News

Sep 07, 2023

Redwoods briefs

College of the Redwoods held a signing ceremony for softball standout Ashley

College of the Redwoods held a signing ceremony for softball standout Ashley Ballew on Saturday. The sophomore from McKinleyville signed her letter of intent to play softball for Pacific University, an NCAA Division III program in Forest Grove, Oregon.

Ballew was a standout on the field and in the classroom during her career at Redwoods, culminating with her stellar campaign this past season as the Corsairs put together their best season in more than a decade. The catcher and outfielder batted .352 at the plate while notching 23 RBIs and a one home run. She also had seven doubles and four triples, showcasing her impressive athleticism and speed.

"She (Ballew) grew so much in the two years at CR and it showed on and off the field," said softball coach Megan Valente. "She had some crucial plays on defense and offense to help us win some of our close games."

The news of Ballew moving on to play at the four-year collegiate level comes on the heels of the recent announcement that Sadie Hampton will join Cal Poly Humboldt next season on the diamond. The post-pandemic resurgence of softball at Redwoods follows a trend of athletic success for the Corsairs.

Ballew joins a Pacific softball team that is similarly looking to make a resurgence after a 7-29 record last season. After her experience at Redwoods, She’ll now aim to establish a winning culture for the college program just outside of Portland.

"I know (Ballew) is going to succeed at the next level," added Valente. "Pacific is picking up a great human and great player."

As College of the Redwoods celebrates the success of a graduating player, they also welcomed another addition to the softball team from the Humboldt-Del Norte League.

The Corsairs held a signing ceremony for Hoopa's Nae Rew Martin last week in the Redwoods Gymnasium. Martin, a utility player, will join Redwoods next season after Hoopa Valley put together a tremendous season this spring. The Warriors finished with a 19-5 record and were undefeated in league play. Martin was second on the team with a .420 batting average while playing in the infield defensively.

"I’m excited to add Nae Rew to the roster because of her athleticism," said Valente. "I really do feel she's athletic enough to play any position on the field and is a true utility player. She also was a great leadoff batter for Hoopa and has speed, so that will be a huge help for us next season."

Martin joins Hoopa teammates Diamond and Jewely Bibancos as incoming freshman for the Corsairs next season.

College of the Redwoods will be hosting their annual summer camps to support youth sports, beginning with volleyball at the end of this month and continuing with basketball and soccer in July.

The volleyball camp will be held June 23 to the 25 in the Redwoods Gymnasium. The event will be for grades ranging for youth to high school level. The camp will train kids in the fourth through eighth grades in the morning between 9 a.m. and noon before then facilitating the high school camps in the afternoon from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $60 per participant.

Basketball camp will be held July 17 to 21 and will be for youth ages eight to thirteen. The camp will be a full day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will be hosted by men's coach Ryan Bisio and women's coach Jain Tuey. The cost is $250 per participant.

And lastly, there will be a boys and girls soccer camp on July 27 and 28 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The camp is for youth ages five through 12 and will be held at the Bear River Sports Complex. The cost of attendance for that camp is $80.

Those interested signing up can do so at the following websites for volleyball, basketball and soccer.

Jake Matson can be reached at 707-441-0526

Sign up for email newsletters