Rudnicki, Bulldogs handle Mission Viejo, 35-21

If Brody Rudnicki didn't make a believer out of people in the final two games last season, he gave everyone a refresher course on what he can do on Friday night. Playing against Mission Viejo, the No. 6 ranked team in the state, Rudnicki led the Bulldogs to a 35-21 win with three scoring runs and two touchdown passes. Rudnicki and the Bulldogs had a 21-0 lead before the Diablos had a first down, as Folsom dominated the first quarter and a half of the game, making everyone forget last year's 53-14 loss to the Diablos. Folsom wasn't ready for primetime last year, but they were on Friday, against what Paul Doherty said is probably a better Mission Viejo team than last year's group. In fact, Doherty said Mission Viejo is probably better than the Bulldogs, but on Friday night Folsom played the better game. "They're probably better than us and they'd be the first to admit that they didn't play their best game, but we got them," Doherty said. "We played better than they did." Folsom's quick start was a big help. In the game's opening drive, the Bulldogs went for it on fourth down in their own territory and they converted. On fourth-and-five from their own 30-yard line, Rudnicki converted with a 22-yard pass to Jaden Angel. A couple plays later, Rudnicki hooked up with the sophomore with his first of two touchdowns. With Rob Larson out, Folsom needed a receiver or two to step up and Angel did that along with Travis Beatty, who was all over the field catching passes. "Jaden and Travis stepped up huge," Rudnicki said. "They're super talented and deserve the performance that they put on. They're hungry, humble and focused." Doherty echoed his quarterback's sentiment. "The two are cut out of the same cloth," Doherty said. "They're smaller guys but they're reliable, dependable and they know what they're doing. They work incredibly hard. Jaden's only a sophomore but he's been in serious football mode for a long time and has been steadily improving, even over the last two or three weeks especially. He got into the end zone twice, which is a big deal. Travis caught 10 or 11 balls and all in clutch moments. Every catch was big and he kept moving the chains. They play well together and they complement each other very well." The Bulldog defense was stellar right from the get-go, as they held Mission Viejo without a first down for their first three drives. By then, Folsom had a 21-0 lead. The second touchdown came on a Rudnicki five-yard run and the third came on a two-yard run from Rudnicki, as Folsom led 21-0 with 5:23 to play in the half. "That first quarter was exactly how we wanted to start the game," Rudnicki said. "Bringing the energy, scoring early and our defense getting stops I think helped the trajectory of the game." Mission Viejo finally picked up their first first down and scored on their fourth drive, but the Bulldogs answered before the half, as Rudnicki found Angel on a seven-yard pitch and catch and Folsom led 28-7 at the break. "Our defense is talented and they fly around and they have fun," Doherty said. "Coach Irsik is incredible. I feel like if it's not our line making plays, it's our linebackers. If it's not our linebackers, it's our defensive backs. The defense has had our offense's back and that's a big deal. The team and the vibe is moving in the same direction." Things got closer in the second half, as the Diablos scored consecutive touchdowns to cut Folsom's lead to 28-21. The Bulldogs, however, scored one final touchdown on a six-yard run by Rudnicki with 3:59 to play. CJ Wallace intercepted a pass to secure the Folsom victory. It was a big win for the Bulldogs, but how big? "It's up there for one of the best," Doherty said of his coaching career. "Everybody feels differently about the games. For me, beating De La Salle in 2021 was a big one. Beating Riordan here last year is probably No. 2, but this one is up there. Rudnicki said, "This win gives us motivation to keep trusting our coaches and the plan they have in place for us." The win puts the Bulldogs in a position, if they win the rest of their games, to possibly be the CIF's selection to play in the Open Division state championship game, a game that the Bulldogs have been itching to play in for at least a decade. "When you look across northern California and the scores, De La Salle beat Cardinal Newman by 50," Doherty said. "We've still got a lot of work to do. We've got to do a lot better. Central East beats Grant big, and then Oak Ridge, who's in our own league, barely loses to Central East by one possession late in the game. "It's a huge deal to win our league and be the No. 1 seed in the postseason just to get a slightly easier game in the semifinals, so we can't overlook anyone." The Bulldogs hit the road for the first time this season next week, as they travel to San Francisco to play Sacred Heart Cathedral (2-0).