File photo

The Del Norte Warriors wasted no time putting a disappointing season-opener behind them.

One week after getting shut out at Fortuna, the Warriors responded with a 28-22 win over Ashland in Crescent City on Friday night.

The win lifts the four-time defending Big 4 champs to 1-1 on the season.

“I thought we played pretty good,” head coach Darren LaFazio said. “It was way better than last week. We were more relaxed.”

According to Fazio, it was a total team effort and the entire team played well.

“We were physical, we ran the ball well and we covered well,” the coach added. “And they had a good quarterback.”

The Warriors had to overcome a couple of early deficits in the opening half.

Trailing 0-6, they got on the scoreboard in the first quarter when quarterback Aidan Rice threw a 44-yard TD pass to Tobias Meyers.

A successful PAT left the home team leading by one.

Ashland, however, would return the ensuing kickoff to re-take the lead and led 12-7 after the opening quarter.

The second quarter belonged to the Warriors, who scored 15 unanswered points for the period to take a lead they would not relinquish.

Meyers found the end zone for a second time on a four-yard TD run, before a two-point conversion run by William McCovey put Del Norte up 15-12.

Ben Borges would add a 27-yard touchdown run before halftime and the Warriors carried a 22-12 lead into the break.

They added to their advantage in the third when McCovey scored on a 56-yard touchdown run.

Ashland would have the final say, holding the home team scoreless in the fourth and scoring a third TD to pull within eight.

But that was as close as the Grizzlies would get and the Warriors held on for a much-needed win.

The Del Norte JVs also won their game against Ashland and also improved to 1-1.

The Warriors will host Arcata next Friday in what should be another good early-seasons test for them.