Fresh off a historic state championship title, the Saint Mary's varsity football team is back in Stockton after a nail-biting down-to-the-wire win in Southern California against Bakersfield Christian.

Tony Franks, the Rams' head football coach, said this is the first state championship St. Mary's and for any football team in Stockton. Franks has been coaching since 1981 and coached St. Mary's for three years in the '80s. Franks then came back to coach the school he went to and that his kids went to in 2002. 

In his 23rd year straight at the helm, he says this win was "gratifying" — but was so much more than football.

"I really like what we do," Franks said. "I like that it's time together. It's time spent with our staff … coaching the sport of high school football. It's time spent with our team going through the process of a season and practices, and the meetings, and the masses, and the weightlifting sessions, and the team meals, and everything else in between."

Coach Franks told CBS Sacramento that even though it was  "joyous" taking home a state title, for him it's about the process and the time spent with his team and staff throughout the season.

"That may be counterintuitive to a lot of people, but whether we win or lose at the end, we do the exact same thing. We do it for all the same reasons," Franks said. "It's nice to win a state championship and a lot of people are really fired up about that, and that's great. But it's not going to change what we do or who we are. We'd still do what we do."

It was a season to cherish. Coach Franks says there were "thousands" of memories he's made with this championship team.

"We were blessed to get a nice, long journey with this group and we loved every minute of it," Franks said. 

Ryan Lozano, a senior captain and middle linebacker says, "It all feels like a dream." That dream culminated and was realized after a memorable season.

"It's been nothing less than amazing," Lozano said. "It's probably the best outcome that could've been. Best way to end the season. I really wouldn't have wanted to end another way. We went to the max. We won a state, first time in the history in Stockton, let alone St. Mary's. So, that's important to me, too. But, I've been growing up with all of my teammates since I was 6 years old, 5 years old, so it…feels a little better. It's kind of like a big family." 

A family that closed its championship chapter Monday back in Stockton, dropping off their shoulder pads and helmets. 

Lozano says his coach didn't care about the outcome of the game as long as they played together, playing how they were supposed to.

"Played and gave it our all, that's really what he cared about," Lozano said. "It kind of just pushed us all a little more than we had to. I play for the person beside me. He kind of set that into our brain all season."

It's that defensive leadership Lozano brought with his teammates, his brothers, and his friends that he lined up with to garner a title.

"I think the linebackers, like Landon and Micah, definitely, some of the captains, as well, and Mason, too, we definitely take big part of getting the team going when we're all kind of tired, just start yelling…get everybody going," Lozano said.

Alejandro Jacobo, St. Mary's athletic trainer, credits the team for their chemistry. He is happy for the team, the families, and the community, saying it's a blessing to be a part of this team.

"It was fun," Jacobo said. "We all got to have some fun in Los Angeles over the weekend. When we came back, it's business as usual, you've got all the other sports here on campus, but with football, there's a very strong bond and I think we all know what it took to get to this moment."

Jacobo said this championship win is "massive" for the community.

"I think everything that we do, we do it in a community-centered mind," Jacobo said. 

Lozano's dream is to play college football and to help his parents by getting a scholarship so they don't have to pay for his education.

For Franks, while his staff stayed in Southern California to celebrate, he drove back Friday night and got back to Stockton on Saturday morning around 2 a.m. True to his process, he did yard work and laundry on Saturday. On Sunday, he spent time with his grandson in the mountains to get out of the fog. 

Because at the end of the day for Franks, it's about the memories from each practice, workout, and bus ride to games. A state champion, content through losses, wins, and state titles.