Warrior girls face Tigers in final home contest

Junior Gaby Zepeda of the Del Norte High girls varsity basketball team looks to make a move to the basket while guarded by a McKinleyville defender on Jan. 27 in Crescent City. The Daily Triplicate/Rick Postal

Dad able to be on the field with son after the big game

New Orleans Saints defensive end Jeff Charleston, grandson of a Crescent City couple, reacts after his team scored a field goal against the Indianapolis Colts during the first half of NFL Super Bowl XLIV. AP Photo

John, who was born and raised in Crescent City and is a 1969 Del Norte High graduate now living in Oregon, was in Miami to watch his son and the Saints face the Indianapolis Colts in the Super Bowl on Sunday.

After the Saints won the game 31-17, it was pandemonium as John and his family tried to make their way to the center of the field to celebrate with Jeff, 27, who graduated from high school in Oregon and played his college ball at Western Oregon and Idaho State.

Up at the half, DN falls 52-30

Lesina

Playing on the road against Fortuna, the Warriors found themselves up 11-8 after the first quarter and 22-20 at the half against the longtime Big 5 Conference power.

There is another Del Norte County Super Bowl connection as the New Orleans Saints keep racking up local fans.

This Sunday, Rene’ Shanle-Hutzell and her family have a vested interest in the big game.

Shanle-Hutzell, general manger of Bicoastal Media in Crescent City, will be cheering on her second cousin, Scott Shanle, a starting linebacker for the Saints. His father Roger is her first cousin.

Face Fortuna at home starting at 7:30 p.m.

Junior Nick McBride of the Del Norte High varsity basketball team looks to make a move to the basket during a game against St. Bernard’s on Tuesday. Tonight, the Warriors face Fortuna at home starting at 7:30 p.m.

The past two games the Warriors have won in Crescent City by 34 and 27 points and are looking to add to the home winning streak tonight.

In Big 5 Conference action, Del Norte faces Fortuna starting at 7:30 p.m. at Thunen Gym,

Earns 48-34 road win in Eureka

The Del Norte High girls varsity basketball team took control in the second half in a 48-34 win against St. Bernard’s  on Wednesday night.

It was a sluggish first quarter  for the  Warriors as they struggled putting in easy buckets and were tied at 12-12 at the end of the quarter. The team settled down and took a 21-17 lead at the half.

Soma Vainuku, a standout running back and linebacker with the Eureka High Loggers, signed with the USC Trojans Wednesday night  on national signing day.

Vainuku received his letter-of-intent from USC on Wednesday and said he contacted the coaches at 6 p.m. and then faxed the letter, according to a story on the USC scouts.com website.

 “I’m glad the process is over and I look forward (to) getting to USC,” Vainuku said in the story. “It’s ... been a dream of mine to go to USC since I was a little kid.”