A busy Saturday on the local high school soccer fields saw both H-DNL frontrunners fall.
The Arcata boys hosted Del Norte and lost 2-1, while the Fortuna boys made the trip to Eureka and lost 3-1.
Also in action on Saturday, South Fork edged St. Bernard’s 1-0, and McKinleyville comfortably got the better of Ferndale, 8-0.
At Arcata High, the Warriors scored two first-half goals and carried a 2-0 lead into the break.
The Tigers would respond with their only goal of the game in the second half, but the visiting team was able to hold on late for the victory, while handing the Arcata boys their first league loss and ending an eight-game unbeaten run.
“Del Norte handled our pressure and found a goal on the counter attack and we made an unfocused mistake and gave up a PK,” Arcata head coach John Davidson said. “We fought to bring the game to a tie, but alas we could not.”
It was the Warriors’ second win over Arcata this season.
“We were not clinical enough in crucial moments of both halves and have found the Del Norte team a difficult match for years now,” Davidson added.
No scoring stats were available for either team.
At Eureka, meanwhile, the Loggers celebrated Senior Day with a second win in three matchups this season against the Huskies.
“What a way to send our seniors off in their last home game,” Eureka head coach Tommy Learmouth said. “Today the team put everything we’ve been working on together.”
It was a close contest for much of the day, as the Loggers rallied from an early deficit to tie things up before halftime.
They would add two late goals to take the win.
“Good match today,” Fortuna head coach Daniel Holmes said. “It just did not fall for us.”
The result shows just how competitive this year’s league has been.
“The league is evening out, and it looks like on any given day someone can beat you,” Holmes added. “Well done Eureka.”
Fernando Munoz opened the scoring for the visitors, but the always dangerous D’Alessandro Medina would leave both teams tied at break after scoring directly from a corner kick with about 10 minutes remaining in the opening half.
Remarkably, this was the fifth time this season that Medina has scored directly from a corner kick.
The two teams remained deadlocked until 15 minutes from time when Bryce Pope scored on a back post run to give the Loggers a lead they would not relinquish.
Medina, a sophomore, would add an insurance goal just a few minutes later to put Eureka up 3-1.
“I thought we matched Fortuna step for step today and executed our game plan well,” Learmouth said. “The second half didn’t get any easier, and it was back and forth and physical.
“I thought as a team we did well getting stuck in, playing tough defense and transitioning well.”
The six seniors — Kyan Green, Luiz Gonzalez, Jerome Everta, Cooper Munson, Greyden Larson and Levi Grossman — will be remembered for their contributions to Eureka High soccer.
And all six are enjoying big final seasons with the program.
“Our seniors have been instrumental in leading us this season and today really helped push us over the line,” Learmouth said. “They played with heart, passion and pride, and I am so incredibly proud of them.”
The Huskies, meanwhile, will try to rebound this week.
“We will keep working and adjust as the season is closing out,” Holmes said.
