The Arcata Tigers handed the Winters Warriors their first loss of the season on the road in the Division 6-AA Northern California regional final Friday night with the Tigers advancing to the state championship game next Saturday.

Arcata, now 13-1, began the game in typical Tigers fashion, with an onside kick, and Arcata recovered to begin the game by stealing a possession. Junior quarterback Luke Lemke converted a third down to start the drive. Despite a bouncing snap, Lemke corralled the ball and earned just enough to move the chains for Arcata.

A 15-yard facemask penalty against Winters gave the Tigers another first down and moved the ball inside Warriors’ territory. Lemke got the ball to the 6-yard line after another third-down conversion with his legs. After a one-yard loss on first down, senior Cal Tucker got the ball on a jet sweep and took it seven yards for a touchdown to give Arcata the early lead.

The Tigers’ second onside attempt was less fruitful, giving the Warriors stellar field position to start the first offensive drive. After the Warriors got it to a 1st and goal, the Arcata defense tightened up, forcing a fourth down and an incompletion but a pass interference gave the Warriors another crack at fourth down. It didn’t hurt Arcata as an errant snap ended the drive without allowing any points.

After the stop, Arcata put together another strong drive, with Lemke finding senior Dayquan Dunn for a big play. After making it into Winters’ territory, Lemke did the rest, shaking off Warrior defenders to score a 31-yard rushing touchdown to give the Tigers a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.

Winters made quick work on their second drive, taking only three plays before junior quarterback Lane Brown connected with senior Jesse Madsen for a 12-yard touchdown to cut the Arcata lead in half.

Lemke was too elusive for the Warriors’ defense, dancing around the pocket throughout the game, sprinting for a 22-yard gain with his legs before extending a play and finding senior wide receiver Lennon Gieder for a 29-yard gain to get back into the red zone.

On a 4th and goal from the 11-yard line, Lemke couldn’t connect with Tucker as the throw drifted just a bit behind the receiver preventing the touchdown, turning the ball over on downs back to Winters.

The Tigers’ defense forced a three-and-out, not letting the turnover on downs cost Arcata any points. On a 3rd and 3 at their own 44-yard line, Lemke again converted with his legs, picking up 34 yards on the rush and getting the ball just outside of the red zone.

On second down, Lemke dropped back on a play-action pass and threw deep to Gieder, who rose up and brought down a 21-yard touchdown pass to put Arcata up 21-7 with under three minutes to play in the first half.

Winters was trying to get a last-minute scoring drive, but that came to a halt when Arcata’s junior linebacker Lincoln Neuman jumped in front of a pass and got an interception. The Tigers ran out the clock and went to the half with the two-touchdown lead.

Winters opened the second half by giving Arcata a taste of their own medicine, recovering an onside kick to give the Warriors’ offense the ball to start the third quarter. Winters got inside the Tigers’ 10-yard line but a personal foul against the Warriors would put them behind the sticks. After a big gain for Winters on third down, it’d set up a 4th and goal at the 1-yard line. Johnson ran a quarterback-keeper but the Tigers’ defense prevailed and stopped him short of the goal line to force the turnover on downs.

Pinned up against their own end zone, Lemke lofted a pass to senior wide receiver Jackson Strand for a 35-yard gain to give the Tigers’ offense some breathing room. Arcata stared down a fourth down and once again Lemke got just enough on a rush to pick up another first down, getting three yards on a 4th and 2.

The Tigers got behind the chains once again, looking at a 4th and 14 at the Warriors’ 30-yard line. Lemke, instead of running, passed to Dunn and showed off his rebounding abilities, boxing out his defender and hauling in the 30-yard touchdown pass in the end zone.

The first play of the fourth quarter was another turnover for the Arcata defense, with Strand capitalizing on an errant throw and giving the Tigers the ball with a 21-point lead and less than 12 minutes to play. Winters then forced the first Arcata punt of the game. It was the first of three straight punts for the two teams.

Winters ended the string of punts with a 48-yard screen pass touchdown to running back Gio Jimenez to cut the Arcata lead to 28-14 with 3:24 left in the game.

With under two minutes remaining, Lemke ran in a 16-yard touchdown rush that silenced the crowd, as well as the car horns that blared when the Tigers’ offense was on the field throughout the second half, to put the finishing touches on the Tigers’ NorCal regional win.

What’s next?

Now the Tigers will head south to play Portola High School in Fullerton next Saturday. That game will kick off at 7 p.m. with a chance for the H-DNL to have state championship teams in two straight years after Ferndale won in 2023.

Dylan McNeill can be reached at 707-441-0526.