Warriors boys take league team wrestling title; Del Norte girls bring home second place

The historic run for Del Norte High School sports continues into the wrestling program. After finishing undefeated in the regular season for the third consecutive year, the Warriors swept into the Humboldt-Del Norte League Championships at Arcata High School and overwhelmed the competition.

Both the boys and girls squads sent 10 wrestlers into title matches and walked away with six champions each. En route to the individual accolades, the boys ran away with the championship banner with 202 team points. Fortuna High School was a distant second place at 151 points. Additionally, senior Skyler Moore secured the outstanding wrestler award for the tournament.

The girls squad, in just its second year of existence, took second place, just 17 points behind perennial powerhouse Eureka.

The Warriors are sending 24 wrestlers — 13 boys with one alternate, and 11 girls — to the Sectional Championship today. The boys will be at James Logan High School in Union City and the girls travel to Albany High School, in Albany.

Warriors coach Clinton Schaad said this is one of the most successful results the program has had in his 18 years coaching, the last five as head coach.

“The 13 boys seeded down there is more than I can remember, ever,” Schaad said. “They were 2001 section champions, the year before I got back from college.”

He added the section championship will have 90 schools represented with no divisions. So the top wrestlers from schools big and small will face off regardless of school enrollment.

“It will be real tough, but it should be a lot of fun for us,” Schaad said. “We’ve got a good group of kids this year, hard workers. We’re getting credit from the rest of the section. We’ve had to get ready to try to live up to those standards.”

Schaad said the key to the program’s success is that almost every starter, 12 at least, came up through the Warrior’s youth program, giving the high school continuity from back through middle school and beyond for some.

“They start young, working hard, listening well, training well, and are not afraid to work hard,” Schaad said. “If you’re willing to put in the time and effort they’re bound to have success. And success feeds itself.”

Another key to the program’s improvement he said was getting more girls into the wrestling room. Last year, just two stuck around. This year, 18 tried out and 13 stuck with the team. Schaad encourages more girls to give wrestling a try next year.

“You might think it odd or weird, but stick your head in the room, see what’s going on. You might like it,” Schaad said.

Humboldt-Del Norte League Championships

Boys

Del Norte champions

Blake Allen, 126 pounds

Chaz Harrison, 132 pounds

Skyler Moore, 145 pounds, outstanding wrestler award

Tanner Stancliff, 170 pounds

Brandon Jones, 195 pounds

Keadon Henderson, 220 pounds

Del Norte second place

Bobby Aflague, 113 pounds

Nolan Ridgley, 138 pounds

Walker Gensaw, 152 pounds

Kurtis Turner, 160 pounds

Del Norte third place

Mike Weiland, 182 pounds

Davian Afdahl, 285 pounds

Del Norte fourth place

Aaron Park, 106 pounds

Micah Malfavon, 120 pounds

Girls

Del Norte champions

Emilia Thompson, 101 pounds

Savannah Williams, 106 pounds

Avary Wiley, 111 pounds

Emily Ricks, 126 pounds

Adenne Schaad, 137 pounds

Danika Scott, 235 pounds

Del Norte second place

Jenny Schaad

Esuna Thor

Claire Taylor

Arelli Proctor

Del Norte third place

Daisy Frias