File photo

The Huskies showcased why they have been one of the hottest teams in the H-DNL over the past month with another big win on Friday night.

Fortuna traveled to Crescent City and kept its Big 4 championship hopes alive with a 28-14 victory over the Del Norte Warriors, who saw any slim hopes of a sixth straight conference crown officially come to an end.

The win, which was their fourth in five games, lifts the Huskies to 3-1 in the Big 4 and 4-4 overall, while the Warriors dropped to 1-3 in conference and 4-4 overall.

An 0-3 start to the season now must seem like a long time ago for the Huskies, whose only loss since mid September was a four-point defeat at St. Bernard’s in a game they had a chance to win late.

Since getting routed by neighbors and rivals, the Ferndale Wildcats, in their annual Milk Can game, the Huskies have posted lopsided wins over University Prep and Eureka, as well as a couple of two-score victories over Del Norte.

Friday’s game got off to an exciting start with big plays the story early.

The two Big 4 rivals combined for three first-half touchdowns that went for at least 78 yards each and they were tied 14-14 at the break.

A beat-up Warriors team that is missing several players because of injury looked like it had a point to prove after a disappointing showing at Fortuna three weeks ago.

After holding the visitors to a quick three-and-out on their opening possession, the Del Norte offense went to work and quickly opened the scoring on a trick play.

Max Borges took a pitch out from quarterback Kanyon Starkey and threw a short pass to a wide-open Sawyer Fry, who took it 79 yards to the end zone.

The lead, however, lasted just a few seconds.

On the ensuing kickoff, Michael Shaw broke free for an 85-yard TD and a successful PAT put the visitors up 7-6.

But the home team quickly regained the momentum, driving deep into Fortuna territory and finding the end zone a second time on a one-yard TD run by Starkey.

A two-point conversion run by Tobias Meyers put the Warriors up 14-7, and with three TDs combined by the two teams barely four minutes into the game it appeared as if we were in for a wild, high-scoring shootout.

That, however, would not materialize as both defenses grew into the game.

In fact, Meyers’ two-pointer was the last scoring of the night for the home team.

Midway through the second quarter, the Huskies would pull even again after running back Mako Limon broke free for a 78-yard TD run.

A second successful PAT put the score at 14-14, and the two sides would remain deadlocked going into halftime.

The matchup was far different from the earlier meeting between these two schools at Husky Field, a game in which the Huskies dominated for much of the night.

But their superiority was established once again in the second half, as they wore down the short-handed Warriors.

Fortuna quarterback Will Shaw would give his team the lead in the final minute of the third quarter, finding the end zone on a one-yard TD run, and after a missed PAT the Huskies led 20-14.

With just under five minutes remaining in the game, Fortuna running back Kavi Bolden closed out the scoring on a 25-yard TD run and a two-point conversion run.

While any chance of a conference title has faded for the Warriors, the Huskies now hold their championship ambitions in their own hands.

Next week, they will host Big 4 frontrunner St. Bernard’s (3-0 in conference and 7-0 overall) and a win would see them move into at least a tie for the Big 4 lead.

The Crusaders play Eureka at the Redwood Bowl on Saturday night as they look to extend their unbeaten run before next week’s big game.

The Huskies also won Friday night’s JV game, 28-0, to keep the pressure on conference leaders Eureka.

With the win, the young Huskies improved to 3-1 in the Big 4 and 5-3 overall.

The Eureka JVs, who play St. Bernard’s on Saturday night, are 3-0 and 5-1-1.

The Fortuna and Eureka JVs will face off at Husky Field on the final weekend of the regular season in what could be a true championship game.

File photo