Welcome to the Week in Review for Wednesday March 7th, 2007.   The playoffs are ready to start in basketball.  The spring sports are into full swing right now.  On that note, let's look back at the week it was in HSU Athletics.  I apologize for the lack of my commentary this week.  That will pick back up next week.  Also, with the West Regional coming to the East Gym, we will have a day by day blog updating all of the games that took place that day with analysis on each game.

Men's Basketball:

Last Week:  The Humboldt State Men's Basketball team came into last week with a shot that not even the teams that had Austin Nichols, Fred Hooks, and Mark White had.  That is a shot to win out and host the Division II West Regional Championships at the East Gym.  All that the # 4 team in the nation needed to do was to win two games and they will be the first Humboldt State Men's Basketball team to host a regional playoff game since the 1979-1980 season when Humboldt State was a Division III school.  Could Humboldt State finish the job at hand and bring the West Regional to Arcata?  Let's go to the highlights from last week's action.

On Thursday, Humboldt State took on Chico State at Acker Gym.  For the highlights, let's go to the Times Standard.

Inside game lifts HSU over Chico

The Times-Standard

CHICO -- Pulling away behind its strong inside presence, Humboldt State earned at least a share of the California Collegiate Athletic Association championship with a 90-75 win over Chico State on Thursday.

Forsaking the three-pointer and working purely inside during the second half, the Jacks rallied from a four-point halftime deficit to earn the win and league crown in their first season as a member of the CCAA. They also earned the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Division II West Region Championships.

"We were two for 12 from the three-point line in the first half," Humboldt State head coach Tom Wood pointed out. "We said we needed to go back inside, because they didn't have a credible answer to our big men."

That's what his team did best down the stretch, pulling away by virtue of the consistent play of Devin Peal, who finished with 21 points, and Kevin Johnson, who had 18 with a game-high 14 rebounds. Balance was also key, with Jeremiah Ward (15), Grayson Moyer (14) and Will Sheufelt (12) all scoring in double digits.

With the win, Humboldt State improved to 23-3 overall and 18-3 in league heading into the final regular season game at Cal State Stanislaus on Saturday. Cal State San Bernardino could earn a tie for the league title with wins on Friday and Saturday and a Lumberjack loss.

Chico State was led by Jon Baird's 16 points and 12 each from Justin Argenal and Olajuwon Jones. The Wildcats fell to 7-19 overall and 5-16 in the CCAA.

Humboldt's efforts on the inside were rewarded early Saturday, Peal and Johnson finding room to work in the paint. Baird's four-point play on a three-pointer and foul shot kept the Wildcats close, however, as they trailed by only two at 12-10 six minutes into the game.

HSU threatened to expand its lead on a couple of occasions, one when Carlos Corral's three-pointer from the corner provided a five-point cushion. But Michael Stockhammer provided points off the bench for the Wildcats, knocking down two three-pointers to keep the game tight.

Humboldt State's defense stuttered, leaving Baird open for a baseline jumper and then allowing Argenal to bank home a 10-footer that cut the Jacks ' lead to one point. Baird;s three-pointer from the top of the key bounced in to give the Wildcats their first lead at 39-37.

The Lumberjacks found Johnson inside, but Argenal drove for another layin and hit a pair of free throws to send Chico State into halftime with a 43-39 lead.

The Jacks started the second half quickly, a fast break from Sheufelt to Ward to Moyer putting them up again at 47-46. Physical play marked the second half, first favoring the Wildcats and later the Lumberjacks.

After getting the win on Thursday at Acker Gym in Chico, all Humboldt State needed was a win against Cal State Stanislaus at Warrior Gym and in all likelihood the regional will be at the East Gym for the first time ever since Humboldt State has been a Division II school.  For the highlights, let's go to back to the Times Standard.

Jacks seal the deal: HSU wins CCAA title

The Times-Standard

TURLOCK -- Sealing up the California Collegiate Athletic Association title with a convincing 91-77 win over Cal State Stanislaus on Saturday, Humboldt State moved a solid step closer to hosting the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball West Region Championships.

Gaining a sizeable advantage in the second half, and then keeping the Warriors at a comfortable distance, the Jacks rode another balanced effort to the victory. Among the heroes were Devin Peal, who dumped in 19 points and nine rebounds, and Kevin Johnson, who added 17 with 10 boards and seven blocked shots.

It didn't stop there, as Jeremiah Ward kicked in 16 points and point guard Will Sheufelt added 15 points with eight assists. Grayson Moyer contributed 13 for the Jacks to go along with five assists.

Cal State Stanislaus was led by Marcus Martinez' 17 points, and 13 from Dominique Pennix. Cameron Quick contributed 12 points and Rick Cardoso had 10 for the Warriors.

"We set goals of going undefeated at home and winning the conference championship," Sheufelt said. "Now that we have those finished, our next goal is to host the West Region Championships."

That quest will be decided Sunday evening by the NCAA Men's Basketball Committee, with the field of 64 and host sites announced online at www.ncaasports.com. The selection show starts at 7:30 p.m. local time in Humboldt County.

Humboldt State headed into the week as the top-seeded team in the west, and with two wins looks like a solid choice to host for the first time on the Division II level.

On Saturday, fast action dominated on both ends, often resulting in a pinball style that had players bouncing off the court. Early on the Warriors couldn't find the rim, missing 12 of their first 13 three-pointers.

But after dying by the three early, they began to live with it later, nailing six in a row to forge a 31-27 lead.

From there, the Jacks regrouped, going on a 12-1 run with Sheufelt hitting a pair of jumpers and Moyer a three-pointer to keep the pressure on. But after reestablishing the lead at nine, the Jacks couldn't keep the Warriors from cutting it to a 44-38 on Westbrook's drive and layin to end the half.

HSU surged ahead in the early minutes of the second half, gaining a 15-point advantage on a pair of three-pointers from Ward and one from Johnson. But just when the game appeared to be on its way to blowout status, the Warriors came back again, cutting the lead to nine points before HSU's final outburst salted the game away.

Humboldt State ends the regular season with a 24-3 overall mark, finishing its first season in the CCAA with a 19-3 record. Cal State Stanislaus completes its year at 13-15, 9-12 in league.

Now it came down to the announcement of the tournament field for the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship on Sunday.  If Humboldt State is the # 1 seed when the West Region is announced they will host the West Regional for the first time since the school became a Division II school back in the 1981-82 season.  For the announcement, let's go to www.hsujacks.com which is the Official Website for Humboldt State Athletics.

HSU selected to host NCAA DII West Regional

ARCATA — As the No. 1 seed, Humboldt State University has been selected as the host of the 2007 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball West Region Championships, scheduled to begin Friday in the East Gym.

I'm extremely pleased for our players, and our entire program," head coach Tom Wood said. "They've worked hard for this and earned it. It's a wonderful event for our community to host."

The announcement of HSU's seed and choice as host was announced Sunday evening by the NCAA Men's Basketball Selection Committee, along with the other seven sites across the nation and the entire field of 64 participating schools. Seven other of the region's top programs will join the Jacks for the tournament, which decides which school will advance to the Elite Eight, scheduled for March 21, 22 and 24 in Springfield, Mass.

Those teams coming to Arcata for the tournament are Cal State San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona, also of the CCAA, Alaska Anchorage, Seattle Pacific and Seattle University of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, and BYU Hawaii and Grand Canyon of the Pacific West Conference.

Humboldt State finished its regular season with a 24-3 record, matching 2001-02 as the best in program history. The Lumberjacks also earned the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championships in their first season of league affiliation, recording a 19-3 conference record.

Teams, along with support staff members and their fans, begin arriving Wednesday to begin preparation for the single-elimination tournament. Their presence will provide a boost to the local economy, filling hotel rooms and restaurants, renting vehicles and touring the Redwood Coast.

"I want to congratulate our men's basketball program for giving us this opportunity," HSU Director of Athletics Dan Collen said. "It means so much to our student-athletes, our campus and community. And it's a great way to give back to the community for all of the support its provided."

Thursday brings a full schedule of practices prior to a banquet exclusively for players and team personnel. On Friday, games begin when No. 3 seed Cal Poly Pomona taking on No. 6 Seattle University at noon, followed by No. 2 Cal State San Bernardino matching up with No. 7 BYU Hawaii at 2:30 p.m.

The late session on Friday begins with No. 4 Seattle Pacific playing No. 5 Grand Canyon at 5:30 p.m., ending with the feature game matching up the host Lumberjacks against No. 8 Alaska Anchorage at 8 p.m.. 

Saturday's first semifinal at 5 p.m. matches the opening session's winners, followed by the second semifinal at 7:30 p.m. After a day off, the event concludes Monday with a 7 p.m. championship game.

Humboldt State, which has previously hosted NCAA regional events for soccer, softball and cross country, has never hosted a basketball regional on the Division II level. The Lumberjacks did host the NCAA Division III men's basketball regional twice — in 1978 and 1980 — and have also twice hosted the NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championships.

This Week:  As stated above, Humboldt State will host the 2007 NCAA Division II West Regional Championship starting on Friday and continuing thru to Monday.  You can see the article above for the schedule of all of the games.  In regards to the Humboldt State games, the Lumberjacks will play in the final game of day one in the West Regional as they will take on # 8 seed Alaska Anchorage at 8:00 PM or 30 minutes after the completion of the Seattle Pacific-Grand Canyon game.  If Humboldt State wins, they will play next on Saturday night at 7:30 PM or 30 minutes after the completion of the first semifinal game against the winner of the Seattle Pacific-Grand Canyon game.  If Humboldt State wins in the semifinals, they will play in the Regional Championship Game on Monday night at 7:00 PM. 

Women's Basketball: 

Last Week:  The Humboldt State Women's Basketball team held on to the # 8 ranking in the final regular season poll.  That means if they could get two wins this week, they will have a good shot to make the West Regional for the second year in a row.  Otherwise, they would need a little help to get into the field.  Can the Lady Jacks make a return trip to the West Regional?  Let's go to the highlights from last week.

On Thursday, the Lady Jacks took on Chico State at Acker Gym.  For the highlights, let's go to the Times Standard.

Lady Jacks can't duplicate previous upset of Wildcats

The Times-Standard

CHICO -- Humboldt State hung close with No. 13 nationally ranked Chico State for much of the game, but could not overcome offensive dry spells and turnovers in a 72-50 loss Thursday in California Collegiate Athletic Association women's basketball action.

The Lumberjacks fall to 16-10 overall and 11-10 in the CCAA while the Wildcats improve to 20-4 overall and 17-4 in league play.

In a first half plagued by 24 total turnovers, it was Katie Wilder for Humboldt State and Amber Simmons for Chico State providing the bulk of the scoring for their respective teams.

After Mia Spasowska nailed a three pointer from the corner in the opening minutes, the Jacks went cold from the field until the 11:29 mark when Wilder made it a 12-7 game with a three pointer of her own. Buckets by Haley Andrews and Wilder made it a 24-22 game with 3:18 remaining.

Simmons did the majority of the damage inside for the Wildcats, netting 12 points in the opening 20 minutes, while Niki Simons chipped in seven points as Chico State took a 29-22 lead into the half.

In the second half, the Jacks quickly cut the lead back down to two points, but Chico State rattled off 11 straight points to take a 13-point advantage.

Humboldt cut the deficit to single-digits on numerous occasions, but the Wildcats answered every Lumberjack run with a bucket of their own. Chico netted 30 points off of HSU's 24 turnovers, many in the final minutes of the game as the Wildcats ran away with the 22-point win.

Andrews provided a huge spark off the bench for the Jacks, contributing a season-high 12 points. Wilder scored all 13 of her points in the first half while Spasowska also added 13.

Simmons finished the night with a game-high 22 points while Simons and Renee Goldoff added 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Then, on Saturday, the Lady Jacks faced a must win game to have any hopes alive for the post season.  They would also need a little bit of help to get the eighth spot in the West Regional.  For the highlights, let's go to the Eureka Reporter.

Five tally double figures in Lady Jacks win

Playing for a chance to remain in the West Region's top eight, Humboldt State's women's basketball team did what it could to control its own destiny with a 94-77 win over Cal State Stanislaus on the final night of California Collegiate Athletic Association play Saturday.

The Lady Jacks close out the regular season 17-10 overall and 12-10 in the CCAA. The Warriors finish the season with a 6-20 overall record and a 3-19 mark in league play.

An early 8-0 run game Humboldt a 19-8 lead by the 13:48 mark of the first half. The Warriors went on a run late in the half, cutting the deficit to five points, but the Jacks would close out the half leading 52-36.

Working the ball inside and running the floor helped the Lumberjacks to shoot 75 percent from the field in the first half.

After the Jacks led by as many as 20 points early in the second half, Cal State Stanislaus cut the lead to single digits at the 10:42 mark. That's as close as the Warriors would get, however, as Humboldt quickly opened the game back up and was able to clear the bench in the final minutes of play.

All three Lumberjack seniors scored in double figures, led by Katie Wilder and Mia Spasowska who each had 18. Haley Andrews added 11 points while sophomore Kristina O'Keefe and freshman Paige Peterson recorded career-highs with 14 and 10 points, respectively.

Cal State Stanislaus was led by Lysandra Williams' 25 points while Amanda Everett netted in 22.

Prior to this week's games the Lumberjacks held the No. 8 spot in the West Region. The entire 64-team field will be announced today.

The Jacks' playoff hopes were not helped by other results Saturday, including No. 9 Western Washington's 75-63 win over Central Washington in the Lady Vikings' only game this week.

In other related results, No. 6 Sonoma State lost at Chico State, but recorded the same split this week as the HSU women.

No. 7 Cal State San Bernardino also won Saturday, defeating Cal State Los Angeles 59-43 after dropping a game Friday night at Cal State Bakersfield.

Now it's Sunday and it's time for the announcement of the tournament field for the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship.  For the announcement, let's go back to www.hsujacks.com the official site of HSU Athletics.

Lumberjacks fall just shy of second straight playoff berth

ARCATA — Humboldt State's women's basketball team came up just short of a second straight NCAA Division II West Region tournament bid as the Western Washington Vikings edged the Jacks for the eighth and final spot in the regional field.

The entire 64-team tournament field was announced Sunday night, following a selection process by an NCAA committee. In the West, UC San Diego earned the No. 1 seed, followed by No. 2 Chico State, No. 3 Seattle Pacific, No. 4 Alaska Anchorage, No. 5 Cal State Dominguez Hills, No. 6 Sonoma State, No. 7 Cal State San Bernardino and No. 8 Western Washington.

Humboldt State, ranked No. 8 in the final regular-season poll released last week, earned a split on the road this past weekend, falling to 72-50 to Chico State before closing out the year with a 94-77 win over Cal State Stanislaus.

The Lumberjacks, under the direction of third-year head coach Joddie Gleason, finished the season with a 17-10 overall record and an 12-10 California Collegiate Athletic Association mark. Last year, HSU returned to the postseason for the first time in more than a decade, earning the No. 7 seed with a 17-10 overall record.

Softball:

Last Week:  The Humboldt State softball team went back on the road for games at San Bernardino and in Carson.  For the highlights in each game, let's go to www.hsujacks.com .

Friday's Action:

Lumberjacks take two from Coyotes, 6-5 and 11-2

SAN BERNARDINO — After struggling to claim a 6-5, 11-inning win over Cal State San Bernardino in the first game of the day, Humboldt State returned to form in the nightcap, resulting in an 11-2, five-inning victory in California Collegiate Athletic Association softball action Friday.

The Lumberjacks improve to 13-1 overall and remain perfect in league play at 4-0. The Coyotes fall to 10-10 overall and 4-6 in the CCAA.

In the opener, an RBI-single by Nancy Harbeson and a RBI-fielder's choice by Francesca West gave the Jacks a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning. In the bottom of the fourth, Leslie Carrasco knocked in a pair of runs for the Coyotes to knot the game at 2-2.

West led off the top of the sixth with her first home run of the season, a solo shot to left field, and the Jacks plated two more runs to go up 5-3.

CSUSB tied the game again, this time in the bottom of the seventh, forcing extra innings.

Finally, in the top of the 11th inning, a single up the middle by Marissa Slattery sent Natalie Galletly across the plate, and HSU forced three straight outs to end the game.

Lizzy Prescott struck out six batters for Humboldt State, improving to 7-0 on the season. Prescott, who entered the game with a 0.34 ERA, gave up nine hits and three earned runs.

In the nightcap, Carolyn Cameron went 4-for-4 with three RBI, as the Jacks scored 11 runs on 15 hits. West added three hits and a pair of RBI while Vanessa Shernock was 2-for-2 with 3RBI.

Humboldt's defense held the Coyotes to just five hits and two runs, one in the first and one in the fifth, claiming the eight-run, five-inning mercy rule win.

Tracy Motzny (6-1) recorded three strikeouts and scattered five hits in the pitching circle for the Jacks.

Saturday's Action:

HSU victorious in shortened game, game two postponed

SAN BERNARDINO — Fighting through severe winds which eventually halted play, Humboldt State earned a 5-1, five-inning win over Cal State San Bernardino Saturday in California Collegiate Athletic Association softball action. The second game of the scheduled doubleheader was postponed and will be played Sunday at 9 a.m.

The Lumberjacks improve to 14-1 overall and 5-0 on the CCAA while the Coyotes drop to 10-11 overall and 4-7 in league play.

Caitlin Klug and Francesca West each drove in runs as the Lumberjacks also took advantage of three CS San Bernardino fielding errors.

Humboldt scored one run in the first, three in the second, and one in the third. Just before the game was called in the bottom of the fifth, Leslie Carrasco knocked out a solo home run to give the Coyotes their lone run of the game.

In the pitching circle, Lizzy Prescott (8-0) scattered five hits while walking two and striking out four.

Klug, West and Marissa Slattery had two hits apiece to lead Humboldt.

"The layoff (of not playing) has hurt us," said HSU head coach Frank Cheek. "We've got to get outside and get field perspective. We're making mental mistakes and we were not sharp this weekend."

Sunday's Action:

Lumberjacks close out road trip with pair of loses

SAN BERNARDINO/CARSON — Humboldt State's softball team dropped the final match-up of a four-game series with Cal State San Bernardino, 2-1, then fell to Cal State Dominguez Hills 3-2 in a non-conference duel, ending its five-game roadtrip on a sour note Sunday.

The Lumberjacks fall to 14-3 overall and 5-1 in California Collegiate Athletic Association play. The Coyotes moved to 11-11 overall and 5-7 in the CCAA while the Toros improved to 11-8 on the season.

Leslie Carrasco accounted for both of Cal State San Bernardino's runs, knocking out RBI singles in the first and the eighth innings to give the Coyotes the 2-1 victory.

Humboldt had tied the game 1-1 in the top of the seventh inning on a solo home run by Vanessa Shernock. A single and sacrifice bunt to open the bottom of the eighth moved a Coyote runner to second base. Then, an error by Lumberjack pitcher Tracy Motzny allowed the runner to advance to third, and later score on the Carrasco single up the middle.

"It was a good ball game," said HSU head coach Frank Cheek. "It was well pitched and well played. You lose a game now and then, but we didn't go down easy."

Motzny (6-2) recorded three strikeouts and one earned run while scattering six hits.

Following a drive from San Bernardino to Carson, the Jacks took the field against Cal State Dominguez Hills where uncharacteristic fielding errors allowed a come-from -behind win for the Toros.

Carolyn Cameron crossed the plate in the top of the first, giving Humboldt an early 1-0 advantage. The Jacks scored again in the top of the fourth on an RBI double by Megan Sutherland.

The Toros got one run back in the bottom of the fourth, then took advantage of a pair of Lumberjack errors in the bottom of the seventh to score two unearned runs.

Lizzy Prescott (8-1) retired nine of the first 12 Toro batters and finished the game with 12 strikeouts. She also walked four and gave up six hits.

"Lizzy pitched a great game," said Cheek. "Having not played outside is really hurting us on knowing where we are on the field. We have a good, experienced outfield, but practicing in the fieldhouse hasn't allowed us to learn how deep a ball is and how to play it.

"We played some good teams this week and the good thing is that we are still in first place," said Cheek."

This Week:  The Humboldt State softball team is scheduled to play two doubleheaders this weekend at the HSU Softball Field against Cal State Monterey Bay.  The first doubleheader is scheduled for Saturday at 12:00 PM.  Then, on Sunday, the second doubleheader is scheduled for 11:00 AM.

Football:  The Humboldt State Football team announced the signing of 12 players to the football team for the upcoming season.  For the news on this story, let's go to the Official Website for HSU Athletics, www.hsujacks.com .

Fresh group of spring signings set to join Lumberjacks

ARCATA — Looking to repopulate his squad following an extremely successful 2006 season, Humboldt State head football coach Doug Adkins announced on Thursday his first list of football signings for 2007.

Humboldt State finished the 2006 campaign with a 9-1 record, but needs to replace 23 graduated seniors, including 12 starters. To do so, Adkins looks to several transfers who came in for the current spring semester, while also mixing in several key freshman, set to join the Jacks in the fall.

HSU begins spring workouts in April, finishing with the annual Alumni Bowl on April 28.

Following are brief profiles of HSU's recent signings.

Craig Valentine, 6-1, 190-pound, freshman wide receiver
Valentine helped Del Oro High School win a section title as a junior, earning all-league honors in the Sierra Foothill Conference his senior season.
 
Chris Vicory, 6-1, 270-pound, junior offensive lineman
At Rio Linda High School, Vicory earned first team all-Capital Valley League, first team all-San Jose Section, and an induction into the High School Coach Scholar Athlete Hall of Fame.  Vicory was captain at American River Junior College, where he was a two-year starter.
 
Keon Gaither, 6-0, 190-pound, senior safety
Gaither attended Edison High School and Delta Junior College in Stockton before transferring to West Texas A&M, where he was named to the All-Southwest Region team.
 
Rob Sherman, 5-10, 253-pound, senior fullback
After earning first team defensive end/running back at Leadership High in San Francisco, Sherman attended Contra Costa College where he was named Bay Valley Conference first team running back.
 
Trace Benefield, 6-0, 187-pound, junior wide receiver/special teams
At West Valley High School in Cottonwood, Benefield earned all-league honors, special teams MVP and was named second-team all-Northern Section.  After graduating, he attended William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa.
 
Marishawn Campbell, 6-0, 195-pound, senior strong safety
Campbell prepped at David Starr Jordan High School where he was named first team all-Moore League.  After attending Los Angeles Southwest College, he transferred to Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Ark. for a semester.
 
Chauncey Fagan, 5-10, 180-pound, junior defensive back
Fagan played ball at Notre Dame Academy in Sherman Oaks, Calif. before transplanting to the East Coast where he attended Assumption College in Worchester, Mass.
 
Ahmad Mahaley, 5-9, 235-pound fullback
At Palmdale High School Mahaley was named second team all-Golden League offensive guard/ defensive tackle.  After graduating, he attended Los Angeles Southwest Junior College for two years.
 
Christopher Arevalo, 6-0, 240-pound freshman defensive lineman
Born and raised in Oxnard, Calif., Arevalo was named all-league while he played for St. Bonaventure High School in Ventura.
 
Andrew Shaw, 6-3, 245-pound, freshman offensive lineman
At La Costa Canyon High in Carlsbad, Shaw was named to first team all-Palomar League and second team all-North County.
 
Aaron Hernandez, 6-3, 240-pound, junior defensive end
After earning all-county and all-league honors at Rio Mesa High School, Hernandez continued his football career at Ventura Junior College.  At Ventura JC he earned all-league Western State Conference honors.
 
Blyth Colbert, 5-10, 190-pound, junior defensive back
Colbert, who played for Westchester High in Los Angeles attended West L.A. College.
 
Greg Rutledge, 6-0, 225-pound, junior linebacker
Rutledge starred at Buena High School in Ventura where he was named all-Ventura County, all-Channel League, all-Southern Section, and the Channel League linebacker of the year.  As a member of the Moorpark College team, he was named second team all-Western State Conference.
 
Adam Diaz, 5-8, 180-pound defensive back
In Oak Harbor, Wash., Diaz was named first team all-area as well as all-state at Oak Harbor High School. Diaz earned more honors at College of the Siskiyous as a Scholar Athlete in 2005, and was also named all-conference.
 
Brian Iriye, 6-1, 215-pound, linebacker
Iriye comes from Fresno, Calif. where he was named all-conference in high school before earning all-state honors by leading his team in tackles. He returns to Humboldt State, where he played in 2005, finishing third on the team in tackles with 81. 

Track and Field:

Last Week:  The Humboldt State track and field team started their season in Chico and in Turlock last week.  For the highlights, let's go to www.hsujacks.com .

Results from Chico:

Belue produces strong result at Chico Multi-Events

CHICO — Brian Belue produced a strong debut in his first competition representing Humboldt State, placing third overall in the decathlon at the Chico State Multi-Events, which finished up Friday.

Belue, a junior transfer who attended College of the Canyons, totaled 5,955 points to finish third in a very competitive field. Collin Cram of Lane Community College won the event with a score of 6,617 and Robert Nooney of Chico State placed second with 6,203 points.

Following Thursday's first five events, Belue led the competition with 3,446 points. He finished strong, taking first place in the high jump with a 6-foot, 2-inch clearance and first in the 400 meters with a time of 51.06 seconds.

After losing ground in the first four events Friday, Belue completed the competition with a solid second place in the final event, timing 4:38.80.

Also competing for the Jacks were Brian Valle, who finished in 10th place with 4,845 points, and Dean Freitas, who was 11th overall with 4,647. That pair achieved their highest point total in the high jump, tying each other for second with a 6-0 clearance.

Results from Stanislaus:

Throwers lead the way at track and field opener

TURLOCK — (March 3) Sunshine and warm temperatures enhanced an optimistic beginning to the 2007 track and field season, as did the performances of several Lumberjacks at the Stanislaus Opener on Saturday.

Led by Audrey Oswald and Nicholas Bawden, the Humboldt State throwers made the strongest impression in the Jacks' season debut. Oswald easily captured the women's hammer with a throw of 173-1, and Bawden established a new HSU school record in the javelin at 205-9 in his very first appearance for the Jacks.

"It was a nice way to start the season," Humboldt State head coach Sandy Moran said. "Surprisingly for an early meet, we had a lot of personal bests."

Bawden's performance in the javelin was just short of his own best, achieved last year for Moorpark JC, where he earned the state championship. But his mark was 16 feet, 4 inches further than the previous HSU record of 189-4 achieved by Alex Macleitch during the 1993 season.

Oswald, a returning All-American in the hammer, also earned a provisional qualifer for this year's national championships in her first competition of the year. The distance was only five feet short of her all-time best.

 It didn't end there, with Jodi Symonds and Kelsey Lemke placing second and third in the women's javelin. The pair of newcomers threw the rod 117-8 and 117-6, respectively.

Back on the men's side, Kyle Sherry opened with a hammer throw of 152-7, placing second among 25 athletes in that event. His performance ranks ninth all-time in Humboldt State history, with steady movement up the list expected as the season progresses.

Sophomore Tim Santos started with a solid mark in the shot put, finishing eighth in the field with a heave of 43-10. 

On the track, Jesus Solis turned in a quick time of 4 minutes, 4.17 seconds in the men's 1,500 meters to take fifth place in the field of 32 runners. Sylvia Manzo earned 10th overall in the women's 1,500, turning the track in 5:10.96.

This Week:  The Humboldt State track and field will be back in Chico again this upcoming weekend as they will compete at the Wildcat Relays.

Women's Crew:  The Women's Crew will make their season debut as they will compete at the Sacramento Invitational in Sacramento.  We will inform everyone on the results in next week's Week in Review.

That is the Week in Review.  Let's make a lot of noise in the East Gym for the Men's Basketball team as they try to become the Best in the West.  I mean the West Region.  Go Humboldt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!