File photo – The Arcata Tigers won the team event at Del Norte on Thursday.

An exciting race for this year’s H-DNL championship in boys golf is showing no signs of slowing down.

Midway through the league schedule, just one stroke separates the top two golfers in the standings after another close battle in round three at Del Norte on Thursday.

McKinleyville’s Jake Gardner and Fortuna’s Dawson McWhorter tied for the low score on the day after each carded a 76 to lead the field.

The tie means Gardner retains his slender lead in the race for the individual championship, with McWhorter just one stroke back and three rounds remaining.

The win was the second of the season for both golfers after McWhorter took the opening round at the Redwood Empire Golf & Country Club in Fortuna and Gardner took round two at Beau Pre Golf Course in McKinleyville last week.

Arcata’s Lucas Wemberley and South Fork’s Trevor Hunt tied for the second best round of the day on Thursday, with each shooting a 77.

Four different schools were represented in the top four scores on the day.

Wemberley, who was one of four Arcata golfers to shoot 83 or lower, led the Tigers to the team win.

The team victory was the second straight for the Arcata boys, who also won at Beau Pre.

The Fortuna boys, who took the opening round victory, were just five strokes back of the Tigers on Thursday, with McKinleyville, St. Bernard’s and Del Norte rounding out the top five.

Arcata’s Mason Alway rounded out the top five individual scores on the day with a round of 78.

Fortuna’s Robbie Shoemaker (80), Arcata’s Zayne Morris-Slattery (82), Del Norte’s Nicolas Jager (82), McKinleyville’s Carter Reeves (82) and Arcata’s Ryzen Miller (83) rounded out the top 10.

Fortuna’s Lucas Butler (84), St. Bernard’s Carson Johnson (84), Fortuna’s Hunter Kelley (85), St. Bernard’s Breadon Simpson (85), Eureka’s Andrew Stewart (86) and McKinleyville’s Morgan Zhao (86) each all broke 90.

Riley Baldy led Hoopa with a round of 107.

Alway is third in the season standings, four strokes behind McWhorter, with Alway in fourth and Simpson in fifth.

File photo – The Fortuna Huskies placed second at Del Norte on Thursday.