Los Cerritos Elementary School students

A Perfect Bookend: South City Girls Bring Home First Soccer Championship a Year After Losing in the Finals


Perfect Bookend: South City Girls Bring Home First Soccer Championship a Year After Losing in the Finals
 
 
In a perfect bookend, the 2020-21 South San Francisco High School (SSFHS) girls' varsity soccer team claimed the school's first-ever Central Coast Section (CCS) championship on May 29, 20201, winning 1-0 in overtime against Monterey High.
 
 
Along the way, they overcame uncertainty caused by an entire school year spent in distance learning and a lingering sense of loss and isolation cast over the past 14 months by COVID-19.
 
Shortly after the last year's title match, South San Francisco Unified School District (SSFUSD) canceled all in-person classes starting March 16, 2020 to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Monterey's Jezebel Sambrano kicks the ball past South San Francisco's Melanie Duenas during the girls CCS championship soccer match at Monterey on Saturday, May 29, 2021
 
The class of 2021's CCS championship run happened in a year when the district's middle and high school students remained in distance learning the whole year, barely setting foot on campus until the commencement of their graduation ceremonies.
 
"Once the ref blew the [final] whistle. . .all of us were screaming, and some of us were crying." said SSFHS senior Fatima Waldo Garcia. "I was just kind of overwhelmed. I actually really couldn’t believe it...because I got so close the last three years with the prior teams, and I know I just really wanted to end my senior season like this."Monterey players make a stop on a penalty kick by South San Francisco during the girls CCS championship soccer match at Monterey on Saturday, May 29, 2021
 
Fatima, who plays forward, was named 2021 player of the year by MaxPreps
 
"I wanted to play and be there for the team and motivate them to do great, because I just know that they’re all capable of being great," she said.
 
Fairy tales like this are the result of determination. Congratulations to Coach Mansell and the 2020-21 SSFHS Warriors girls' soccer team for an inspiring season.
 
South San Francisco goalie Jianna Nabung snags a ball as Monterey players go on the attack during the girls CCS championship soccer match at Monterey on Saturday, May 29, 2021
 
Monterey's Leticia Espinal battles against South San Francisco for a loose ball during the girls CCS championship soccer match at Monterey on Saturday, May 29, 2021. (Photo by David Royal)Monterey's Isabella Licea moves the ball upfield against South San Francisco during the girls CCS championship soccer match at Monterey on Saturday, May 29, 2021. (Photo by David Royal)
Monterey's Marcelina Ramirez Velasquez makes a stop during the girls CCS championship soccer against South San Francisco at Monterey on Saturday, May 29, 2021