Confetti rained, pom poms shook, and medals were awarded downtown on Sunday as the city honored its newest sports champions: The Oakland Tech girls and Oakland High boys basketball teams, both of which captured state titles in their respective divisions with victories at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on March 10. It was the third California Interscholastic Federation title in a row for the Tech girls and the first-ever state championship for the Oakland High boys.
The parade kicked off from Children’s Fairyland at 11:30 a.m. with the teams, joined by some city officials, perched atop an open-air double-decker bus. Players threw beads down to cheering fans along the route, which circled Lake Merritt before eventually making its way downtown to Frank Ogawa Plaza for a rally on the steps of City Hall, where Mayor Sheng Thao and members of the Oakland City Council addressed the players and handed out the hardware.
Oaklandside visual journalist Amir Aziz was on hand to capture some of the afternoon’s celebratory moments.
Above: Members of the Oakland High boys state championship squad ride atop a bus during the parade on Sunday with District 5 Councilmember Noel Gallo (in a white t-shirt). Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: Members of the Oakland High boys basketball team pose for a photo with (left to right) Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, Councilmember Gallo, and District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: Members of the Oakland Tech girls championship team respond to the cheers from community members along the parade route on Sunday. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: Supporters of the Oakland High boys basketball wave at a double-decker bus carrying Oakland Tech girls basketball team as it makes its way down Grand Avenue on Sunday. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: District 3 Councilmember Fife interacts with community members who’d gathered near Lake Merritt to watch the parade celebrating the Oakland Tech girls and Oakland High boys basketball team’s CIF titles. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: Members of the Oakland Tech girls championship team enjoying their ride on the parade route around Lake Merritt on Sunday. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: Community members catch strands of beads being thrown by Oakland Tech and Oakland High basketball players as they make their way around Lake Merritt during the championship parade on Sunday. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: An open-air bus carrying members of the Oakland Tech girls and Oakland High boys basketball teams makes its way down Lakeshore Avenue before eventually arriving downtown at Frank Ogawa Plaza. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: Mayor Thao passes out beads from the sunroof of a car heading around Lake Merritt during the championship parade on Sunday. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: Onlookers near Lake Merritt cheer the parade as it passes by on Sunday. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: The bus carrying the winning squads from Oakland Tech and Oakland High arrives on Broadway in downtown Oakland. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: Members of the Oakland Tech and Oakland High cheer squads were on hand to welcome and celebrate the winning teams in downtown Oakland on Sunday. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: Players and cheer squad members reveled in downtown Oakland on Sunday as purple (Oakland Tech) and blue (Oakland High) confetti rained down on Broadway. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: Oakland High players celebrate their state championship in downtown Oakland on Sunday with their classmates, families, and friends. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: Councilmember Gallo (right) holds a banner celebrating the Oakland High boys team’s state championship with a member of the team as they enter Frank Ogawa Plaza. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: Mayor Sheng Thao (center) poses for a photo with members of the Oakland Tech girls team, which won its third-straight state title on May 10. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: Oakland High players pop bottles of sparkling cider in front of City Hall on Sunday to celebrate the school’s first-ever basketball state title. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: A member of the Oakland Tech girls team carrying the CIF trophy on Sunday at Frank Ogawa Plaza. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above (from left): Oakland councilmembers Treva Reid, Janani Ramachandran, Noel Gallo, Nikki Fortunado Bas, Carroll Fife, and Dan Kalb address the championship teams at Frank Ogaway Plaza at the rally on Sunday. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: Mayor Thao presents a medal during Sunday’s rally celebrating the Oakland Tech girls and Oakland High boys state champions. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: Participants gathered at Frank Ogawa Plaza to honor the winning teams on Sunday. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: A group celebrates the Oakland Tech girls third-straight CIF title at Frank Ogaway Plaza. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: The Oakland High cheer squad performs a routine in front of City Hall on Sunday. Credit: Amir Aziz
Above: Members of the Oakland Tech cheer team perform a routine during the rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza on Sunday honoring that school’s girls basketball team and the Oakland High boys team. Credit: Amir Aziz.
