Sports

That the sport of badminton is again being played in high school gyms around the area is due in large measure to the efforts of Scott Bischof. A former competitor and founder of the World Badminton Museum, he introduced the sport at several schools including Healdsburg.

For the Healdsburg varsity baseball team, the first few weeks of the schedule have produced mixed results—a couple of tournament wins last week following five straight losses, adding up to a 3-5 record overall.

Healdsburg’s tennis-playing boys are more than holding their own in court competition this spring.

With Hailey Webb, the team’s only senior, graduating this spring, Coach Jim Lago knows he has his work cut out for him to duplicate this year’s success going forward. But he thinks he has the tools to do it.

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,