Submitted photo – Last year’s Del Norte team.

By Ray Hamill — If their early-season determination is any indication, the Del Norte Warriors could be ready to contend for a league title in Little 4 girls soccer this fall.

With some key players back to help lead the way, the Warriors got their first win of the season at the Upper lake tournament over the weekend, defeating the host school 1-0 on Friday.

The following afternoon, the Del Norte girls fell 2-0 to Fortuna in the tournament final.

However, first-year head coach Shawn Eckart likes a lot of what he’s seen from his players through the preseason and believes this is a squad that will only continue to get better.

“They’re really interested in becoming more competitive,” he said. “Every practice, every hour, they’re working hard. They’re really in it to win it and they can see the growth.”

The players have been busy preparing for the 2024 season all summer long, practicing together three times a week through June and July, before beginning official preseason practice in mid August.

That hard work is beginning to pay dividends, as is the players’ collective attitude.

“I don’t get any push back from anything I throw at them,” said Eckart, who takes over this year from Cyndi Hansen. “We’re out there and every practice is purposeful, every touch is meaningful. They’re putting in the time and work and you can see it.”

Junior Lillianna Ramirez got the new season off to a good start with the Warriors’ goal in Friday’s win, while influential midfielders Aurora Mitchell and Alexis Aguirre have also hit the ground running this season, as expected.

“They worked midfield very well (at the tournament),” Eckart said of Mitchell and Aguirre. “They moved the ball around very well.”

Goalkeeper Deja Payne also impressed at the tournament and made some big saves to help keep her team in contention against the Huskies.

The new head coach will look to Mitchell and Aguirre for some necessary team leadership this fall, along with fellow team captains KaLynn Schaad and Hollyn Wakefield.

Once again the Warriors will compete in what is expected to be a competitive and wide-open Little 4 this season, a conference that also includes defending champions St. Bernard’s and reigning North Coast Section champions Ferndale.

And along with a South Fork team that is expected to be much improved this fall, the Del Norte girls have every reason to believe they can compete in a league that any one of the four schools could realistically win.

“They’re sponges,” Eckart said of his players. “They’re asking a lot of questions. They want to try everything I throw at them.”