Four years after South San Francisco was unable to field a varsity football team due to lack of student interest, the Warriors have become one of the more consistent winners in the Peninsula Athletic League’s lower divisions.
South City had lost 24 straight games between 2018 and 2020, and in the wake of a pandemic-shortened season, the Warriors did not have enough numbers to put together a 2021 roster. But once the program was reinstated after a one-year absence, South City built back better than before, winning a Central Coast Section title in 2023 and claiming the PAL-El Camino Division championship last season.
Head coach Kolone Pua had to replace several key players from those teams heading into 2025, and South City lost its first three games, none of which were close. But once the Warriors began to find their footing, they have been competitive every time out. They returned home after three straight weeks on the road Friday night, scoring touchdowns on their first four drives in a 42-21 win over Los Altos that will send them back to the postseason.
“We needed this game to get in,” Pua said. “We took the long way.”
South City (4-5, 3-2 PAL-El Camino) clinched the division’s second playoff berth — behind Terra Nova — with the win, as the Warriors now hold the tiebreaker over the Eagles (3-6, 3-2). Arturo Gonzalez Cedeno returned the opening kickoff into Los Altos territory, setting up an Anthony Howell touchdown pass to Thomas Miller for an early seven-point lead.
The Eagles quickly answered with a scoring drive of their own, but the rest of the first half was all South City. Vince Bernal found the edge for a 59-yard touchdown run on the first play of the Warriors’ second drive, and the hosts extended the lead following a punt on Howell’s 13-yard scoring pass to Cesar Vasquez Moreno.
“I know that my teammates are going to block for me. We had good blocks up front,” Gonzalez Cedeno said. “Everybody, all the running backs, everybody (was) doing their part.”
Vasquez Moreno pulled down an interception on third-and-long to end Los Altos’ next drive, and South City paid it off with a heavy dose of Devon Jackson. The senior running back carried for 37, 12 and 11 yards on the first three plays after the pick, then finished it off with his first touchdown of the night to make it 28-7 at halftime.
Jackson scored again to start the second half after the Warriors recovered their own kickoff, all but putting the game out of reach. Some discipline issues on South City’s part helped the Eagles claw back and cut their deficit to 35-21 early in the fourth quarter, but South City forced three interceptions from Los Altos quarterback Giancarlo Mendoza, the last of which set up Howell’s touchdown run that put the finishing touches on the victory.
Mendoza was 17-of-33 passing for 148 yards and two touchdowns, but Jackson’s big night — 16 carries for 165 yards and two scores — carried the Warriors.
Both teams have finished league play and conclude the regular season with rivalry games next week. South City makes the short trip to El Camino for the Bell Game, while the Eagles return home to play Mountain View.
San Mateo blows past Capuchino to punch postseason ticket
The triple-option offense is not designed for explosive plays, but nobody told San Mateo that heading into Thursday night’s 35-0 Bearcats win at Capuchino.
San Mateo (6-3, 3-1 PAL-De Anza) had three plays that covered at least 70 yards as the Mustangs had no answers for the Bearcats’ misdirection. In all, the visitors rushed for 332 yards, averaging more than 10 yards per carry. And San Mateo’s lone pass attempt of the night went from Lukas Fitzgerald to a wide-open Sergio Oliveros for a 70-yard touchdown.
“That’s what we practice a lot. Our offense is based on deception,” said Fitzgerald, who also rushed for 86 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. “You run, you run, you run, and that one second when they bite in, that’s when we take advantage of that.”
The Bearcats’ first explosive play came on the other side of the ball. Lukas’ older brother, Yianni Fitzgerald, returned a Kai La Grille forced fumble 55 yards for a defensive touchdown on Capuchino’s first drive of the game. The Mustangs (2-7, 1-3) moved the ball reasonably well in the middle of the field, crossing into San Mateo territory four times including a trip inside the red zone, but the Bearcats’ defense stood tall on each occasion.
San Mateo has not been this high up the PAL ladder since 2006, and the Bearcats are more than holding their own. They host rival Burlingame in the annual Little Big Game on Saturday, and could even secure a share of the division title with a win and a loss by The King’s Academy.
“We’ve been harping on them, wanting to play a complete game, and they finally did it,” San Mateo head coach Jeff Scheller said. “It’s a testament to these guys who work hard at practice and understand what we’re trying to do, and they’re unselfish. It’s not about them; it’s about the team. Everybody works hard for everybody, so it’s fun when you see it work well.”
Palma tops Soquel in PCAL-Gabilan showdown
Visiting Soquel put up a valiant fight after star quarterback Sam Whelan sustained an injury in the first quarter, but Palma clinched the league title with a 28-21 victory Friday night at Rabobank Stadium.
The Knights (8-1, 6-1 PCAL-Gabilan) were leading 7-0 at the time of Whelan’s injury before the Chieftains (9-0, 7-0) scored 21 unanswered points. Eli Dukes ran wild on the Soquel defense with 37 carries for 225 yards and three touchdowns, adding to his list of stellar games in his junior season.
Palma can complete a perfect regular season next week with a win at Hollister, while Soquel returns home for its regular-season finale against Monterey.
WCAL roundup: Riordan, Serra set up heavyweight battle; SI claims playoff spot
Riordan and Serra will meet on Friday night at Brady Family Stadium, both boasting unbeaten records in West Catholic Athletic League play.
The Crusaders (9-0, 6-0) rolled to an impressive 37-7 home win over Mitty on Saturday without star running back Adonyae Brown. Quarterback Michael Mitchell Jr. was clinical — the Vanderbilt commit completed 16 of 18 passes for 327 yards and four touchdowns while also rushing for a score.
The Padres (6-3, 6-0) eased past last-place Bellarmine 39-7, rushing for 246 yards in the victory. Caleb Bandel was 6-of-7 passing for 130 yards, with Charles Walsh, Brody Smith and Jace Cannon all producing big plays in the receiving game.
Meanwhile, St. Ignatius earned a 24-14 win at Valley Christian in what was essentially an elimination game as the Wildcats (3-6, 2-4) clinched a CCS playoff berth. Caedon Afsharipour accounted for all three SI touchdowns, two through the air and one on the ground, while Hawkes Packard caught four passes for 90 yards and one of those touchdowns.
Besides the Riordan-Serra showdown, the matchups for the final week of WCAL play are Mitty hosting Bellarmine, Valley Christian traveling to Saint Francis, and SI meeting rival Sacred Heart Cathedral in the Bruce-Mahoney Game at Kezar Stadium.
