Lights out! Football game at San Francisco's famed Kezar Stadium postponed after power outage

Stadium where the 49ers once called home goes dark in WCAL game between host Sacred Heart Cathedral and Valley Christian

High school football teams throughout the Bay Area and beyond always look forward to playing a game at historic Kezar Stadium, where Sacred Heart Cathedral calls home.

On Friday, West Catholic Athletic League rival Valley Christian — roughly a 60-mile drive, close to two hours during Friday commute time — had to pack up and go home after the lights went out at Kezar Stadium less than four minutes into Friday's 7 p.m. game kicked off.

The contest between the longtime rivals has been rescheduled at 5 p.m. Saturday, also at Kezar Stadium, which once was the home of the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders.

The scene an hour after kickoff in game between Valley Christian and Sacred Heart Cathedral at Kezar Stadium.  / Photo by Seamus of Sacred Heart Cathedral Athletics

The game will continue with Valley Christian leading 7-0 and 8 minutes, 11 seconds left in the first quarter.

"We won the coin toss, deferred, held on downs, scored on a 70-yard run (by Marcel Leggett), kicked off and the lights went out," Valley Christian coach Mike Machado said. "What are you going to do? It's one thing after another. Our kids are resilient. They'll come back strong."

Sacred Heart Cathedral entered Friday's game at 0-5 and 0-2 in WCAL play, while Valley Christian is 4-1 and 1-1. The visiting Warriors, a perennial Northern California power, went through a 1-9 season but resurged this season, starting the season 4-0.

Unfortunately, the lights not only in the stadium but also along all of 19th Ave., according to Machado.

"The Park and Rec people said the lights likely wouldn't be coming back on," Machado said. "We hung around for an hour but just decided to make back home. It's disappointing. We'll make the most of it."

Irish and the Warriors ready to go at Kezar Stadium! @WCALSports @VCHSAthletics pic.twitter.com/3enFJzWr51

— Seamus (@SHCathletics) October 7, 2023

It's now the third Saturday in a row Valley Christian will play. Coaches have worked 20 straight days. They were looking forward to having Saturday off. Now they'll leave San Jose at 1 p.m. Saturday for a 5 p.m. game.

It's Fleet Week in San Francisco, one of the busiest most congested weekends of the year in one of the most populated cities per area in America.

Valley Christian played in San Francisco last weekend, losing 42-17 to Riordan.

We’ve got a power outage at Kezar Stadium. pic.twitter.com/mW46lSArni

— Seamus (@SHCathletics) October 7, 2023

The scenic Kezar Stadium sits adjacent to Golden Gate Park. It once had a seating capacity of nearly 60,000 fans but since 1990, seats almost 10,000 fans. The stadium housed the 49ers from 1946 to 1970 and the Raiders only one season, in 1960.

It now serves the San Francisco City FC of the USL League Two, Sacred Heart Cathedral's football team and San Francisco's Academic Athletic Association's championship football playoff games, including the title contest, known as The Turkey Bowl.

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This story will be updated