Buhach Colony has a score to settle with Folsom

Folsom is undefeated, not unbeatable.

That's the message Buhach Colony head coach Kevin Swartwood has tried to get across to his team this week.

The No. 5 seed Thunder (10-2) travel to top-seeded Folsom (12-0) tonight for a Sac-Joaquin Section Division 2 semifinal matchup.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

"No one expects us to beat them," Swartwood said. "I can see that. They're the No. 1 seed. They're very, very good. They've beaten everyone they've played.

"I think some of it has do with where we're from too. It's a South issue. What people think of them is well deserved."

Tonight is a rematch of a 2010 semifinal game won by the Bulldogs 55-20.

Folsom, which is ranked ninth in the state by CalHiSports, again is powered by a high-octane offense driven by quarterback Jake Browning.

The sophomore leads the state with 4,523 passing yards and 55 touchdowns.

"He's only a sophomore, but he looks like a senior," Swartwood said. "He finds the right guy to throw to, even when he's blitzed. He's pretty savvy."

Browning threw for 380 yards and five touchdowns in Folsom's 49-13 win over Vacaville last week. He has a pair of 1,000-yard receivers to target in Lucas Owan and Troy Knox.

"We've got to slow them down," Swartwood said. "We think we can do some things. We've watched some film of some teams that matched up well that were able to frustrate them.

"It sounds funny, but they were able to hold them to 31, to 38 points per game. If we can do that, we think we can score with them."

The Thunder's gameplan? Keep the ball away from Browning and company.

Buhach Colony has the offense to do just that with a pair of 1,000-yard running backs in Stefon Gold and Leon Miles.

The Thunder want to put together long, clock-chewing drives to shorten the game.

"We want to play our game," Buhach Colony quarterback Joe Marquez said. "We've been preparing well for them. We're excited."

Swartwood doesn't have to look far to find an example of an upset. Eighth-seeded Escalon went on the road and upset No. 1 seed Placer in the Division 4 playoffs last week.

"Escalon had no business winning that game. That was the word on the street going into that game," Swartwood said. "At this point in the season, anybody can beat anybody."

• Read more articles by SHAWN JANSEN

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