(Eureka) – The exciting first race of a new cross-country league took place Friday, September 8 at College of the Redwoods.

The Coast League consists of student-athletes in junior high and high school from several Humboldt County charter and community schools, schools that don’t participate in the Humboldt-Del Norte League with larger, traditional high schools.

“We started talking about having an opportunity for kids that wouldn’t normally spend time with each other or mix, and who don’t necessarily have the same type of athletic opportunity as other kids, and other leagues, about having a cross country season,” said Jason Maguire, a teacher at Eureka Community School.

With the help of College of the Redwoods coach Reed Elmore and Academy of the Redwoods’ Arnie King, the dream has become a reality. Northern United, Laurel Tree, Captain John, Redwood Montessori, Alder Grove, Pacific View Charter, Zoe Barnum, Academy of the Redwoods and Eureka Community School, were among the schools that participated.

‘This was the first year we’ve had the opportunity to do this,” said Alder Grove teacher and coach Cedar Smith. “We’ve had a lot of interest in the past of high schoolers wanting to participate in sports and they haven’t been able to, and it’s really exciting that they get to do it this year.”

About two dozen kids participated in the first race. The top three finishers in the high school level were Issac Lockwood and Ocean Goodrich, both from Alder Grove Charter School, and Avery Nasett from Academy of the Redwoods. At the junior high level, Flint Ryno-Moore from Laurel Tree, Brayden Lockwood from Alder Grove, and Levi Scaglione from Laurel Tree took the top spots.

The league will have two more races before its championships in November.

CONTACT: Stacy Young, Director of Community Outreach and Engagement outreach@hcoe.org 707-445-7024