File photo – Jacalyn Gorbet (22) scored a game-high 23 points in Friday’s win.

The Del Norte girls got their first conference win in a competitive girls basketball showdown on Friday night, beating the Huskies 58-54 at Fortuna.

The victory lifts the Warriors to 1-2 in the Big 5 and 14-5 overall and keeps their Dick Niclai hopes alive.

Both teams had the lead in the fourth quarter in a back-and-forth matchup, but it was the visitors who held on down the stretch.

“It was a hard-fought game,” said Del Norte head coach Dylan Nelson, who added it was a “team effort.”

Jacalyn Gorbet was instrumental in the victory and scored a game-high 23 points, while also stepping up big late in the fourth quarter to set up a key basket by teammate Lauren Stutes.

Khloe Smith helped ice the win from the free throw line.

Tsinte Steinruck added nine points for the Warriors, while Smith finished with seven.

Mariah Bravo had a huge night for the Huskies and finished with a team-high 21 points, while teammate Allie Cox added 14 points as the Huskies battled all the way.

This was the second meeting of the season between the two schools, both of which have been won by Del Norte, although this one was a lot closer than the Warriors’ 63-37 win in late December.

“It was a back-and-forth game,” Fortuna head coach Tom Chapman said. “Both teams played really hard. It was an exciting game.”

With the loss, the Huskies dropped to 0-4 and 11-9.

The Warriors came into the game having lost three of their previous four games but did a good job converting several takeaways into points.

“Dylan and his staff are doing a great job with their team,” Chapman said of the Del Norte coaches. “We had several turnovers that Del Norte capitalized on by scoring.”

The Del Norte coach also praised the performance by the home team.

“Credit to coach Chapman and Fortuna,” he said. “They are a much-improved team and never quit.”

Next up, the Huskies will try to bounce back when they host Kelseyville (12-6) in a non-league showdown on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m., while the Warriors will try to make it two straight conference wins when they host Arcata on Wednesday.

File photo – Mariah Bravo