Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com
With so many teams still in the chase for the H-DNL boys soccer championship, the league has announced some changes to the schedule for the final week of the regular season.
Fortuna, Eureka, Del Norte and Arcata all remain in contention for the pennant going into the final week, which could mean a playoff game to decide which of them receives the league’s automatic North Coast Section playoff berth.
And because of that, the league is moving two or three of the Oct. 28 games forward to Monday in order to free up that Saturday for a possible playoff game.
The games originally scheduled for Oct. 28 included Fortuna at South Fork, Del Norte at Eureka and Arcata at McKinleyville.
The Fortuna/South Fork and Del Norte/Eureka games will now definitely be moved to Monday and both will kick off at 6 p.m.
The Arcata and McKinleyville will also be moved if the Tigers remain in contention for a possible league crown after this Saturday’s game at home to Del Norte.
Right now, the Huskies and Loggers are tied for the league lead with 14 points and two games remaining each, while the Warriors are just one point back with three games remaining.
The Tigers, meanwhile are three points off the leaders with three games remaining, but a loss to Del Norte on Saturday would eliminate the Arcata boys from contention.
If that happens, then their final regular season game against McKinleyville would remain scheduled for Oct. 28.
If the Tigers remain in contention going into the final week, they would travel to McKinleyville on Monday for a 4 p.m. kickoff.
If two teams tie for the league championship, they will be crowned co-champions.
That, however, would require a playoff game to decide which team gets the league’s automatic NCS playoff spot.
A coin toss would determine which of the co-champions gets to host a potential playoff game.
Which team is best positioned to win the league title?
Categories: Arcata, Del Norte, Eureka, Fortuna, McKinleyville, Soccer, South Fork
No co-champ playoff game is really needed… how about use goal differential like group play in World Cup, other regional soccer league tourneys…
…we get it, the power to control sports, make the appearance of doing something when it really isn’t necessary… another game to decide top team for seedings is rubbish…
…use “goal differential”…
Agreed. I don’t understand why the league would jeopardize players getting hurt for a game that doesn’t matter, it’s dangerous. When Fortuna and EHS play each other it’s always a very physical game! It doesn’t even matter who wins league wise, they will still be co champs no matter what, it’s only for seating in the playoffs right? If not using point differential (which I may be wrong but I thought that’s how it’s been done in the past?!) then just flip a coin for the seating. EHS has the goal differential win which is why Fortuna is pushing to play again it sounds like. But if there has to be a last minute game thrown in then it needs to be on a neutral field with neutral refs, a parent of the school should not be reffing their own teams games.
DN took Ray seriously…junior heavy this season…DN is thinking back to back next season… a first ever feat if it were to occur next season… this season is mack high school in DN’s path to 19 pts… DN is a HUNGRY JUGGERNAUT!
by Ray Hamill: “Del Norte High School might not be known as a soccer powerhouse, but both of this year’s teams are taking steps to change that perception.
It’s not going to happen overnight, but the boys and girls programs appear to be trending in the right direction as they head into league play.
The boys team is junior heavy and will likely not peak for another year, but they have been competitive through the early going.
And they have done so despite losing their top striker to a season-ending injury right before their season opener.”