Second half comeback

Warriors down Ferndale 20-16 after trailing 10-0

Del Norte High senior quarterback Julian Markussen gets ready to throw the ball as Hunter Van Emmerik of Ferndale closes in on Saturday in Ferndale. Del Norte came back from a 10-0 halftime deficit to come away with a 20-16 victory. For more photos, go to triplicate.com/photos. The Daily Triplicate/Rick Postal

After losing to the Wildcats for two straight years, Del Norte made a statement with the comeback victory that it could beat a good team on the road.

Despite its small size, Ferndale is considered one of the best teams in the Northcoast Section. Del Norte head coach Ray Rook had preached all week to the Warriors that they had to play a great game to win and could not make mistakes.

Rook said that he was upset with his team’s play in the first half as Ferndale scored all of its points as a result of Del Norte errors, exactly what he told the team it must avoid.

“We had a gut check,” Rook said. “It was a gritty game ... I’m happy that we came together and how we played in the second half.”

The Warriors’ defense did a good job of containing Ferndale. Del Norte senior running back Collin Taylor, who rushed for only 17 yards in the first half, had a jaw-dropping second half.

He finished the game with 230 yards rushing and two touchdowns, including a 75-yard score and a 65-yard run to the 2-yard line. He rushed for 250 yards and five scores against Hidden Valley, Ore., the week before.

“Collin carried the team,” Rook said. “He made a couple of long runs and we got the running holes opened up for him.”

Senior running back Collin Taylor raises his helmet before the start of the game on Saturday. Taylor finished with 230 yards rushing. The Daily Triplicate/Rick Postal

In the second quarter, deep in their own territory, the Warriors threw a pick. The Wildcats ran the ball in from the 2-yard-line with 6:55 left.

Things got worse, when on a punt, the ball was snapped over the punter and landed on the Warriors’ 5-yard line, giving the Wildcats the perfect chance for another touchdown.

But a 15-yard penalty was called against Ferndale, which eventually settled for a  37-yard field goal with 3:50 remaining as the Warriors looked at a 10-point halftime deceit.

At the half, Rook told his team that he was not pleased with the way some players were blaming teammates for the poor start and getting “snippy” with one another. He and his fellow coaches told the players that they were not playing up to their abilities and if they did not come together and play as a team they would not succeed.

“I was upset,” Rook said. “I told them they just had to go out and play football and lay it on the line. If you need to make a block or a tackle you make it.”

“He was pretty upset,” senior Joseph Verdejo recalled. “He told us we were better than that and we had to work harder. That got us motivated.”

The message was received loud and clear as Del Norte was a totally different unit when it came out for Round 2.

It was like a new team — the squad that defeated Hidden Valley 60-7 last week decided to show up.

The Warriors had the ball first in the second half and made the most of it. On first down from the Del Norte 34, Taylor cut back, found a hole, and ran 23 yards. On a third and 9 from the 25-yard line, fullback Austin Moore powered his way for a 10-yard gain and a first down. On a first and goal from the 3-yard line, Taylor plowed his way in for the score with 9:06 left.

Del Norte was not done. On its next possession Taylor rumbled 75 yards for a touchdown with 6:32 remaining as Del Norte took a 14-10 lead.

In the fourth quarter, Ferndale was able to strike back on a 5-yard touchdown pass to take the 16-14 lead with around five minutes remaining. Del Norte got a break when the ball was bobbled on the extra point attempt.

On the next Warrior possession, Taylor rumbled 65 yards to the 2-yard line. Sophomore Jordan Carpenter scored from 2 yards out and Del Norte was back in front, 20-16. The kick was blocked.

Ferndale got to the 32-yard line of Del Norte with around a minute left.

The Warriors sealed the win when sophomore Aaron Fitch picked off a pass at the 20-yard line as Del Norte improved to 2-0.

“It feels great,” Moore, a senior, said about the win. “We came together and played much better in the second half. It shows what we can do if we play as hard as we can.”

The win was noticed, as Maxpreps moved Del Norte up the rankings in Division III of the Northcoast Section, where it now sits at No. 5 out of 28 teams. Last week the Warriors were No. 7 in the rankings. They are also ranked 277th in the state, moving up 134 spots.

Del Norte is ranked No. 22 out of 108 teams in the entire Northcoast Section. Fellow Big 5 Conference member Fortuna is ranked No. 21 after it defeated Healdsburg 34-31 Friday night.

Del Norte faces over-the-border rival Brookings-Harbor at home Friday. The varsity contest begins at 7:30 p.m at Mike Whalen Field. The Bruins are 1-1 after defeating Bandon-Pacific 64-15 on Saturday.