Winless regular-season teams usually don’t make the playoffs, and if they do, they usually make little noise. Well, that is unless you’re 2024 St. Augustine High School football team.

And on Friday night, the Saints continued their improbable postseason run, going on the road and downing the No. 3 seeded San Diego High Cavers 20-16 in the CIF D3 semifinal, clinching their spot in the championship game.

“These guys know that it’s not how you start; it’s how you finish. We hit the playoffs, and we got a new life, and the guys have hit a stride with a lot of confidence.” said St. Augustine coach Ron Caragher.

The underdog Saints found themselves behind the eight ball early Friday night and struggled to find their footing on either side of the ball.

To start the game, their defense allowed an opening scoring drive, which was capped off by a 33-yard TD pass on fourth-and-9 from Cavers QB Jayden Harris to WR Jonah Holloway.

Then, with six minutes to play in the second quarter, their offense gifted San Diego a pick-six, putting them in a 14-3 hole.

But on their final possession of the half, St. Augustine would get a much needed spark.

On the team’s third red zone trip of the evening, they would finally cash in, as running back Charlie Berkley would take a draw off the left and go 16 yards into the end zone for the score.

Berkley’s burst would put Saints in striking distance, as they found themselves trailing just 14-10 at the half.

“That play gave us a boost,” said Caragher. “Guys knew this game meant a lot to Charlie. So for them to see one of their leaders have that no quiet attitude was really exciting to see.”

While Berkley and the Saints’ offense would bring them back into the fight to end the half, the St. Augustine defense would close the gap and eventually slam the door shut in the second half.

On the Cavers’ opening possession of the second half, Saints corner Aaron Morgan would come away with the play of the night. He jumped a curl route and returned it 30 yards for a pick-six, giving the Saints their first lead of the night, 17-14, in the third quarter.

Morgan’s pick-six would be the first of four turnovers in the second half. The unit would also fall on a fumble and get a pair of interceptions from Pai Polamalu, the latter of which would come on a fourth-and-3 just outside the red zone and put the game on ice.

“Aaron had been close on many, and he jumped on that one and got it.” said Caragher. “He made a quick move after getting the ball in his hands, and next thing ya know, he `is scoring in the end zone.”