The Arcata Tigers took both team victories at the league-opening cross country races on Wednesday.

The H-DNL cross country season got under way this week at the Eureka Municipal Golf Course.

Six teams made the trip on Wednesday, with the Arcata Tigers taking both team victories.

In girls action, defending league champion Claire Gast of Eureka got her junior campaign off to a winning start.

Gast led the field by more than a minute and a half and crossed the finish line in a time of 21 minutes, 38.23 seconds.

Her Eureka teammate Evelyn Ladika placed second in a time of 23:15.21, followed by Fortuna’s Alexa McCall in third, just four seconds further back in a time of 23:19.29.

Arcata juniors Nehla Espiritu-Blackstone (23:31.53) and Sonya Chisholm (23:34.27) rounded out the top five.

The Tigers took the team win with a combined 34 points, followed by Eureka (46) and Fortuna (48).

Arcata teammates Hadley Brownfield and Zoe Cappuccio placed sixth and seventh, respectively, with Eureka’s Rathlin Hemmingsen, Fortuna’s Brida Lester and Fortuna’s Elizabeth Stevens rounding out the top 10.

The top five finishers were all juniors, while Brownfield was the highest placing freshman in sixth.

Zakayla Robinson led the way for Del Norte in 19th, while Aubrey Harlan led Brookings-Harbor in 24th, Kiera Maloney led Hoopa in 27th and Saffron Paxton led McKinleyville in 32nd.

In boys action, Arcata’s Evan Poston got the new H-DNL season off to a winning start after placing sixth in league last year.

The standout junior crossed the finish line eight seconds ahead of second-placed Juan Ornelas of Fortuna.

Poston finished in a time of 16:39.12, while Ornelas posted a time of 16:47.80.

Eureka’s Ryder Bullman was less than a second further back in third (16:48.40), followed by Arcata’s Ocean Walker (17:32.27) and Sebastian Amargo (17:42.07).

The Tigers, who had four of the top six finishers and seven in the top 10, comfortably took the team victory with 20 points.

Eureka was next best with 42 points, while Del Norte (109) edged Brookings-Harbor (110) by just one point for third.

McKinleyville (118) and Hoopa (154) rounded out the top six.

Arcata’s Caden Demers, Eureka’s Eli Chiles, Arcata’s Gianni Orlandi, Arcata’s Parker Pierson and Arcata’s Brayden Ford rounded out the top 10 individual finishers.

Eureka’s Reese Sipma was the highest-placed freshman in 11th, while Luke Padilla led Del Norte in 13th.

Jason Weldon led McKinleyville in 21st, while Owen Strasser led Brookings-Harbor in 28th and Joseph Smith led Hoopa in 48th.

The second league race takes place in Del Norte next Wednesday.