The Arcata Tigers made a statement on Friday night with a come from behind win and an electric performance by senior Dayquan Dunn.
The Tigers started to dig themselves a hole with an opening touchdown from Fortuna. Fortuna was able to build off that moment and score another touchdown eight minutes into the first.
“Defense is tough, you bend but you don’t break, that’s what’s important to us,” Head coach Matt Magers said.
To start off the scoring for the Tigers, junior Luke Lemke, ran an eight yard touchdown to the endzone. The scoring slowed down, staying 12-7, until the fourth.
To open up the fourth quarter, the Huskies scored yet another touchdown, making it 18-7, Fortuna.
With eight minutes left of the game, Lemke and senior Cal Tucker, who seem to be an unstoppable duo, made a connection, giving Tucker a touchdown. The Tigers were only down by four with about half of the quarter left.
“It just started to click,” Junior Lincoln Neuman said.
Not only did it click for the Tigers, but in specific, Dunn. With about three minutes to go, Dunn blocked and recovered Fortuna’s punt, and just a few seconds later scored a touchdown to give the Tigers their first lead of the night.
Dunn didn’t just stop there, he then recovered a Fortuna fumble, for about a 60 yard touchdown, to secure the win for the Tigers.
“Whenever it’s a close game, and everybody is expecting you to lose,” Dunn said. “To be able to have that big of an impact on the game, is a really great feeling.”
Fortuna was ranked first in the league, but Arcata has now taken that title, advancing 2-0 on the season. Fortuna was projected to be the best team in the HDLN, and the Tigers were being questioned on if last season was “fluke”, per some articles.
“They can say whatever they want,” Magers said.
The Tigers will travel to Del Norte on Friday, September 13, and are looking for a good game.
“We’re looking to beat them badly, cause Fortuna beat them bad, and we just beat Fortuna,” Neuman said.
