Winters takes down Morse for school’s first CIF State title win. ‘We did it!’
Before kickoff on Saturday afternoon, the coach told his plucky group of grinders that their moment had arrived.
Daniel Ward addressed his Winters Warriors of rural Yolo County with conviction, urging them to soak in the scene and stage and to seize the opportunity of a lifetime. The backdrop included a sparkling green field turf after a season of grass-only games, and there was the row of palm trees that sandwiched the scoreboard and American flag in a modernized stadium nestled in the heart of Orange County.
Then the small-town guys who embrace old-school values of blocking and tackling pulled it off. In facing a team that looked the part of a big, fast and physical outfit in the Morse Tigers of San Diego, Winters was the one that flexed the muscle and made the plays. With Lane Brown accounting for four touchdowns and the defense standing tall, the Warriors prevailed 28-7 in Buena Park to win the CIF State 6-A championship.
Ward is an alum of Winters, class of 1999, and he raced over to the stands that was full of Warriors fans who made the seven-hour drive to hoist the big trophy. He told that crowd of red, “This is for you!” The coach then hustled back over to sit in the middle of a giddy team photo moment at midfield, the scoreboard and palm trees behind him, and everyone whooped it up as champions.
It was a crowning moment for the storied football program that in the 1970s and ‘80s twice ended a season state-ranked No. 1 for small schools by Cal-Hi Sports. The CIF State football championships started in 2006, and this was the first such state final for the Warriors, a program that has stacked 12 CIF Northern Section championships, including five under Ward.
“Those are our people,” Ward said, the emotion heavy in his voice and expression. “You got that side of San Diego over there, and then this side with Winters, and we brought more people, The passion and energy they gave us, that made me as happy as can be, happier than anything. For me, it’s family, these kids, that community, in that order, and to win this for everyone is special.”
Special is the word Ward used a lot this season in describing Lane Brown, the team’s offensive leader for three varsity seasons as a record-setting quarterback. He is the first player in Northern Section history to pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 2,000 in the same season. On one play against Morse, Brown scrambled, throwing the ball out of bounds as he headed out of bounds, and he was sure to sidestep Morse cheerleaders.
Brown rushed for 154 yards on 25 carries. He is also a key player for the Winters basketball team that has not played a game this season as 10 of those players are on the football team. The hoops squad will play its first game on Monday.
Winters finished 14-1 this football season and went 12-1 in 2024. The team’s 26 wins the past two seasons are the most for any team in California in that stretch, Ward said. How does he know? He looked it up. That’s Warriors pride speaking.
The coach gets some of that pride from his mother, Robin Manna, who has worn her son’s high school letterman’s jacket for years. She embraced her son warmly after the game, both sharing tears. Also among the celebration were Ward’s young ball-boy sons, Declan and Kellen.
‘We did it!’
Anthony Matamoros this season was the one who carried the Winters Warriors flag onto the field for warmups, and the senior tight end/linebacker made plays. He caught the only touchdown pass of the game, 20-yard strike from Brown for a 7-0 lead, and he had a sack and applied defensive pressure.
Matamoros punctuated the night when he ran off the field as the final horn sounded, shouting, “We did it!”
Asked how he was tasked with carrying the flag, Matamoros said, “It’s never really been determined. I’m a captain, and I carried the flag for all 15 games. It’s not the attention. It’s to bring energy.”
After Brown rushed for scores of 10 and 4 yards, Winters took a 21-0 lead into halftime. The Warriors played sound, disciplined defense and stalled the prolific Tigers, who came in averaging 30 points. Morse players rushed 29 times for 54 yards. The team finished 10-5.
Winters advanced to Morse 2-yard line as time was running out, with those palm trees and scoreboard close enough to touch. Brown took a knee to end it. It was a classy gesture by a classy coach in Ward.
“It was definitely the right thing to do,” Ward said.
How fitting for a team that did everything right in continuing to represent a school that opened in 1891. The only loss was 21-20 to Gridley of Butte County, and the Warriors responded with a 12-game winning streak. A week ago, Winters won its first Northern California championship, beating Minarets in O’Neals, near Yosemite. That same night, Winters the town hosted its annual tractor parade.
The next parade very well may include the football team.
Ward and his family, including wife Rikki and 3-year-old daughter Madison, will visit Disneyland on Sunday. What a way to cap a Cinderella season.
This story was originally published December 13, 2025 at 6:58 PM.