Submitted photo – McKinleyville’s Jake Gardner in action at Beau Pre on Thursday

McKinleyville’s Jake Gardner has taken over the lead in the H-DNL boys golf standings after carding the low round of the day in round two of league play on Thursday.

The league golfers traveled to Beau Pre Golf Course in McKinleyville and Gardner led the field with a round of 75 for a four-stroke victory.

It follows his opening round of 77 at Fortuna last week, which was one stroke behind that day’s winner, Dawson McWhorter of Fortuna.

Arcata’s Lucas Wemberley had the second best round of the day on Thursday with a 79, followed by McWhorter with an 80.

St. Bernard’s Breadon Simpson was fourth with an 82, with Arcata’s Zayne Morris-Slattery and Fortuna’s Robbie Shoemaker tying for the fifth best score after each shot an 84.

Gardner’s victory moves him one stroke ahead of McWhorter for the league lead in what is expected to be a competitive race for this year’s championship.

Four different schools are now represented in the top four in the league standings, with Simpson in third and Arcata teammates Wemberley and Mason Alway tied for fourth.

Arcata’s Alway and Ryzen Miller tied for seventh on Thursday with identical rounds of 85.

Gardner’s McKinleyville teammate Carter Reeves was next best with an 86, with Fortuna’s Rocklin Austrus rounding out the top 10 on the day with a round of 89.

Trevor Hunt led the South Fork boys with a 94, while Nicolas Jager had the best round of the day for Del Norte with a 97. 

Kaden Goodman and Carter Hernandez each shot a 98 to pace Eureka, while Riley Baldy led Hoopa with a round of 122.

The H-DNL boys will continue league play at Del Norte next Thursday.

Submitted photo – The McKinleyville Panthers