The Eureka Loggers got a much-needed win on Friday night, while it was business as usual for Fortuna.
The Huskies hosted Hoopa and won comfortably 42-0 to go to 6-1 on the season. It was their fourth straight win, while the Warriors dropped to 1-6.
The Loggers were on the road against Arcata and rallied from an early deficit to win 22-6.
Also in action on Friday night, South Fork hosted Priory in eight-person football and lost 68-6, dropping to 5-2.
Priory, which improved to 6-0, dominated the first half and opened up a 40-0 lead before the break.
The victory over Arcata ended a three-game losing streak for the Loggers, who improved to 2-5.
“We controlled the clock, that was the biggest thing tonight,” Eureka head coach Sam Edmonds said. “We controlled the tempo of the game, we controlled the clock and kept their defense on the field.”
It was far from perfect, however.
“I was happy to get the win, but we made a lot of mistakes,” the coach added. “Penalties, stuff like that.”
Nevan Rose had three touchdown runs, while defensive back Archer Francis led a good night on defense and finished with three interceptions.
“My defense played very well,” Edmonds said. “They held Arcata multiple times and kept them out of the end zone.”
The Tigers scored first and led 6-0, but the Loggers would battle back and take a one-point lead into halftime.
Arcata pieced together a long drive early in the second half, but the Loggers came up with a big goal-line stand and took over on downs, before driving the length of the field for their second touchdown of the night.
Quarterback Ben Klein had a two-point conversion run and Easton Taerea had two PATs.
Senior running back Quincy Smith had a good night running the ball, behind an offensive line that Edmonds said “did an amazing job tonight.”
The Loggers also had a scoop and score called back on a blindside block penalty.
Arcata dropped to 0-7.
At Fortuna, meanwhile, the Huskies showed no letdown after their big league win over St. Bernard’s eight days ago.
Three touchdowns in the second quarter gave them a comfortable 28-0 lead at halftime and they would continue to pull away in the second half.
Quarterback Will Shaw opened the scoring on a 16-yard TD run in the first quarter, before connecting with teammate Ryker Renner on a short TD pass early in the second.
A two-point conversion run by Easton Essig would put the home team up 14-0.
Essig would find the end zone again on a 35-yard TD run later in the quarter before Brice Pancoast would stretch the lead further after breaking free for an 84-yard TD run.
Jaxson King came up with a pair of takeaways on either side of halftime, including an interception in the end zone late in the second quarter.
Cameron Mclendon added a 12-yard TD run late in the third quarter, before Cade Schlesinger scored the team’s sixth touchdown of the night on a blocked punt on the final play of the game.
Junior kicker Gregory Fitzgerald made four of his five PAT attempts, while Renner also had an interception.
