Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

By Ray Hamill — After a month of traveling for games, the Hoopa Warriors will finally get the chance to play in front of a home crowd for the first time this season when they host the Arcata Tigers on Friday night.

Not only will it be the team’s home opener, but it will also be their first league game.

And Warriors fans are hoping for big things out of their team in the Little 4 this year, especially after an impressive pre-league schedule.

During the preseason, head coach Floyd “Cowboy” Billings spoke of how he expects this year’s team to be the best Hoopa has seen in a while, with a core group of talented players that have been playing and developing together since their youth football days.

And so far, they have not disappointed.

Especially the team defense and the O-Line.

The Warriors are 3-1, having defeated South Fork, Fort Bragg and most recently Trinity, and a one-point loss at St. Bernard’s is the only blemish so far.

In their three wins, they have shut out their opponents in 10 of the 12 quarters played.

Because of that — and their impressive showing at St. Bernard’s — the Warriors will be considered many people’s favorite heading into league.

It should be a fun six weeks, with Hoopa, Arcata. McKinleyville and Ferndale playing each other twice each.

On Friday, we’ll publish the results of our pre-league poll asking which of the four teams is most likely to win the Little 4 championship.

Friday night’s game is set for 7 p.m.

Also on Friday, McKinleyville will also host Ferndale in this week’s other Little 4 game.