Schools

Seemingly under the radar, while basketball playoffs stretched the late season and heavy rains kept students and parents indoors, spring sports nonetheless got underway at area high schools this past month.

Healdsburg is justifiably proud of its student-athletes, and since 1992 has honored them by inclusion in an Athletic Hall of Fame. There are currently 49 members of this exclusive club, including honorary members, and on Feb. 25 five more names were added to the rolls.

Healdsburg Junior High was recently named a 2024 California Distinguished School, a recognition by the state’s Department of Education that identifies schools that show significant progress in student achievement.

“It was an off night for our shooters,” Athletic Director Kevin Hardesty said. “The hustle and effort were there, but in the end we didn’t shoot well enough to advance.”

The Healdsburg High School varsity boys soccer team made it into the first round of the North Coast Section divisional playoffs, overcoming an ending record of 2-4-2 in league play and an overall record of 5-10-2.

The longtime wrestling teacher and coach kept his upbeat prognosis for the team and its future. “We have been super proud of how they’ve persevered and improved after the early struggles,” Scott Weidemier said,

“It is hard for a season like ours to end so abruptly,” said coach Lago on Monday. “One day we have plans to go deep into the playoffs and the next we run into a private school with extraordinary talent and size.”

For the third time since 2015, the Rio Lindo Lady Spartans have won their league's title. They also have 18 wins on the season, matching the school record.

The Lady Greyhounds defeated Rancho Cotate by a comfortable 12-point margin, giving them the right to hang the NCS-Redwood pennant in the Smith Robinson gym for the second year in a row.

Even with their divergent basketball season records—the girls were undefeated in league play, the boys without a win—both teams recognized their senior athletes last week at the last home games of the regular schedule. For boys, it came Saturday night in their final game of...