Revenge is sweet: Folsom beats Rocklin for program’s 10th prep football title
That gap between the Folsom Bulldogs and the rest of the regional football field?
It’s still there.
That gap may not be nearly as cavernous as a few years ago, when Folsom devoured all comers with a dizzying display of offensive fireworks and stout defense, but history will show the best regional team in 2021 was the group with the blue helmets. This season, the Bulldogs stormed to a 6-0 start, then took some shots in losing three of four games. They were battered, beaten, laughed at and written off, much to the glee of a lot of followers who were fatigued or even furious with Folsom’s record success.
On Friday night at Hughes Stadium, the Bulldogs danced again, exacting a sweet measure of revenge in beating top-ranked and top-seeded Rocklin 20-3 in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I final.
It was 3-3 at the half before Folsom took control on a 2-yard touchdown run by Toure Hendrick for a 10-3 lead, then came Donovan Maxey-Parler’s 4-yard score for a 17-3 lead with just over four minutes to go in the third quarter. Jake Tremain’s second field goal made it 20-3 with 1:01 left in the third, and Rocklin’s 12-0 dream season quickly faded into the cold air.
Folsom (10-3) played tremendous defense under defensive coordinator Val Laolagi, making solo tackles, gang tackling and not getting beat downfield on long passes, a Rocklin trademark this season. Folsom coach Paul Doherty challenged his team earlier this season to step up to the task, saying this group hadn’t “done anything yet. No championships.” They have that championship now.
“Our defense played lights-out,” the coach said. “It feels good, really good. These are young kids. They lost some of their confidence late in the season. They’re not used to losing. They bounced back. Really proud of them.”
Friday’s effort erased the 40-7 shelling to Rocklin in Placer County on Oct. 15, or at least soothed it a great deal. That Rocklin effort halted an 11-year league winning streak for the Bulldogs. Friday’s victory marked the 10th time Folsom has hoisted a blue banner since 1989 and the eighth time since 2010, as this generation’s dynasty rolls on. It’s the first such championship for Doherty, who held onto that blue banner well after the postgame recap, photos and hugs.
Folsom lost in the 2019 D-I semifinals to Monterey Trail, and there were no games in 2020 because of the pandemic. The Bulldogs went 6-0 in the spring, returned most everyone, and expected another romp. Three losses in the final four games of the regular season humbled the Bulldogs, who have bounced back by winning three playoff games.
“We’re not the same team without those losses, because it helped us,” said Folsom star quarterback Tyler Tremain, who missed games down the stretch with a non-throwing shoulder injury and has been a steadying presence since his return. “I’m really happy for Coach Doherty. It’s big for him. We all have faith in him. He earned it.”
Tremain passed for 165 yards in hitting national recruit targets Rico Flores Jr. and Walker Lyons. Hendrick rushed for 80 yards to lead the Bulldogs ground game. The defense had four second-half sacks and stalled a Rocklin offense that had set the tone in every game before this one.
Folsom associate head coach Jordan Banning told his team after the game that the Bulldogs celebrated this championship more than others because it wasn’t a sure thing. The Bulldogs expected it, certainly, but any team entering the playoffs having lost three of four is not the favorite, especially since Rocklin came into Friday unblemished.
“Never been more proud of a team than this one,” Banning told the team. “We went through everything with you guys. Went through COVID, injuries, adversity, losses, and here we are.”
Folsom was inspired also by Lucas Wolfe. The senior linebacker/receiver has played a paramount role for the Bulldogs this season but collapsed after the semifinal win at Jesuit. He’s going to be OK, but doctors told him he cannot compete for several months as they determine what affected his heart. Folsom players each wore a decal of Wolfe’s jersey No. 24 on the back of their helmets.
“As soon as Lucas went down last week, no one cared about the game or the win,” Doherty said. “Every player waited for him, to make sure he’d be OK. He was here on the sideline with us tonight, in his jersey. Loved having him here.”
Well after the game, Tremain was greeted and embraced by Rocklin quarterback Kenny Lueth, who missed much of the season with a knee injury. For such a fierce rivalry, this one ended with a nice display of sportsmanship between two 4.0 students and campus leaders.
Rocklin coach Jason Adams said of Folsom, “They’re a really, really good program. They know what they’re doing. They have great players, a good coaching staff, tremendous community support. Our guys gave their best and it wasn’t good enough tonight.”
Folsom, like all section championship winners, will play in a CIF Northern California Regional championship game next weekend. It could be at De La Salle, which beat the Bulldogs earlier this season. It could be at Serra of San Mateo. Brackets will be released by the CIF on Sunday. Folsom has won four CIF State titles since 2010. The trophy case has room for another.
This story was originally published November 27, 2021 at 5:50 AM.