A PERFECT SEASON

Quarterback Hunter Johnson scores Del Norte’s first touchdown, above, and a team photo, below, taken after the game. Photos courtesy of Katherine Forkner

Del Norte AA Gold team 238, the competition 0.

A remarkable feat was completed by a local team Sunday as it defeated Ferndale 16-0 in the Six Rivers Youth Football Conference AA title game at Humboldt State University in Arcata.

The squad of 11- and 12-year-olds finished the 11-game season without allowing its opponents a single point.

“It’s great for the kids,” head coach Danny Forkner said. “It’s a great feeling.”

Forkner said he had never heard of a youth football team shutting out every opponent for an entire season.

“It’s unbelievable they could go 11-0 and hold teams 238-0,” he said. “It’s something they are going to remember for the rest of their lives.”

Ferndale came into the game undefeated as well, having defeated the DNYF AA Blue team the week before.

Del Norte scored in the first quarter when quarterback Hunter Johnson ran it in from 2 yards out. The extra point, which counts for 2 in youth football, was converted for an 8-0 advantage.

Near the end of the second quarter, it appeared the scoreless streak would be snapped when Ferndale worked its way down to the 2-yard-line of Del Norte.

Then a 5-yard penalty was called on Ferndale, and Del Norte’s aggressive defense held on from there.

“That was a huge goal-line stand for us,” Forkner said. “We bent but we did not break. When we needed our defense they came through.”

In the fourth quarter, Nigel Hintz picked off a pass and ran it back for a touchdown.

Dayton Skeen kicked another PAT to give Del Norte the 16-0 advantage that proved to be the final score.

Del Norte caused three turnovers and did not cough up the ball once on offense, which was a key to the victory, Forkner said.

“It’s pretty awesome,” team member Korey Osborne said about the victory. He said that  the entire team was “really stoked” about the win and ending the season without giving up a point.

“We all worked together this year, teamed up and we won,” he said.

A large number of Del Norte fans came down to Arcata to cheer the Gold team on.

“It was great they were there to support the football team,” Forkner said.

A good number of these AA  kids will move to AAA next season, which bodes well for the future of youth football and the high school once these kids from both the Gold and Blue teams move on, Forkner said.

“This should be a good core group of kids moving up,” he said.