More than just a game: Paradise finds hope in football team's playoff run

YUBA CITY, Calif. (KGO) -- The Paradise High School football team's dream season came to an end Saturday night with a 20-7 loss to Sutter.

The sectional championship game came a little over year after the Camp Fire ripped through the town.

The city is coming back slowly but it's moments like this that keep the community together.

"These guys keep coming and can see this community loves their team," said Assemblyman Jame Gallagher.

But despite the loss, many there see the team as the heartbeat of their community.

Paradise resident Kim Hurst put the defeat in perspective saying, "what did we lose, what didn't we lose house, boats, cars, trailers."

After the game many in the stands said they wish they could go home, but for most, it meant spending another night in a trailer.

"What these kids and all of us went through makes a statement that nothing can stop us," said Paradise resident Robin Justi.

The loss was the first of the season for the Paradise team, they finish the season 12-1.

Sutter has won 12 games in a row after opening the season with a loss to Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa.

Cardinal Newman was significantly damaged during the 2017 North Bay wildfires.

RELATED: More stories on the Camp Fire