Box Score ARCATA – Down by as many as a dozen points in the opening half, the Lumberjacks battled back to take the lead for the final 10 minutes to prevail, 69-67, over the Seawolves of Sonoma State on Thursday night. Humboldt State had practically the entire team step up to claim its first California Collegiate Athletic Association victory.
 
"This was a well deserved win tonight. Our guys prepare as if we're in first place each and every day. Our camaraderie is very high as the team is very diligent and focused and it showed," said HSU head coach Steve Kinder.
 
The HSU leader, junior David Howard, helped push his club for the win, especially in the second 20 minutes. The forward put 15 of his 18 points on the board in a total of 17 minutes of playing on five of eight shooting and a perfect seven free throws, while grabbing four rebounds.
 
"We had some tough battles and this time we held through to the end for the win," said Howard. "Coach Kinder talks on closing out game and we did that tonight. The first win in the CCAA is always the hardest, and now this is hopefully going to rejuvenate us the rest of the season."
 
The Jacks (6-7/1-6 CCAA) received a pair of big nights from two sources to go along with the usual solid nights by Howard and Allan Guei, who accounted for a combined 31 points themselves.
 
Freshman Parker Farris came off the pine to pump in three 3-pointers and make all six foul shots for a 15-point night, while having five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
 
"I thought Parker was the player of the game. His demonstrated energy and excitement changed the game," noted Kinder.
 
The other added power source on the night came from Dylan Ingersoll. The 6-5 junior made five of nine shots including a pair of triples for 12 points over 14 minutes of court time. Ingersoll also pulled in three rebounds and handed out an assist.
 
"I am proud of how we played as a team with our assist to turnover ratio (15 assists to nine turnovers) and when we play assist basketball, we do well. Also when you get a player like Ingersoll, who didn't play at all last Saturday night, give us a boost like he did — that is big."
 
Guei contributed 13 points to go with three assists and no turnovers along with swiping two balls.
 
Trailing 45-44, Will Taylor made his lone bucket of the night to give the Jacks a narrow point advantage, 46-45, with 10:29. The home club would not trail again.
 
HSU would lead by as many as six points including 66-60 with 46 seconds left. The Seawolves' James Davis downed a triple with eight seconds to make it 69-67. Following a missed HSU free throw at 3.3 seconds, Sonoma State could not get a shot off in time by Michael Avery for a potential tie as time expired.
 
Sonoma State (1-10/0-7 CCAA) jumped out to a 22-10 lead in the first 9:32 before HSU narrowed it to a point and eventual four-point, 30-26, halftime difference.
 
Justin Herold led the Sonoma charge with 22 points and six rebounds.
 
HSU will entertain San Francisco State on Saturday night starting at 7:30 p.m.