Bulldogs wrap up SFL title with 42-14 win over Grizzlies

Folsom High's varsity football team wrapped up the regular season Friday night at home with a convincingly 42-14 win over Granite Bay to claim the Sierra Foothill League championship all to themselves. The Bulldogs finished the year with a perfect 6-0 league mark and are 9-1 overall, as the postseason begins in two weeks. Granite Bay fell to 4-2 in the league and to 7-3 overall. Folsom jumped out to a 14-0 lead before Granite Bay scored its first touchdown, but the Bulldogs scored two more times and led 28-7 at halftime and the Grizzlies never challenged. Folsom's first two scores came on big passing players from Ryder Lyons to Jameson Powell of 64 yards and then 51 yards. In the second quarter, Lyons hit Rob Larson for a 38-yard score before scoring himself on a three-yard run. Granite Bay's lone score in the first half came on a four-yard run from Isaiah Ene. Folsom scored the first points of the second half, as they put their cleats to the neck of the Grizzlies. Jacob Bambino scored on a one-yard run and Folsom's final score in the fourth quarter came on a Brody Rudnicki pass to Osais Bolton. Granite Bay wrapped up the scoring with a 14-yard pass from Dominic Cattolico to Izaiah Galovich. "I thought our kids did a really good job competing," Granite Bay coach Joe Cattolico said. "Obviously, we would have liked to make more plays and been more competitive on the scoreboard, but a lot of that has to do with those guys, hats off to them. They're well coached and big and fast and all those things and none of that is a surprise to us but it's tough to counteract." Lyons, who threw three touchdowns and scored another on a run, was happy with how the team played. "We played well overall," Lyons said. "I think our defense played super good, which helps our offense. The offense was a bit sloppy, but we'll be better. I think it's good we got some wins going into the bye week and then the playoffs." Folsom High coach Paul Doherty was pleased to finish the season with three straight wins at home. "I feel like home-field advantage is a big deal and we just played three in a row at home," Doherty said. "Then we've got a bye week and the chance of having two more games at home. We have a chance to build some momentum. We're not the team we were a year ago, so I feel we needed to move in the right direction. I felt we've done that the last three games. Whitney, not as good, Jesuit a little better. Jesuit pretty good, Granite Bay better. "I feel we played our cards as best we could over the last three games. Hopefully, that will continue in the playoffs. We'll try to get some guys healthy and try to build some momentum." Now that the regular season is over, both teams can enjoy a bye week and begin preparing for their first-round playoff games, as they will find out their opponents on Sunday. "We did alright during the regular season; we had to deal with a lot of injuries," Lyons said. "We're 9-1 and I think it's encouraging that we've stepped it up a bit going into the playoffs. We want to win a section championship very badly, of course. Very badly." The Bulldogs earned the No. 1 seed in the Division I playoff bracket, as they will open the playoffs Nov. 14 against Downey (7-3) winners of the Central California Athletic League. Oak Ridge earned the No. 2 seed, Grant got the third seed and Monterey Trail is the No. 4 seed. Granite Bay earned the No. 2 seed in the Division II bracket. They will open the playoffs Nov. 14 at home against Chavez, a perfect 10-0 on the season and winners of the San Joaquin Athletic Association. Manteca earned the No. 1 seed, while Del Oro is the No. 3 seed and St.Mary's is the No. 4 seed.