Opinion

I’ve been meaning to write this for years. Yes, literally “years.” Finally, I’ve had enough with the North Section CIF system for football playoff ranking. The North Section’s way of determining football playoff teams is seriously flawed. It rewards mediocrity and it often denies good teams a fair shot at making the playoffs or being ranked as high as they should be in playoff points. If you want to skip all the explanation and just get to my proposed formula, click “more” and scroll down.

For a concrete example of a team in this year’s playoffs that greatly benefited from this bogus system, we can look at Gridley (4-6) in Division-II.

What did Gridley, a team with a losing record, do to merit not just being a playoff team, but a 5-seed? Well, they went 0-2 against D-III teams. They were 2-3 against D-II teams. Of course they were 2-1 against D-I schools—D-I schools with a combined 8-22 (.364) record , including that 0-10 powerhouse Las Plumas. They did not beat a single team with a winning record.

On the other hand, there were two 5-5 teams left out, Central Valley and Yreka. Let’s compare.

Central Valley was 1-0 against D-III teams, 3-3 against D-II teams, and 1-2 against D-I teams. CV’s D-I opponents were a combined 17-13 (.567), including 8-2 Enterprise and 8-2 West Valley. While the Falcons didn’t beat a team with a winning record, they did beat Gridley, 32-15, in Gridley…that’s a pretty decisive road win.

So, how about Yreka. Hmm, Yreka was 1-1 against D-III opponents, 4-3 against D-II opponents, and 0-1 against D-I. Yreka’s D-I opponent was 8-2.They beat Central Valley, 21-6, in CV, during the Falcons’ homecoming none the less. Oh, and they had that win over some pretty good team. Now, who was that? Oh ya, number-1 ranked, 9-1 Orland—a team that beat Gridley 42-7! So, the team that handed the top team it’s only defeat, has a better winning percentage than Gridley, both overall and in division, doesn’t make the playoffs?

Can you maybe see why I refer to the North Sections’ playoff ranking formula as “flawed.” (more…)

The NSCIF has released the 2011 volleyball playoff seedings.

Divison-IV

Yreka is seeded 4th and gets a 1st round bye. The Lady Miners will host number-5 Orland on Tuesday, November 15.

Trinity is seeded 8th and hosts 9-seed Central Valley, on Tuesday November 8th.

Division-V

Mt. Shasta is seeded 5th and gets a 1st round bye. The Lady Bears will go to number-4 Portola on Tuesday, November 15.

Tulelake is seeded 9th and goes to 8-seed Modoc on Tuesday, November 8.

Weed and Etna did not qualify for playoffs.

Division-VI

Dunsmuir is the 8-seed and will host number-9 Redding Christian on Tuesday, November 8.

Happy Camp is the 11-seed and goes to 6-seed Redding Adventist on Tuesday, November 8.

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MOUNT SHASTA – The third-seeded Mt. Shasta Bears soccer team defeated the sixth-seeded Trinity Wolves, 3-0, on Tuesday afternoon to advance in the small schools post season tournament. The Bears will travel to Tulelake on Thursday to take on the second-seed Honkers. Tulelake defeated Weed, 5-1, on Tuesday to advance to the semi-finals. The Bears are the Shasta Cascade League Champions, and the Honkers are the Evergreen League champions.

Matheus Lopes put the Bears on the board against Trinity in the 11th minute, with an assist from Nils Allmang. Allmang made it 2-0 at the 39-minute mark, off an assist from Mariah Althaus-Cressman. That’s where the score stood at the intermission. (more…)

All photos by Howard Albecker. Thanks Howard!

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FORT JONES – The Trinity Wolves fell behind the Etna Lions, 1-0, mid-way through the first half of Thursday’s soccer match, but three straight goals off the foot of Shawn Wills led the Wolves to a come from behind win 3-1.

Etna struck first in the 21st minute, when Tyler Murphy broke past a defender and the goalkeeper, and took a tough angle shot that rolled along the goal line, until Izzy Del Carlo knocked it home.

Trinity answered just two minutes later on a seeing-eye shot by Wills, tying the match 1-1. Wills scored again three minutes later, at the 26-minute mark, giving the Wolves the lead, 2-1. Kody Bigham assisted on both of Wills tallies. (more…)

Photos by Yreka Coach Pam Borg

Etna’s John Whelan had the top individual varsity finish for a Siskiyou County runner at the Bill Springhorn Classic cross country meet, held last Friday at Shasta College in Redding. Whelan, a junior, finished 3rd in the 3-mile course in a time of 15:27. Yreka’s Eric Neill and Timmy Williams crossed the finish line 4th and 5th.

Yreka’s Cade Parker (in center of photo above) won the boys 2-mile frosh race (11.52 – a course record). Fellow Miners Matt Jochim and Brenden Berry finished 2nd and 3rd.

Dakota Cash from Yreka was the top female Siskiyou County varsity runner, finishing 11th in the girls 3-mile (20:26). Trinity’s Kyra Gutermuth was 10th (20:13).

Mt. Shasta’s Kelsie Titus was second (14:28) in the girls JV 2-mile race.

In the team competition, the Yreka varsity boys finished 2nd to Chico. Mt. Shasta’s varsity girls were 5th. Yreka’s frosh boys placed 1st.

For complete results go to athletic.net

Coach Borg’s report for Yreka is below (more…)

The Trinity Lady Wolves junior varsity squad won the JV version of the Miner Mountain Blast on Saturday, in Yreka. Phoenix was 2nd, Hidden Valley-1 was third, Hidden Valley 2 was fourth.

Yreka and Mt. Shasta also made the cut from pool play to bracket play. Other teams participating were Etna, Henley, and Del Norte.

Tourney MVP: Bradlee Plotzke, Trinity (more…)

The Yreka Lady Miners varsity volleyball team took second at the Miner Mountain Blast volleyball tournament on Saturday. Yreka was the top seed in their pool, winning all eight sets–two each against Del Norte, Etna, Phoenix and Rogue River.

In bracket play, the Lady Miners defeated Henley in the semi-final, 2-1 (17-25, 25-18, 15-6). Henley had defeated Mt. Shasta to earn their way into the semi-final match. The Henley Lady Hornets finished third in the tourney, with their only other loss coming in pool play against eventual champion Hidden Valley.

Yreka then faced the Hidden Valley Lady Mustangs in the championship match, falling 2-0 (14-25, 15-25). The Lady Mustangs earned their way to the championship match by winning their pool by sweeping Henley, Mt. Shasta and Trinity, and then defeating Del Norte in a semi-final match. Del Norte finished fourth, not staying to play the third place match against Henley.

The Etna Lady Lions and Mt. Shasta Lady Bears also advanced from pool play to bracket play. Etna was eliminated by Del Norte, and Mt. Shasta fell to Henley.

Tournament MVP: Bailey Bars, Hidden Valley (more…)

WEAVERVILLE – The last three games between the Yreka Miners and Trinity Wolves were tightly contested. Friday night’s season opener for both squads was a no-doubter, as the Wolves rang up 30 points to the Miners’ zip.

Trinity scored on a 4-yard TD run by Luke Curran , with 2:21 left in the first quarter. Thomas Wagner added the extra point to make it 7-0.

Curran notched his second TD of the night on a 2-yard run, with 7:43 left in the first half. (more…)

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WEAVERVILLE – With five of Yreka’s top sophomore players moved up to varsity, it might not have been a surprise that the Miners struggled in their season opener against the Trinity Wolves. Although Yreka led briefly, 7-6, in the first quarter, it was mostly the Wolf Pack show on Friday evening.

Trinity took the lead, 6-0, with 7:35 to go in the opening frame, when Jesse Cody recovered a Miner fumble in the end zone.

Yreka responded, with 1:28 left in the quarter, as Casey Gusaas went three yards for a TD. Tye Currie added the extra point, giving Yreka the lead, 7-6.

The Wolves regained the lead as time expired in the first quarter, when QB Ryan Higgins connected with Daniel Hill for a 49-yard TD pass play. The conversion attempt failed, leaving Trinity up 12-7.

A fumble recovery by Trinity’s Logan Maclaren at the Miner 27, with 8:30 to play in the first half, set up the Wolves’ next score. About two minutes later, Josh Spagel took it in from five yards out. Higgins ran for the 2-point conversion, making it 20-7 at the half. (more…)

Yreka Miner linebacker John Durney and Trinity Wolf running back Luke Curran have caught the eye of Redding Searchlight columnist Kevin Askeland.

Askeland recently posted his preseason all-section picks for the North Section, including Durney and Curran.

Durney led the Northern Athletic League last season with 103 tackles. Curran rushed for 1335 yards to lead the Sacramento Valley League.

What does it mean? Not all that much except these guys had strong performances last year, and a rather knowledgeable sports writer has picked them to be studs again this season.

Also interesting is that they will be going head-to-head on opening night of football season, when the Miners travel to Weaverville to tangle with the Wolf Pack on Friday, August 26 at 7:30 pm.

It’s almost here…football season. As my friend Ken Dysert likes to say, “That’s right. Friday night, smash-mouth football baby.” (more…)

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COTTONWOOD – The NSCIF Track and Field Championships were held at West Valley High School on Friday. Yreka High School produced two section champions—senior Tyler Wolf in the Shot Put, and frosh Jena Turner in the 300m Hurdles.

Etna High School brought home three second place medals—sophomore John Whelan in the 3200m, and senior Emily Loogman in the 100m Hurdles and 300m Hurdles.

Austin Herrick was third in the Long Jump and John Holst was third in the Pole Vault for Mt. Shasta’s top finishes.

Siskiyou County medalists (top 5)

Yreka

Boys

Tyler Wolf: 1^st Shot Put (53-00.50), 3^rd Discus (149-09)

Dillon Dow: 2^nd 400m (50.27) , 2^nd Pole Vault (13-03.0)

Sarome Eng: 2^nd Triple Jump (43-06.00), 3^rd Long Jump (21-01.00), 3^rd 100m (11.29)

Timmy Williams: 2^nd 800m (1:58.47) (more…)

MOUNT SHASTA – The Mt. Shasta Bears followed up their Shasta Cascade League clinching sweep of Modoc last Friday, with a 7-5 win over the Trinity Wolves this Friday in the first round of the NSCIF Division-III playoffs. Mt. Shasta (12-9) came into the contest as the four-seed. Trinity (12-14) was seeded fifth.

Trinity was first on the board via a lead off triple and an RBI ground out, to lead 1-0 in the top of the first inning. (It would be great tell you who, but the numbers on MaxPreps don’t match up…a lot of work for the coaches to get that right, ya know.)

The Bears answered in the bottom of the opening frame with a run. Dylan Morris singled to lead off, and stole second. Andrew Campbell singled, moving Morris to third base. Morris scored on an error on the play, making it 1-1.

Mt. Shasta took the lead in the bottom of the third inning. Cesar Rocha led off with a single and went to second when Morris attempted a sacrifice bunt. Morris wound up safe on the play when Trinity was unsuccessful trying to get Rocha at second. Campbell sac bunted both runners up 90 feet. Ben Sampson tripled, plating Rocha and Morris, giving the Bears a 3-1 advantage. (more…)

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