South City rises from the dead

[colhenrylives]

Few saw this one coming. Two years ago, the storied South San Francisco High School football program was in such utter disarray there was no varsity. Losing had become the depressing norm. Constant walk-on coaching turnover and student-athlete disinterest had placed the once-proud program on a death watch. At one dire juncture, the losing skein reached a woeful 26 defeats in succession. All of that is in the rear view mirror. Now, with a rejuvenated roster, better coaching and a modest schedule (the Warriors are champs of the PAL's C league, the Lake), South City is 11-1 and getting set to play for a CCS Division V title against Santa Teresa this weekend in San Jose. If the Warriors and Head Coach Kolone Pua get their 12th victory of 2023, it would mark the most wins ever at the school, according to available records. The outstanding 1989 team was 11-0.

 

[NCS707]

Not long ago they were very good with talent. In the world of 2023, the rise of Serra, demographics, football popularity, ect…, the turnaround that begun last year is not short of amazing. They will not get to that level again due to the above and more factors. An organized program is great for the kids, school, and community. Who cares about the competition level, the vast majority won’t suit up after HS. What an enhancement to the kids high school experience. Not everyone can chase open titles or state bowls.

 

[colhenrylives]

Could not agree more. Further, under the CIF equity bowl system a program like SSF's can indeed aspire to statewide recognition. Just look at the AAA just north of SSF. The AAA winner has dominated the very low equity bowl level for several years. In a city plagued by more problems than a math text, the AAA's annual success is a tonic, no matter how rudimentary the competition is. Sure, it's not Serra or DLS, but so what? It's a new age. Yowza, baby.

 

[MC415]

Agreed this great to see, kids having pride again, get after it not sitting at home a screen smoking weed all day to Tik Toks……..get out and play some ball and I don’t care if it’s small lower division still a cool story to tell ur kids someday

 

[larry legend33]

Exactly! Life lessons learned being involved.
Glad to hear this.

 

[colhenrylives]

With all of its well-documented flaws, the CIF's move to equity-based playoffs/bowl games has accomplished one thing for sure: A lot more athletes, parents, spirit persons, relatives, band members, entire schools and communities are happy and feeling good about themselves. Today's CIF picture is all about levels of competition, from best to mediocre to suspect. It seems to be working. Yes, the critics (your correspondent among them) have griped that all of this is AYSO writ large. OK. Granted. But it's a new world. We have to adjust. Oh, and by the way, I don't hear anyone at South City complaining right about now.

 

[WOW Freddy]

Hey it’s a great story and they are not a bad team! They have 2 good athletes in Elijah Fields and Daren Miller. Both are Juniors who go both ways. They have won 10 in a row after an early season loss to Capuchino. Go Warriors!

 

[1315]

Went through this in our town. A perennial cellar dweller, and a dynamic coach phoenixed the program...to the brink of history, TWICE, at the Coliseum. He went on to bigger and better things. Great for the school, kids and community. It takes the right leadership to do so.

 

[Cal 14]

Few saw this one coming. Two years ago, the storied South San Francisco High School football program was in such utter disarray there was no varsity. Losing had become the depressing norm. Constant walk-on coaching turnover and student-athlete disinterest had placed the once-proud program on a death watch. At one dire juncture, the losing skein reached a woeful 26 defeats in succession. All of that is in the rear view mirror. Now, with a rejuvenated roster, better coaching and a modest schedule (the Warriors are champs of the PAL's C league, the Lake), South City is 11-1 and getting set to play for a CCS Division V title against Santa Teresa this weekend in San Jose. If the Warriors and Head Coach Kolone Pua get their 12th victory of 2023, it would mark the most wins ever at the school, according to available records. The outstanding 1989 team was 11-0.

Although they're probably the biggest underdogs of the 5 CCS divisions this weekend, I'll be pulling for them.

I've done my preliminary analysis of the bowl divisions for this week and... let's just say it's bad if Santa Teresa wins this game. Having an 3rd-place (tied) A-league team this far down the pecking order is pretty sad. If it's a B-league team, ok, then it would make more sense.

 

[colhenrylives]

If a C league team manages to defeat an alleged A league outfit, well, that makes a statement about the true status of that particular so-called A league.

 

[TripleOptionFB19]

Guys why not uplift theses players and coaches who just enjoy the game of football. All the talk about the so called A league. Well Christopher beat Mitty and Menlo and no mention of that. Then if the A league is really a B why knock Santa Teresa (kids) for being where they are. Lastly South San Francisco isn't really a C league team. They didn't move them up to the B so the Coach could get it going again first. We are talking about 15-17 year old kids playing football and knocking coaches who spend hours on hours with really no pay to help young men and all I see on here is belittling and name calling of men and teams that just play football. The so called A league doesn't boast or brag about being an A league. Give people credit and stop the foolishness..

 

[Cal 14]

Guys why not uplift theses players and coaches who just enjoy the game of football. All the talk about the so called A league. Well Christopher beat Mitty and Menlo and no mention of that. Then if the A league is really a B why knock Santa Teresa (kids) for being where they are. Lastly South San Francisco isn't really a C league team. They didn't move them up to the B so the Coach could get it going again first. We are talking about 15-17 year old kids playing football and knocking coaches who spend hours on hours with really no pay to help young men and all I see on here is belittling and name calling of men and teams that just play football. The so called A league doesn't boast or brag about being an A league. Give people credit and stop the foolishness..

We're not knocking the players or the coaches. We're knocking the CCS for continuing the facade of calling the MHAL an A-league when it's really a B.

The De Anza is barely an A-league, too.

 

[TripleOptionFB19]

We're not knocking the players or the coaches. We're knocking the CCS for continuing the facade of calling the MHAL an A-league when it's really a B.

The De Anza is barely an A-league, too.

Gotcha. I just think it's unfair to knock Coaches and Teams that have nothing to do with where they play league A,B or C and then criticize them for just playing and coaching. A lot of these coaches just coach. The don't recruit they don't try and get the advantage they just coach the kids who attend there particular high school. And I know first hand that the coaches in the MHAL know they aren't a true A league. The problem is the B teams don't want to face them in the B so they remain an A league. I just don't think everyone will ever be pleased. It's just like the dad that yells at the coaches all game for not doing it they way he thinks it should be done but he never wants to go help the coaches coach.

 

[ankleassassin]

Hey it’s a great story and they are not a bad team! They have 2 good athletes in Elijah Fields and Daren Miller. Both are Juniors who go both ways. They have won 10 in a row after an early season loss to Capuchino. Go Warriors!

goes both ways... in san francisco... imagine that

 

[ankleassassin]

Gotcha. I just think it's unfair to knock Coaches and Teams that have nothing to do with where they play league A,B or C and then criticize them for just playing and coaching. A lot of these coaches just coach. The don't recruit they don't try and get the advantage they just coach the kids who attend there particular high school. And I know first hand that the coaches in the MHAL know they aren't a true A league. The problem is the B teams don't want to face them in the B so they remain an A league. I just don't think everyone will ever be pleased. It's just like the dad that yells at the coaches all game for not doing it they way he thinks it should be done but he never wants to go help the coaches coach.

u r being ultra sensitive. cole just says it like it is.

 

[colhenrylives]

The Peninsula's unlikely Lazarus Tale continues. The re-born South City Warriors defeated Santa Teresa of San Jose, 13-7, Saturday night to capture the Central Coast Section Division V football title. SSF is now 12-1. That's the most wins in school history. They permitted a total of 16 points in their three CCS playoff games. They await their NorCal regional bowl game placement. What a story.

 

[FBAddict]

The Lazarus Tale continues. The re-born South City Warriors defeated Santa Teresa of San Jose, 13-7, Saturday night to capture the Central Coast Section Division V football title. SSF is now 12-1. That's the most wins in school history. They permitted a total of 16 points in their three CCS playoff games. They await their NorCal regional bowl game placement. What a story.

Great story indeed!!!

 

[ankleassassin]

All hail mighty warriors!

 

[kiddman32]

Great story!

 

[WOW Freddy]

Expanded PAL wins 3 of the 6 titles. Los Gatos D1, Palo Alto D4 and South City D5. Nice job by all these teams. Next year the PAL expands to 33 teams with the addition of the MacDonald High School of Santa Clara! Congrats to the board who combined the two leagues, PAL and Santa Clara. Nice job to the two commissioners, Terry Stogner and Brad Matheny. The league is now comprised of 5 competitive divisions.

 

[colhenrylives]

Interesting that the 2024 PAL Bay (top) Division includes four Silly Valley schools close to one another in, arguably, the most expensive combined suburban ZIP codes in the nation: Paly, M-A, SHP and Menlo School. At the latter pair of neighboring private/parochials, tuition is breaching the $60,000 per year mark. Signs and wonders.

 

[rwccaptain42]

water polo kids are bad ass and some decent FB players over there as well

 

[colhenrylives]

Unbeaten Colusa will visit South City Saturday at 6 p.m. to compete for the CIF NorCal Division 6A regional bowl title. The Winner will play for the state D 6A bowl championship.