After a 3 week play-off hiatus due to the California fires, the #2 ranked Del Norte Warriors hosted the #6 Huskies from Fortuna in the Division 4 semi-final play-off game. The field looked good, but recent heavy area rains had clearly taken it’s toll as the game began in a torrential downpour.
Del Norte started the contest kicking off to the Huskies as the cold rain increased in it’s intensity. The Huskies started conservatively, keeping the ball on the ground testing the Warrior line as both teams struggled to adapt to the sloppy field conditions.
The Huskies offense sat at the Del Norte 15 yard line with five minutes gone in the first quarter. Husky quarterback #11 Zac Claus then dropped back and hit #21 Joey Pontes with a pass over the middle putting the first points on the board, and giving the Huskies a 0-7 lead.
With in a minute after the kick off to the Warriors, Fortuna pinned Del Norte deep in their half of field. The Huskies would take advantage of a Warrior mistake in their own endzone getting the safety and jumping out to a 0-9 lead with six minutes left to play in the first quarter.
Until late in the first half, the game turned into a defensive battle. Both teams battled in the middle of the field, destroying field conditions and turning the field into an ankle deep mud bowl.
The Huskies would put together a drive with four minutes on the clock. Sitting on the Del Norte 20 yard line, the Huskies would put up a pass to the left corner only to be picked off by outside linebacker #25 Sebastian Puente turning the ball over to the Warriors inside their 10 yard line. But Del Norte put the ball on the ground inside their five yard line and the Huskies would recover the ball.
The Warriors would hold the Huskies out of the endzone for three straight plays, but the Huskies would capitalize on 4th and 2 when again Husky quarterback #11 Zac Claus dropped back and hit #21 Joey Pontes with a quick pass to the right side getting into the endzone, putting the Huskies up 0-16 with less than a minute in the first half of play.
In the second half the skies continued to play a part in the game, drenching the field, ruining footing and negating the break away speed of the Warriors giving the solid disciplined Huskies the clear advantage.
But the Warriors put together a determined drive with some long runs by #4 Ethan Price and senior running back #25 Sebastian Puente. The Warriors would drive to the Husky 2 yard line but the Huskies stiffened and held the Warriors out. On 3rd and 1, Del Norte’s #12 OJ Calleja would take the dive and power his way into the endzone as time ran out in the 3rd period, putting the Warrior’s on the board 6-16.
Early in the fourth, both teams again struggled in the middle of the field. It wouldn’t be until the Huskies #24 Daeden Taylor caught a short pass on a crossing pattern and ran another 25 yards after the catch putting the ball on the Del Norte 8 yard line. The Huskies would finish the drive with another #21 Joey Pontes 5 yard touch down run.
As time became the Warriors enemy, a Del Norte pass at midfield would be picked off by Fortuna’s #21 Joey Pontes and returned 51 yards for the touchdown. The pick 6 put a 6-30 exclamation point on the Huskies season advancing them to the Finals December 8th, and ending the Warrior season.
The Wild Coast Compass would like to congratulate both teams on having a great season, and wish the Fortuna Huskies luck as they continue on to the Championship.
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