Warriors end year on a winning note

Del Norte takes down Arcata 53-6 to end year 3-6

Junior Brandon Kakitsuka of Del Norte High rumbles down the field as senior Kyle Eggen blocks for him Friday night against Arcata. (The Daily Triplicate/Bryant Anderson)

CRESCENT CITY — In cold  and wet weather the Del Norte High varsity football team heated things up on the football field in the season finale at home Friday night.

The Warriors took care of Arcata 53-6 in Big 4 Conference action as Del Norte finished the year 3-6 overall and 2-4 in the Big 4. The Tigers ended the year winless, although there was a highlight. They scored. It was the first time this year they scored this season in Big 4 play.

The Warriors rushed for 360 yards. This included 106 yards on only two rushes in the first quarter.

Senior Christian Alexandre rumbled for 143 yards on eight carries.  This included a 78 yard touchdown run.

Junior Brandon Kakitsuka rushed for 102 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Shane Endamano ran for 70 yards and one score.

Senior quarterback Thor Hadfield went 2-for-3 for 79 yards. Both caught passes  were for touchdowns to seniors Michael Terry and Travis  Shellabarger.

Senior Nate Bruder scored on a three-yard run near the end of  the game. Senior Kai Lemrise also ran in for a score.

Del Norte scored quickly on its first three touchdowns. Each score occurred on the first play.

To start the contest Warrior senior Greg Kirby took the kickoff and ran all the way to the 29 yard line of the Tigers. On the first play, Kakitsuka ran with the ball, broke tackles and went into the endzone  with 11:40 still remaining.

Later in the quarter, Alexandre found a hole and took it to the house on a 78-yard touchdown run. Near the end of the quarter on a punt return the ball bounced off the hands of Kakitsuka and the Tigers recovered on the 14 yard line of the Warriors.

At the start of the second quarter Arcata scored to reduce the score to 14-6.

But on the next possession Hadfield found Shellabarger  for a 51-yard score to make things 20-6.  Kakitsuka scored again as the half ended 26-6 Warriors.

In the second half the Warriors continued to put points on the board as they cruised to the 47 point win.

The junior varsity team won  its game 43-24.

It was an emotional evening as Josh Lacy was honored when the seniors were honored before the start of the contest.

Lacy, who was a freshman football player in 2006 would have been a senior this year if he was alive today. In January 2007, Lacy was struck by a still unknown hit-and-run driver and eventually succumbed to his injuries, passing away at only 15 years old.

 When the Warriors ran onto the field, his brother Jordan Lacy, a junior member of the football squad, ran onto the field wearing his brother’s No. 44 jersey. At halftime the Warriors drill team honored Jordan by releasing balloons.

Karen Sullivan and her family accept a plaque that honors her late husband, Bill Sullivan. He was one of eight people who were inducted into the first class of the Del Norte High School Hall of Fame at halftime of the game. For more photos go to triplicate.com/photos. (The Daily Triplicate/Bryant Anderson)

Also at halftime, the eight  inductees for the first class of the Del Norte High School Hall of Fame were honored.

The hall of fame inductees are: Norman Giddings; Rupal (Patel) Healy; Matt Kelley; Jennifer (Anderson) Larson; Blaine Lopez; Charles Mathews; Ben McClure and Bill Sullivan.