Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Action from the Fortuna/St. Bernard’s game on Saturday afternoon.

The Del Norte Warriors were involved in a one-goal game for the second time in four days on Saturday, but this one went their way.

After losing a heartbreaker at Fortuna in the final minutes of Wednesday’s game, the Del Norte boys made sure there would be no repeat this time around, holding on late for a 3-2 win at McKinleyville.

“Proud of my team for the performance,” Del Norte head coach David Sanyaolu said. “And kudos to McKinleyville for giving a very good performance as well.”

Also in action on Saturday, league leaders Fortuna and Arcata comfortably took care of business.

The Huskies traveled to St. Bernard’s and won 10-0, while the Tigers traveled to Miranda and came away with a 19-0 win over the South Fork Cubs.

Both the Huskies and Tigers improved to 3-0 in H-DNL action.

Manny Diaz netted a hat trick for the Huskies, who improved to 12-0 overall as they keep their perfect campaign going.

Fortuna head coach Daniel Holmes described it as a good team effort and used the occasion to get some of his players some playing time in some different positions.

After a scoreless first half at McKinleyville, the Warriors and Panthers exploded for five goals in the second half, including three in the last quarter of the game.

Del Norte’s Giovanni Minor opened the scoring, heading home off a Dale Ramirez cross.

But McKinleyville would battle back to tie things up on Gaelen Creighton strike, which was set up on a Lucas Jones corner kick.

Danny Gomez then earned the Warriors a penalty kick, which was successfully converted by Alexis Ortiz, and Del Norte led the remainder of the way.

Minor would add to the advantage with about five minutes to go with another quality finish off an assist from Marco Gonzalez, as the Panthers pushed up in search of an equalizer.

Isaac Rousse would add a late consolation goal for the Panthers.

“It was another team performance from the whole team, topped off by two exquisite finishes by Giovanni Minor,” Sanyaolu said.

With the win, the Warriors improved to 2-1 in league play.

The Panthers, meanwhile, dropped to 1-2, but a young McKinleyville team that came into the game having won three of its previous four games continues to show signs of improvement.

“We’re playing competitive, it’s just we have a lot of young kids,” McKinleyville head coach Brady Burtchett said. “Once they learn the right positions, we can compete.”

Creighton and Ayden Burtchett both had strong games in the center of defense for the home team.

“I thought they play good, limiting (Del Norte’s) opportunities,” their head coach said of the center back pairing. 

The always-dangerous Becker Rine also impressed for the Panthers in center mid.

“Like always,” Brady Burtchett said. “He’s one of our more consistent players.”