South City High defeated Santa Teresa High School 13-7 on November 25, 2023, to claim the California Interscholastic Federation's (CIF) Central Coast Section (CCS) division 5 football championship.
The Warriors reached the CCS championship game for the first time since 1989 by scoring a touchdown on fourth-and-goal with 10 seconds left in the game against Leland High a week earlier on November 17, 2023.
South City has now won three CCS football championships in school history: two CCS Division II North championships in 1981 and 1989 and this most recent Division V championship in 2023.
South City senior Soblessed Mauia front and center during the team’s traditional postgame Haka following the CCS Division V championship game Saturday night at MacDonald High School in San Jose. The Warriors knocked off Santa Teresa with a 13-7 victory to claim the CCS title. (Source: Jarrel Paloma)
The 12 wins this year's team has notched is a school record, eclipsing the 11-0 team of 1989.
The South San Francisco Warriors pose with the first place trophy after defeating Santa Teresa during their CCS Division V high school football championship game at MacDonald High School in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. South San Francisco defeated Santa Teresa 13-7. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
It's an amazing turnaround for South City High, which was on the verge of disbanding its football program after being unable to field a varsity football team in 2021.
Fireworks explode in the sky as South San Francisco players shake hands with Santa Teresa after their CCS Division V high school football championship game at MacDonald High School in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. South San Francisco defeated Santa Teresa 13-7. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
The Warriors next host a regional championship game against Colusa High School at 6:00 PM on Saturday, December 2, 2023.
The winner moves on to the state finals.