Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – The Arcata Tigers are 9-0 on the season.

By Ray Hamill — Football features heavily in this week’s awards, with a pair of championship teams and a consistently productive junior getting the nod.

It’s been a difficult and up-and-down season for the Fortuna Huskies on the football field, but one player who continues to perform at a high level is junior running back Kavi Bolden.

And that makes our choice for athlete of the week.

Bolden has been one of the most impressive running backs in the H-DNL in his first season playing at the varsity level and that continued last week as he played a key role in leading the Huskies to a crucial win against St. Bernard’s.

The standout junior rushed for 105 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown and added a 55-yard TD reception.

For the season, he has 548 yards rushing and an average of 6.3 yards a carry, as well as 10 touchdowns.

The hottest two teams in H-DNL football share our team of the week honors after each claimed at least a share of their respective conference championships with victories last week.

The Arcata Tigers, who have won all nine of their games this year, clinched at least a share of the L4, while the Del Norte Warriors, who have won six straight games, clinched at least a share of another Big 4 championship.

Each school will try to secure the championships outright in their regular-season and conference finales this weekend.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK 

Kavi Bolden

Fortuna Football, Junior

This season Bolden has picked up just where he left off as a sophomore on the Fortuna JVs a year ago.

Big things were expected out of the standout junior this fall and he has not disappointed.

Despite his team, dropping five straight games at one stage, Bolden has consistently impressed alongside fellow junior running back Mako Limon, who also is enjoying a good season for the Huskies.

For more on his big week, see Home sweet home — Huskies get much-needed win over St. Bernard’s …

TEAMS OF THE WEEK

Del Norte Football

Arcata Football

The two hottest football teams in the H-DNL have been unstoppable in recent weeks and they’ll be hoping that continues to be the case as they look to close out impressive regular seasons with another win this weekend.

Del Norte’s resume in recent years is outstanding and the Warriors have now clinched five straight Big 4 championships.

Arcata has been almost as impressive in recent years and have now clinched three of the past four Little 4 titles.

Head coaches Matt Mager of Arcata and Darren LaFazio of Del Norte both deserve a lot of credit for what their teams continue to achieve, as do their assistant coaches and of course the players.

Both rosters are loaded with talent, but the coaches are also getting the best out of the players every week and both teams are always well prepared.