Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

By Ray Hamill — The Hoopa Warriors denied McKinleyville a happy homecoming with a big fourth quarter at the Redwood Bowl on Friday night, on the way to pulling out a 32-21 win.

Trailing 21-20 heading into the final period, the Warriors rallied with two big-time touchdown plays, as well as a couple of big defensive stands in the red zone.

Quarterback John Smith and receiver Carlos Aguilar got the comeback started when they combined on a 61-yard TD pass.

The Hoopa defense then stepped up with a big stand in the red zone, taking over possession on downs at their own seven-yard line.

On the following play, junior running back Larry Tracy broke free for a 93-yard TD to give the visitors a two-score advantage.

The Panthers, however, refused to give up easily, marching all the way to the Hoopa 17-yard line before sophomore DB AJ Perez came up with one of the plays of the game, intercepting the ball at the goal line to essentially seal the win.

“I thought our defense played lights out,” Hoopa head coach Sonny Ryles said.

No one more than Perez, who has emerged as a big-play threat on both sides of the ball for Hoopa.

Earlier in the game, he pulled in a 12-yard TD reception from Smith.

For more on Hoopa’s big win, see Warriors pull away from stubborn Panthers in the fourth …

Log onto HumboldtSports.com later this weekend for more Perez and Hoopa highlights.