Folsom set for league play

After four non-league football games, the rubber hits the road this Friday night when Sierra Foothill League play opens. Along with what will surely be a barn-burner a few miles to the east in El Dorado HIlls where Oak Ridge (2-1) will host Del Oro (4-0), the Folsom Bulldogs (4-0) will host Rocklin (3-0). The Sierra Foothill League has been the toughest league in the Sac-Joaquin Football for more than a decade, and this year is no exception. The league's seven teams have a combined 23-1 record with the only loss for Oak Ridge in a close 20-14 loss against Central East (4-0), a defending state championship team. Even perennial league cellar dweller Whitney is undefeated with a 3-0 record. Folsom opens at home against Rocklin, who they beat last year on the road, 34-21, in what for the Bulldogs was a close game. If there's a team that can play the Bulldogs close, it's generally Oak Ridge or Rocklin. "I think they got the ball first in last year's game at their place and drove the length of the field in a 10-minute drive and scored," Folsom High coach Paul Doherty said. "It was classic SFL football; them trying to play keepaway; run the ball and limit possessions, which they did a good job with. "We know we're not going to get 10 possessions when we play them. We're going to have to maximize possessions. They've got a top quarterback in Parker Lively, who's a Div. 1 guy with offers already and an incredible player. Rocklin always plays good defense. They're consistent and make few mistakes, which is half the battle in high school football. They don't beat themselves. They drop eight guys and make you earn your points. It will be a challenge." The Bulldogs are 4-0 with big wins over Cardinal Newman and Mission Viejo, including a 56-0 win over Inderkum last Friday, but they've come at a price. Several players on a team that Doherty considers lacks depth are out injured including two offensive linemen who play on the same side of the ball; guard Zach Ramirez and Malachi Coleman, a UC Davis commit. Other players who will be out will be receiver Rob Larson (UCLA commit), who has yet to play a game, along with safety Daniel Eagleton, running back Joseph Eyerman VI, and defensive linemen Gabe Anderson and Javion Dorsett. Filling in on the offensive line for Ramirez is Nick Shoop, while replacing Coleman is freshman Demarcus Robinson. In the 56-0 win over Inderkum, the Bulldogs got off to a fast start, leading 14-0 after the first quarter and extended that lead with one more touchdown before the first quarter ended and then scored four more times in the second quarter to lead 49-0 by halftime. Brody Rudnicki threw five touchdown passes in the game; two to Travis Beatty and one each to Arhian Acuna, Rockwell Lyons and Carter Williams. Folsom also had two touchdown runs from Bronson Bambino and Jayden Moore. Defensively, CJ Wallace scored on a pick-six. "We played well," Doherty said. "A lot of that had to do with the fact that Inderkum was coming off a short week in which they played a game far away from home and against a very good team. We played well early and momentum is a real thing. We had something like a 16-play drive to start the game and scored on a third-down pass. Then our defense held them to three plays and then they had a poor punt that left us in good field position. Before you knew it we were up 14-0." Doherty said the defense played well, just like the unit has been playing all season despite battling injuries. "We won our preseason games, so that's a good thing," Doherty said. "It's a credit to our team for battling adversity, injuries, a tough schedule, overtime games, and games against state-ranked opponents. "It went about as well as it could have. I wish we played better, but we're playing against good teams and it's hard."