There were a lot of smiles at Oakland's McClymonds High School Monday. The football team won the state championship for the second year in a row last Saturday, going undefeated in the process.

The players carried the two trophies through the school to prove it.

"It feels good to bring something positive to the school," said senior Dwayne Washington, a defensive tackle.

The McClymonds Warriors won the division 5-AA championship defeating Golden West High from Visalia by a score of 42-12.

The win capped a perfect 14-0 record and sealed the second straight state championship. No Oakland public high school has ever done that before.

Not bad for a school with less than 400 students.


"Everybody thought last year was just like a fluke. It wasn't supposed to happen. And we came back this year and did it again," said senior quarterback Emoreea Fountain

"It's the best thing i ever did in my life. I never knew I had it in me. I always thought football wasn't for me. But I found my talent," said kicker Usama Alomaisi.

The championships are especially rewarding when you consider what many of these student athletes have had to overcome, growing up on the rough streets of West Oakland.

"Lot of violence. Poverty. Lot of homeless. Housing problems. There's a lot stuff going on in this community and we've managed to overcome that," said Washington.

"You hear all the bad things about West Oakland. But the last few years there have been great things coming out of West Oakland. So we're on the other side of the fence right now," said coach Mike Peters.

After last year's championship Oakland threw the team a parade.

A double decker bus rolled past all the neighborhood middle schools, to send younger students a message.

"A lot of kids in this area don't come to McClymonds. Now they have a reason to come," said Peters.

Plans for another parade next month are already in the works..

