Bee’s Best prep football: No. 3 Rocklin hopes to make a deep playoff run with veterans
This week, we’re blowing up with prep two-a-days. We’re publishing two previews a day as we dive into the top 10 of our rankings for high school football in the Sacramento area.
No. 3 Rocklin Thunder
City: Rocklin
School opened: 1993
League: Sierra Foothill League
Division: l/II
Enrollment: 2,178
2021 spring record: 4-0
Coach: Sam Pulino
Outlook: New Rocklin coach Sam Pulino put it best when he said the last two years have felt like one long football season.
Rocklin in 2019 earned the top seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division Il playoffs, and the Thunder are only a few months removed from going 4-0 during the spring season. One team Rocklin didn’t get to play was Folsom. Their spring game was never played due to COVID-19 problems.
This fall is when the two teams will be able to face off. Rocklin returns a dozen starters, including quarterback Kenny Lueth, playmakers Nathan Kent, Elias Mullican, Teeg Sloan, Anthony Johnston and Kyran Bell. Junior running back Elias Brown is expected to receive a big role in the offense after playing last season at the junior varsity level.
Rocklin is led on defense by The Bee’s 2021 spring Lineman of the Year Bobby Piland. Other contributors on the defensive line will be Anthony O’Brien and Josh Kelly. Piland will also anchor an all-senior offensive line that includes Brad Baur, Joe Schwasnick, Caden Brown and Ayden Jefferson. Rocklin’s linebacker core of Rio Patten, Kaiden Baker and Derek Houston are all expected to make big jumps.
“Our senior leadership is incredible,” Pulino said. “Kenny (Lueth) is one of the best at his position. Elias Mulican, Bobby Piland and Nathan Kent are all electric.”
Pulino will serve as Rocklin’s interim head coach this season after spending the past decade as the junior varsity coach. The reason for the change is Jason Adams stepped down as head coach in May after an incident during a game against Whitney. Adams was upset that Whitney players stood on the block R at midfield prior to the game. After Rocklin players raced to midfield to wave Whitney players goodbye, Adams got in a shouting match with a Whitney assistant. That prompted Adams to be suspended by the Rocklin administration.
Adams is on staff this fall and is expected to play a big role in coaching the defense. Adams’ junior son, Austin, is also playing at the varsity level.
Rocklin opens up the season on Aug. 20 against Turlock. Other nonconference games include Capital Christian on Aug. 27, Davis on Sept. 3 and Pleasant Grove in the regular-season finale Oct. 28. Rocklin opens up SFL play with cross-town rival Whitney on Sept. 17.
This story was originally published August 19, 2021 at 7:36 AM.