Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Eureka’s Chase Steubing has been one of the defensive standouts on the North Coast so far this season.

By Ray Hamill — Believe it or not, we’re halfway through the local prep football season already, with plenty of early surprises and no doubt plenty more to come.

And what better time to take a quick look back at what we’ve seen already this year, as well as a look forward to what we might expect to see the rest of the way.

The second half of the season is always the better half.

By now, teams have (usually) ironed out the kinks and are playing better football than they were early in the campaign — both physically and mentally — while league play and local rivalries always bring out the best in players and teams.

So things should only get better going forward.

Here then are some mid-season shoutouts and some second-half predictions …

First-half offensive MVP

St. Bernard’s quarterback Will Omey is having the type of season we expected and then some, picking up right where he left off a year ago in leading his team to a 5-0 record.

The senior is sixth in the state with an average of 392.4 total offensive yards a game.

Special Mention: St. Bernard’s receiver Lane Thrap.

First-half defensive MVP

Eureka junior Chase “Biscuit” Steubing has been outstanding for the Loggers and leads the North Coast Section with 73 tackles through six games.

Steubing also has an impressive seven tackles for a loss, as well as three sacks.

Special Mention: St. Bernard’s linebacker Justin Hagler

Coach of the first half

Del Norte’s Nick White has wasted little time setting in as head coach of the Warriors, leading them to a dominating 5-1 record over the first half of the season.

Like any good head coach, White, who spent several years as an assistant with the program, benefits from a stellar group of assistants.

Special Mention: Ferndale’s Clint McClurg (and his assistants)

Team of the first half

St. Bernard’s is 5-0, the last remaining undefeated local team, and that makes the Crusaders the team of the first half of the season.

Special Mention: Del Norte (and Ferndale)

Team to watch out for in the second half

Del Norte looks like the team to beat on the North Coast going forward, with a perfect blend of physicality and skilled players.

There are several local squads that should contend for a section crown (four actually), but none appear as dangerous right now as the Crescent City program.

Special Mention: Ferndale, Eureka and St. Bernard’s

Game to watch out for in the second half

The schedule makers might have planned it just perfectly, with Eureka traveling to Del Norte on the final weekend of the regular season for a matchup that could very well decide the Big 4 title.

Other game to watch out for in the second half

How about Del Norte hosting Eureka in the NCS Division-5 championship game?

Or maybe even Eureka hosting Del Norte?

Both schools are ranked in the top four in their division, according to MaxPreps, so it’s certainly a distinct possibility that they could meet for the NCS title, especially when you mix in the Big 4’s physicality, which tends to catch playoff opponents by surprise.

The Warriors have shown they’re good, while the Loggers are …

The most improved team

After barely losing each of their opening three games, the Eureka Loggers have now won three straight.

A young and inexperienced squad is fast shedding that tag and could very well be the most dangerous local team going forward.

Special Mention: Ferndale

Story of the first half

The Ferndale Wildcats, especially after that disheartening opener of theirs.

Since then, the Cats have won three of four games, including a Milk Can victory and a very strong showing in their league opener at Arcata a week ago, which was impressive both from a football and mental standpoint.

Special Mention: Del Norte

Overachievers of the first half

The St. Bernard’s offensive line has been nothing short of brilliant, matching up against bigger opponents and winning the battle.

They will be tested physically in the Big 4, but so far this group has shown they are up to the challenge and more, laying the foundation for the team’s 5-0 start.