Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

Chez Jimenez continued to make big plays for McKinleyville on Friday night, coming away with yet another interception in the Panthers’ homecoming matchup against Hoopa at the Redwood Bowl.

According to Mack head coach Keoki Burbank, Jimenez has been averaging almost a pick a week this season, and his hard work has been paying dividends.

“Ever since his first year he has done everything we asked of him, from the weight room to running track,” Burbank said of the talented senior. “And he’s probably been our most consistent player because of that.”

On Friday night, the 5-foot-11, 160-pound defensive back intercepted the ball deep in Panthers territory with the Warriors threatening to score.

It was the second Mack takeaway of the game after senior Christian Amato came away with a fumble recovery on Hoopa’s opening drive of the night.

The Warriors would go on to win 32-21, but team defense kept the Panthers in the game for much of the night, thanks in large part to those big plays.

For more on the game, see Warriors pull away from stubborn Panthers in the fourth …

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Ray Hamill writes at humboldtsports.com, where you can read lots more about sports in Humboldt County.