Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – McKinleyville’s Tatum Fisher and her teammates will play at Arcata on Saturday night.

By Ray Hamill — Heading into the quarterfinals of the North Coast Section girls basketball playoffs, remarkably an H-DNL team has yet to lose to an out-of-area school.

All nine H-DNL varsity teams made this year’s playoffs and only one lost an opening-round game, with Fortuna falling at Del Norte in Division-4 action on Wednesday night.

That means eight local schools remain in the chase for a section title and a berth in the upcoming state playoffs.

We knew as early as December that this year’s H-DNL girls teams were good, but I’m not sure how many of us knew they were this good.

And that means there’s a busy weekend in store for H-DNL fans, with eight games on tap — six involving girls teams — including five games here in Humboldt County.

Topping the billing are three all-local games, including a highly-anticipated doubleheader at Arcata High on Saturday night.

Of the nine H-DNL girls varsity teams in the playoffs, two automatically advanced to their quarterfinals, with the No. 3 seed Eureka girls receiving an opening-round bye in Division 3 and the No. 4 seed Arcata girls getting a forfeit win in Division 4.

The South Fork boys, who are seeded No. 2 in Division 6, also had an opening-round bye.

The Eureka girls will begin their playoff push at home against No. 6 Pinole Valley on Friday night at 7 p.m., while the Arcata girls will open at home against their biggest rivals, McKinleyville, on Saturday night at 5:30 p.m.

And expect a packed house on hand at Arcata High, with the Arcata and Mack boys also renewing their rivalry in a playoff showdown following the girls game at 7 p.m.

Both Arcata teams are seeded No. 4 in their brackets and both McKinleyville teams are seeded No. 5.

It should be a great night of playoff action played in a great atmosphere, with the winners not only advancing to the section semifinals but also securing a place in the upcoming state playoffs.

In Division 5, meanwhile, No. 1 seed St. Bernard’s and No. 8 Ferndale will also renew their rivalry when they play their quarterfinal at St. Bernard’s on Friday night at 7.

And that means the H-DNL is guaranteed at least three teams to advance to the state playoffs in two weeks, with the NCS semifinalists moving on.

The fifth local game this weekend sees the South Fork boys host No. 7 Round Valley in a Division-6 showdown in Miranda on Saturday night at 7.

Three H-DNL girls teams, meanwhile, will try to keep their playoffs going on the road.

On Friday night, in Division 5, No. 7 Hoopa will travel to play No. 2 San Domenico in San Anselmo, with a 7 p.m. tip off.

On Saturday, in Division 4, the Del Norte girls will play at No. 2 University in San Francisco, also at 7 p.m.

And rounding out a busy and intriguing weekend for the local contingent of teams, the No. 8 South Fork girls will play at No. 1 San Francisco in Division-6 action on Saturday night at 7.