Folsom QB Ryder Lyons might lose his car keys, but he pushed into overdrive in rout of Rocklin
Ryder Lyons is well known on the Folsom High School campus for his football prowess, his remarkable ability to extend plays with his feet and for winning a ton of games.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound junior is also appreciated by his student peers for his perfect grades and for being one of the guys, never mind his 5-star recruiting profile as a must-have quarterback for scores of college programs courting him across the country. And there’s this nugget about The Sacramento Bee’s reigning Player of the Year: He’s not perfect.
Before Lyons accounted for five touchdowns and his team’s defensive line won the trenches to lead the top-ranked Bulldogs past No. 2 Rocklin 51-14 on Friday night in a Sierra Foothill League opener at Prairie City Stadium, Matt Mills shared some insight on the Sacramento region’s top talent.
Mills is a longtime teacher on campus, an activities director and the football team’s on-the-money stat keeper. The genius of Lyons is there in football and as a 4.0 student, certainly, but there’s a teenage side to the lad that may come as a bit of a surprise for a young man who always seems to be in control.
“Ryder’s the smartest absent-minded kid I’ve ever known,” Mills said with a laugh. “He loses his keys. He’s left his car door open in the school parking lot. He’s just a kid. He has so much great spirit about him, such positive energy.”
Lyons may lose items here and there but he hasn’t lost an ounce of perspective of what’s important in athletics. He regularly credits his offensive linemen and defense for the victories. He takes this sport seriously but he still has fun with it, cheering teammates for their efforts. He found his way effortlessly as a runner against the stout defense of the Thunder, rushing 11 times for 118 yards and completing 16 of 22 passes for 175 yards, with scoring strikes of 3 yards to Jameson Powell and 1 yard to EJ Coleman.
Lyons exited with a 45-14 lead and still said he can play better.
“It’s not just me out there, it’s my team,” he said. “The offensive line was amazing, the best we’ve blocked all season. The defense was amazing.”
Lyons laughed at the intel from Mills. He denied none of his brain-fatigue moments. He also said that he has a good feel for running the ball. Shoot. He could be a national recruit as a running back if that’s where his heart was. But quarterback is his passion, the leader of the pack. He’s only a junior with a lot left to play for.
“I’m a competitor and love to run and pass, and running helps my game,” Lyons said.
The meeting of defending CIF Sac-Joaquin Section champions figured to be a lot closer. But bad breaks for Rocklin and Folsom’s sheer amount of talent snowballed and led to a rout, which happens in this sport.
Folsom (3-1) has bounced back emphatically from its demoralizing 22-21 loss to powerhouse Serra of San Mateo, a 14-0 lead that dissolved into a last-minute setback. Folsom coaches and team leaders after that home contest called out players who talked more than performed.
Last week, Folsom rolled Turlock 56-14, and the Bulldogs were too much for a Rocklin team that thundered in at 3-0. Now it’s Rocklin’s turn to see how it responds in the coming weeks.
Derek Keeley gave Rocklin its only lead on a spectacular 43-yard touchdown romp, bouncing off of players and pulling away for a 7-3 first-quarter advantage. Lyons also broke tackles on his scoring runs of 2, 10 and 37 yards, the last one making it 38-7 with 3:26 left to play in the third quarter.
Folsom’s defense also impressed, be it coverage in the secondary, hard hits from linebackers or in the trenches. It is in the trenches where senior defensive line bruiser Theo Greule sparkles, and he did so again. He had five tackles, a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss against Rocklin’s formidable front.
Folsom senior linebacker Logan Hutton set a tone in blowing up plays. He beamed afterward of his team’s biggest win of the early season. His older brother, C.J. Hutton, was the SFL’s MVP in 2020 for Folsom and is the leading receiver as a senior this fall at UC Davis.
“Our defense played well,” Logan Hutton said. “The Serra loss made everyone step up. We had some self-centered guys that the coach called out. We’ve gotten so much better.”
Folsom coach Paul Doherty was expecting a strong outing by his crew. He received a superb one. He told his club that after the game and challenged them to keep it up.
“We wanted to be aggressive, and it’s easier to be aggressive when you have No. 3 at quarterback (Lyons),” the coach said. “He’s 220 pounds and he can scoot.”
What sets Lyons apart, Doherty said, is this: “He’s a great teammate. That’s genuine. This kid is all about the team. He’s the best player in the section. He showed it last year and he’s showing it again.”
Folsom on Sept. 27 will host new SFL entry Davis of Yolo County. Rocklin (3-1) will host new SFL member Jesuit on the same night.
This story was originally published September 20, 2024 at 10:29 PM.