954-8582.

Crescent Elk’s Caleb Hendon clears a hurdle in the eighth-grade boys’ 110-meter hurdles race. Del Norte Triplicate / Bryant Anderson

Results of the events are as follows:

Girls — 7th grade

Team Scores — Azalea 111, Redwood 105, Smith River 85, Crescent Elk 56

100 — 1. Dejah Wilson, Azalea, 14.53; 2. Carolyn Cochran, Crescent Elk, 14.72; 3. Sam French, Redwood, 14.81; 4. Bella Gastonguay, A, 14.84; 5. Kaleya Sanchez, R, 14.97; 6. Anna Serna, A, 15.06; 7. M. Floyd, Smith River, 15.12; 8. Bekah Stout, R, 15.19; 8. Hannah Baldwin, CE, 15.19; 10. K. Knight, SR, 15.38; 11. Brooke Hodges, A, 15.47; 12. Kaliana Throop, R, 15.60; 13. Siobhan L., SR, 15.69; 14. Shelby Countess, R, 15.71; 15. Tvshiina Jacobs, R, 15.72; 16. Angela Acosta, A, 15.81; 17. Audrey Rested, R, 15.93; 18. Alyssa Bevan, A, 16.03; 18. Kaylee Strain, A, 16.03; 20. Ariana Castro, R, 16.04; 21. Deven Coffman, R, 16.06; 22. Ashli Dickinson, R, 16.34; 23. Aubrey Haberman, R, 16.37; 24. Alexa Bond, A, 16.50; 24. Paulina Gonzalez, R, 16.50; 26. Savannah Gilbert, SR, 16.97; 27. Zoe Critz, CE, 17.12; 28. Brenda P., SR, 17.25; 28. Alex Contreras, A, 17.25; 30. Camila Calderon, R, 17.72; 31. Maggie Steerman, A, 18.47

Rory McCain of Gasquet Mountain School won the eighth-grade boys long jump with a 15-foot, 7-inch leap. Del Norte Triplicate / Bryant Anderson

400 — 1. Kaleya Sanchez, R, 1:12.22; 2. Claire Smith, CE, 1:14.32; 3. Jenna Martini, A, 1:17.06; 4. Dora Castillo, SR, 1:19.06; 5. Kaylee Strain, A, 1:19.40; 6. Ashley Wheelon, R, 1:25.75; 7. Maddy Wiley, Gasquet Mountain School, 1:27.56

800 — 1. Danna F., SR, 3:06.41; 2. Johanna Cajita, SR, 3:13.22; 3. Mickey Fulton, A, 3:17.41; 4. Maiah Calleja, R, 3:18.72; 5. Sarah Lambert, R, 3:32.69