Varsity football returns to South City

Insofar as passion for the sport of football goes, however, Moro is still the same dedicated, passionate force he led the Warriors to their last Central Coast Section postseason in 2012. Now, he’s tasked with rebuilding a program in the midst of a 25-game losing streak, and that didn’t even field a varsity team last season.

“We’ve talked about the culture of football and the culture of sports,” Moro said. “And being together as a team, as a family.”

The losing streak continued Friday as Kennedy-Richmond walked away with a 14-0 victory. But the vibe at South San Francisco High School felt like a football environment — with the pep band grooving, 18 cheerleaders bringing the spirit, and the home-team seating fairly packed on a chilly evening in the Industrial City — with the players on the field bringing plenty of energy as well.

“They were (energized),” Moro said. “They’re some good football players. There’s still some things we have to fix attitude wise and there’s still some things they have to learn.”

The Warriors are still shoe-stringed by the numbers game, however. There were as many players on the active roster Friday, 18, as there were cheerleaders on the sideline.

Still, South City’s defense demonstrated the tactical side of the game has returned to program. Defensive ends Isaac Galvan and Julian Lampe did well to bottle up the Kennedy ground game, and held 99 yards in the first half, in a game that remained scoreless until just two minutes before halftime.

“For sure, winning is on our mind this season,” said Galvan, a senior who has seen the Warriors go winless in his four years on campus. “We don’t have that many players — we need more players — but with the players we’ve got we’re doing our best. And I see a couple wins this season.”

Kennedy gained most its yards, and all of its points, in the first half by virtue of a 79-yard scoring pass from Emiliano Rodriguez to Deondre Prim with 2:02 to go in the first half. It was a gut punch to South City spirits going into the halftime locker room, but one Galvan and the small band of senior leaders on the team seized on.

“I feel like our time is used to, once they score, they constantly start scoring, so our team usually puts their heads down,” Galvan said. “Some kids put their heads down and we as captains have to say: ‘Put your head up.’”

Kennedy scored just once more, on its first series of the second half. Following a South City three-and-out, the Eagles capitalized on a short field, driving 35 yards on six plays, capped by a 19-yard touchdown pass from Rodriguez to senior Daniel Acosta.

South City’s offense saw glimpses of goodness from the skill positions, with senior running back Troy Ramirez carrying 15 times for 66 yards and banged-up sophomore running back Elijah Fields totaling 63 yards on 11 carries, with 58 of those yards coming in the first half.

Beyond the numbers, though, South City looked like an organized and tactical football team for the first time in years. And it sure doesn’t hurt to have an on-campus coach like Moro at the helm, the first on-campus head coach South City has had since Jay Oca departed to take over the program at Capuchino after the 2016 season.

“Really good coaches,” Galvan said. “Best coaches we’ve had in the past four years. We do a lot more stuff. Back then we wouldn’t even be able to go to the fourth quarter. Now, we finish all four quarters. So, great coaching staff.”