Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

By Ray Hamill — Ferndale’s 58-point win over Eureka last weekend did not go unnoticed.

This week, for the first time all season, the Wildcats are the top-ranked local team in the North Coast Section, according to MaxPreps.

It took the MaxPreps computers a little time to catch up with the Humboldt Sports Power Rankings, but they finally got there.

The Wildcats, who are 4-0 as they get set for their conference opener this weekend, are the biggest movers among H-DNL teams in the NCS, moving up three spots to No. 28 overall.

St. Bernard’s, which is also 4-0, had a bye last weekend but dropped two spots to No. 31 overall.

The two schools also switched places in the Division-7 rankings.

Ferndale moves up one spot to No. 3, while SB drops one spot to No. 4.

St. Vincent de Paul (4-0) remains No. 1 in Division 7 (No. 11 overall), with Salesian (4-0) at No. 2 in D-7 and No. 25 overall.

Three other local teams also moved up in the rankings this week.

Del Norte (3-1) moves up one spot to No. 48 overall, Fortuna (1-3) is up two spots to No. 50 and Hoopa (1-3) is up one spot to No. 90.

McKinleyville (2-2), meanwhile, stays put at No. 79, while Eureka (1-3) is down two spots to No. 66 and Arcata (1-3) suffered the biggest drop among local teams, falling seven spots to No. 55.

The Tigers, who were the third-highest ranked local team last week, are now the fifth ranked H-DNL team.

There wasn’t a whole lot of movement for the local teams in their respective divisions this week.

In Division 6, No. 4 Del Norte and No. 5 Fortuna hold steady ahead of their big game at Husky Field this weekend, while Hoopa holds steady at No. 11 in Division 7.

After their win at Cloverdale on Saturday night, the McKinleyville Panthers move up one spot to No. 8 in Division 6, while Eureka drops one spot to No. 6 in Division 5.

Arcata dropped one spot in Division 4 and is now No. 7.

South Fork is also featured in the eight-person football rankings this week.

The Cubs (2-1) are No. 2 in the NCS, behind No. 1 Stuart Hall (5-0) and one spot ahead of No. 3 Branson (1-3), whom the Cubs beat over the weekend.