DALLAS — The South Oak Cliff Golden Bears won the 2021 UIL Class 5A Division II state title on Saturday, and the city is celebrating the team's big win.
On Tuesday, a parade was held in honor of the Cinderella team's big 23-14 win over Central Texas' Liberty Hill -- an accomplishment that represents Dallas ISD's first UIL title since 1950. The win is also the city's first statewide honors since Booker T. Washington High School's state title in the pre-integration Prairie View Interscholastic League in 1958. (Not counting, of course, the legendary 1988 Carter High School team, also from Oak Cliff, whose championship was infamously stripped away due to academic infractions.)
The entirety of the parade and following presentation was streamed for live viewing on WFAA.com, on the WFAA YouTube channel, on the WFAA mobile app and on WFAA's Roku and Amazon Fire TV apps beginning at 11 a.m.
Re-watch live below:
Parade details
The SOC team marched from the headquarters of the community organization For Oak Cliff (907 E. Ledbetter Drive) to South Oak Cliff High School itself (3601 S. Marsalis Avenue) starting at 11 a.m.
After that hourlong-march and procession through Oak Cliff, a celebration presentation was hosted at the South Oak Cliff football field.
The Tuesday event was a festive affair that honored the team's milestone achievements on the field and recognizes the love and support that the Oak Cliff community, and Dallas at large, has shown South Oak Cliff over the course of its championship run.
Photos: Parade for South Oak Cliff football state champions
Historic win
There is indeed more than just a trophy to celebrate. In clinching SOC's first ever state title in football, the Golden Bears -- whose defense alone featured three players carrying on a bloodline legacy from the last Dallas ISD team to win a state title -- also helped their their head coach Jason Todd become the first Black high school coach from the Dallas area to lead a team to that feat since 1990.
In the run up to the team's win, three of its seniors also earned and accepted scholarship offers from area FBS college football programs: Next year, running back Qualon Farrar will play at North Texas, defensive back Kyron Chambers will play at TCU and quarterback Kevin Henry-Jennings will play at SMU.
What a year it's been for these Golden Bears.
On Tuesday, supporters from across the city will gather one more time to give these young men their flowers.
Even the Downtown Dallas skyline will celebrate them: On Monday and Tuesday nights, Reunion Tower and other downtown buildings will turn their lights gold in SOC's honor.