Prep football returns to H-DNL
Football made its longawaited return to the Humboldt-Del Norte league, with two Friday games which saw great offensive and defensive showings.
Friday’s action began at St. Bernard’s Academy, where the visiting Ferndale High Wildcats put a dent in the state champions’ crown with a 12-0 score at the end of regulation time.
Both teams entered the contest with very different roster situations. Ferndale’s experienced roster of 17 players is familiar with each other and head coach Clint McClug’s tough and physical style of play.
Meanwhile, the Crusaders are in a transitional year after the 2019 state championship-winning senior class graduated in the past school year. Now manned by a majority roster of underclassmen, including 13 freshmen and sophomores, looking to learn and develop into the aggressive tactics of head coach Matt Tomlin, the season is slated to be a rebuilding period.
The game saw great defensive play, with the only successful touchdown pass of the game coming in the middle minutes of the second quarter. Ferndale quarterback Jenner Christiansen connected with younger brother Kannon for a successful 16-yard pass into the end zone.
A 64-yard run by Wildcats sophomore Cayden Collings in the third quarter would double the lead for the visitors and mark the final score.
In Friday’s second game, the offensive power and experience of Fortuna’s senior-heavy team was on full display under McKinleyville High School’s lights, with a 54-18 win for the Huskies over a young Panthers team.
In a game which lit up the scoreboard with a play from scrimmage, Fortuna quarterback Max Hough found receiver Branston Gans with a 55-yard throw for the first touchdown of the night. Hough would go on to complete seven of his nine attempts, accounting for two touchdowns, an interception and 174 yards via air mail.
With the game looking like a one-sided affair at the end of the first quarter, with a 33-0 score for the Huskies, Fortuna head coach Mike Benbow opted to let his second defensive unit take to the field in the second quarter.
Despite the early distance on the scoreboard, McKinleyville did not give up the fight.
Sophomore quarterback Jack Clancy opened the second quarter with a 79-yard touchdown run. Running back Connor Berg ran the ball into the end zone twice later into the game, contributing two touchdowns to his team’s cause.
Fortuna assistant coach Dennis Rosser praised the young McKinleyville team. “They have speed at the skill positions and Jack Clancy is a future star in this league,” he said.