In the first uninterrupted sports year since the COVID pandemic began, there was lots to cheer about for fans of Colusa County sports. Here’s a look back at some of the action:
Corona Volleyball Classic continues
Thirty-three former players turned out on January 8 in Colusa to take part in the annual alumni volleyball game between the Pierce Bears and Colusa RedHawks that celebrates the spirit of Pierce alumna and Davis police officer Natalie Corona.
Although the Bears won both of the scheduled matches, it was a greater victory for the community as all proceeds from the evening went to scholarships presented to a senior volleyball player from both Pierce and Colusa High School.
Pierce BB upsets Durham to claim SVL crown
Coming off a trip to Durham for a Sacramento Valley League contest where Pierce couldn’t buy a basket the Bears more than made up for it last February when they handed the Trojans a 42-36 loss to win the inaugural SVL tournament title.
It was defense that propelled Pierce to the championship as it held Durham to its lowest point total of the season and turned in a performance that thrilled Coach Cody McCullough.
“This accomplishment for the team is a big one. I am ecstatic with our performance and very proud of this family. I think a lot of people wrote us off prior to this season as we lost five incredible senior athletes last year, but this team continues to prove everyone wrong.”
‘Jackets shutout Winters to claim 3rd section title
Three years ago the reigning Northern Section Division III champion Williams Yellowjackets took the field in Winters to defend their title and suffered a gut-wrenching loss to the Warriors when the match went to penalty kicks.
Yet the tide turned back in the ‘Jackets favor in February 2022, as No. 1 seeded Williams exacted its revenge in the NSCIF Division III title game by shutting out the Warriors 2-0 to claim its third section crown.
Coach Humberto Guzman summed up how meaningful the third championship was by saying, “This has been the goal since 2018, to get another one. I’m so excited and really proud of the way these guys played.”
Princeton falls short in D7 title game
A packed house in Princeton watched as the No. 2 seeded Eagles squared off against the No. 4 Chester Volcanoes last March in the Northern Section Division VII championship game.
In what was Princeton’s first appearance in the finals since 2009, it was unable to hold off the Volcanoes, who dominated the boards and capitalized on turnovers to hand the Eagles a 44-29 loss.
While disappointed with the result, the Eagles finished last season as the Pioneer Valley League champion.
Hawks claim D4 baseball crown
Last May another chapter was added to an already historic season for the Colusa baseball team as the RedHawks downed the Winters Warriors 6-0 to win the Northern Section CIF Division IV Championship and remain undefeated over 31 games.
Northern Section MVP Ethan Lay recorded the shutout on the mound with an efficient 91-pitch outing.
Colusa also got a boost from then sophomore Luke Kalfsbeek, who launched a shot more than 325 feet over left field fence for a grand slam to clear the bases.
The Maxwell volleyball team celebrates its 2022 NSCIF Division 7 championship
Panther baseball back on top
After five seasons at the helm of his former team, Coach Tyler Wells guided the Panthers to a section title with a 28-3 drubbing of Dunsmuir last May.
No. 2 Maxwell (14-8) defeated No. 3 Loyalton in the first round of the NSCIF Division VII playoffs before taking care of the No. 4 Tigers to win its first section title since 2014.
Jr. Softball All-Stars do Colusa proud
Colusa Area Little League’s Junior Softball team did something no other team from Colusa had ever done, when it represented Northern California at the 2022 West Regional Tournament last July in Arizona.
The 13 girls including Abril Guzman, Alaina Torres, Caeden Agnew, Cece Mitchum, Cindel Oliver, Eliza Mitchum, Elli Santana, Maci Garofalo, Mackenzie Wills, Maddy Wolf, Marlie Berry, Savanna Rochette, and Sophia Sandoval, claimed the District 2 Championship then captured the Northern California Championship to punch their ticket to the regionals where they finished fifth overall.
Community contributes in support of sports page
Facing cutbacks in sports reportage due to rising costs, the community in Colusa County rallied beginning last August in support of the only comprehensive coverage of local teams in the North State.
The generous effort by local businesses and individuals helped preserve the ability to highlight the accomplishments of the county’s athletes.
Maxwell volleyball repeats as D7 champions
For the second year in a row the Maxwell Panther volleyball team ended the season with a victory over the Chester Volcanoes to claim the Northern Section Division VII championship.
Yet unlike a season ago, when Maxwell rather easily defeated the Volcanoes, this time around, Chester took the match to four sets before the reigning champion Panthers emerged with the 21-25, 25-19, 27-25, 25-10 win.
Jocelyn Lazarus, one of the squad’s three seniors, turned in one of her best all-around efforts posting a team high seven kills to go along with four digs, although credit goes to the Panthers’ entire back row, which in addition to Lazarus included Bailee Haywood and Kennidy Moss.
Haywood made a team-high 15 digs and fostered a back row attack that helped keep Chester off balance while Moss tallied eight digs.
Williams volleyball captures MVL crown
It’s been nearly 30 years since the Williams volleyball team won a league title outright, but the wait is over as the Yellowjackets swept Mid-Valley League foes Hamilton City and Biggs this past November to claim the illusive crown.
Coach Darren Robinson, commenting on his inaugural volleyball coaching experience, gave all the credit to his players, citing the work they put in during the summer and throughout the season, but also explained why winning a title is so significant.
“I have coached other sports for a long time, but I’ve never had a team that wants to practice like this one does. I have to drag them out of the gym,” Robinson said. “This is special because you don’t get the opportunity to play for a championship that often, so this is great for our seven seniors, our team and our school. Absolutely every member of this team made a major contribution this season.”
Colusa edges Pierce for first title in 32 years
In front of what might have been the largest crowd ever assembled at RedHawk Stadium for a sporting event, Colusa’s defense pitched a shutout while its offense capitalized on the first possession of the second half, marching 86 yards in 13 plays for the game’s only touchdown to secure the 7-0 win.
A run up the middle by quarterback Bo Coronado for the touchdown, followed by a Landon Humphrey extra point provided all the scoring the RedHawks needed.
Colusa (10-2) then earned a spot in the 6-A State Championship where it hosted Central Section CIF Division V champion Atascadero.
Pierce girls capture 2nd straight Jim Ernst title
For the second year in a row the Pierce Bears topped the competition at Colusa’s Jim Ernst RedHawk Classic to claim the championship.
Leading the way for the Bears at the 34th annual event that ran from December 1-3, was the tournament’s Most Valuable Player Jocelyn Medina, who averaged 30.7 points per game in the three wins.
Facing rival Colusa in a rematch of last season’s championship game, Pierce withstood a second half rally by the RedHawks to emerge with the 43-35 victory.
Eagles soar at Maxwell’s Wells Tournament
Colusa County’s smallest high school certainly didn’t play like it in mid-December as the Eagles knocked off Los Molinos, Williams, and the host Panthers to win the championship at the 69th Annual Irene Wells Memorial Basketball Tournament.
In the championship game, Princeton held just a six-point advantage over Maxwell at halftime, but broke it open in the third quarter when its defense forced a series of turnovers, which allowed them to outscore the Panthers 21-9 in the period.
Although Maxwell cut the gap to 11 points in the final quarter, the Eagles did not lose their composure and went on to claim the victory.
Hawks claim Raczniak title
It was an overwhelming success for Colusa at its 41st Annual Georgia Raczniak Tournament, when for the first time in more than a decade, it claimed the championship with a 73-48 trouncing of Yreka.
While the Miners were the defending tournament champions, they proved no match for the RedHawks this year as big men Isaiah Travis and Leo Bedolla took control of the inside finishing with 18 and 17 points, respectively. ■