Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Ferndale ace Landon Gomes will get the start on the mound for the Humboldt Eagles at Ukiah on Friday night.

With a lineup of all-stars for the ages, the Humboldt Eagles 19U will open the American Legion baseball season on Friday night in Ukiah.

Ferndale’s Landon Gomes will get the start in the opening game of a highly-anticipated campaign, with the Eagles possessing a dream lineup of the best local high school and young college talent.

Fresh off their big North Coast Section win on Wednesday night, the Arcata trio of Jaden Gorge, Merek Sears and Damien Shelton will all play with the team this summer, along with the McKinleyville contingent of Dustin Ireland and Cameron Saso.

From the college ranks, former Fortuna stars Cody Emmons (Shasta College) and JB Lewis (College of the Redwoods) are still eligible to play, as is former St. Bernard’s standout pitcher Garrison Finck, who spent the spring at Cal State East Bay, and former South Fork star Scott Coffelt (Sacramento City College).

Coffelt will be reunited on the team with outgoing South Fork senior C.J. Van Meter after the two were teammates a year ago on the Cubs’ NCS championship team.

Rounding out a deep and extremely talented roster is Eureka’s Brady Munson, Kalebh Hill and Keenan Morris, as well as St. Bernard’s Lane Thrap, Hunter Davis, Caleb Ruiz and Bode Joyner, giving the Crusaders the largest contingent of any local school.

The Eagles play the Mendocino Dirtbags in the season opener.

The Eagles will also play three games at Napa on Saturday and Sunday.

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Ray Hamill writes at humboldtsports.com, where you can read lots more about sports in Humboldt County.