Friday night marked the end of the regular season across the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section, with playoff-bound Folsom and Oak Ridge each closing out their schedules in commanding fashion. The Bulldogs rolled past Granite Bay at Prairie City Stadium to take the Sierra Foothill League (SFL) Title, while the Trojans capped their homecoming in El Dorado Hills with a decisive win over Rocklin to lock in postseason berths. In the neighboring Golden Empire League, Casa Roble of Orangevale clinched their league title with a win over Sutter on the road.
Earlier in the week, Vista del Lago and Cordova also concluded their 2025 campaigns in Thursday night matchups. Vista del Lago earned a hard-fought home victory over Bella Vista to end its season on a high note, while Cordova fell to a powerful Grant squad in Rancho Cordova. Neither of those programs will advance to the playoffs, but both showed resilience in their final outings of the year.
The Folsom Bulldogs ended their regular season Friday night with a statement win, overpowering Granite Bay 42-14 in front of a roaring home crowd at Prairie City Stadium. It was the latest showcase of the Bulldogs’ trademark combination of precision passing, defensive toughness and explosive offense — a reminder that they remain one of the most formidable teams in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section.
The first quarter set the tone early. After both teams traded punts on their opening possessions, the Folsom defense forced the first big momentum swing of the night when Granite Bay fumbled on its second series. Folsom recovered at its own 36 and needed just one snap to make the Grizzlies pay. Quarterback Ryder Lyons dropped back and launched a 64-yard strike to Jameson Powell for the game’s opening touchdown, putting Folsom up 7-0.
Granite Bay punted again on its next series, and Folsom went right back to work. Lyons, in full command of the offense, looked for Powell once more and found him deep again — this time on a 49-yard touchdown connection that doubled the lead to 14-0 late in the first quarter. It was classic Folsom: get a stop, hit a big play, and force the opponent to chase.
Granite Bay finally got on the board midway through the second quarter with a drive that reached the Folsom 4-yard line. Running back Isaiah Ene powered in from there to make it 14-7 and briefly settle the Grizzlies. But Folsom doesn’t stay quiet long. On the next possession, Lyons pushed the ball downfield and found Rob Larson on a 43-yard touchdown pass, restoring the two-score lead at 21-7.
The Bulldogs’ defense then set up another short field when defensive back Jason Hill Jr. intercepted a Granite Bay pass and returned it to near midfield. With the clock winding down in the half, Folsom stayed aggressive. Lyons kept the ball on a four-yard rushing touchdown to make it 28-7 at halftime, and by that point the Bulldogs had complete control.
The second half followed the same script. Folsom opened the third quarter by driving into Granite Bay territory and finishing with a one-yard touchdown pass from Lyons to Bronson Bambino to push the lead to 35-7. On the other side of the ball, Folsom’s front continued to pressure the Grizzlies, and defensive standout Dylan Wolfe recorded a third-quarter sack to stall another Granite Bay drive.
In the fourth quarter, Folsom got a chance to showcase its depth. Backup quarterback Brody Rudnicki came on and immediately hit Arhian Acuna on a long pass to the 12-yard line. A few plays later, Rudnicki rolled out and found Osais Bolton for a short touchdown, extending the lead to 42-7 with 10 minutes to play.
Granite Bay added a late touchdown in the final minute on a 15-yard pass from Dominic Cattolico to Izaiah Galovich, but the outcome had been settled long before that. Lyons finished the night responsible for five total touchdowns — four through the air and one on the ground — Powell had two explosive first-quarter scores, Larson and Bambino added red-zone touchdowns, and the Bulldogs got contributions from the second unit in the fourth.
It was exactly the kind of complete, hard-to-guard, four-quarter effort Folsom wanted to put on film going into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. The Bulldogs close the regular season looking like a team ready to make another run.
Oak Ridge powers past Rocklin 34-14 in homecoming finale
In El Dorado Hills, the Oak Ridge Trojans wrapped up their regular season Friday night with a convincing 34-14 homecoming win over Rocklin, capping off another strong Sierra Foothill League campaign. With the victory, Oak Ridge solidified its playoff position and sent fans home celebrating both a homecoming win and a team hitting its stride at the right time.
Oak Ridge controlled the tone from the opening quarter. The Trojans’ defense forced Rocklin into early mistakes and short possessions, giving quarterback Jasen Womack and the offense good field position to work with. Oak Ridge built the kind of lead every coach wants — methodical, early, and backed by defense — and by the time the second quarter hit, the Trojans were in front 17-0.
Rocklin finally broke through midway through the second on a pass play from inside the Oak Ridge red zone to cut the deficit to 17-7, but Oak Ridge answered in the final minute of the half with one of the most important drives of the night. Womack marched the Trojans downfield, then finished it himself with a six-yard rushing touchdown. That score made it 24-7 at halftime and reestablished control going into the locker room.
Coming out of the break, Oak Ridge didn’t let up. The Trojans drove deep into Rocklin territory again to start the third quarter and came away with a field goal to extend the lead to 27-7. With the defense continuing to bottle up Rocklin’s run game and take away the deep ball, the Trojans were able to keep the Thunder in predictable passing situations.
Then came the dagger. Early in the fourth quarter, Rocklin tried to throw itself back into the game, but Womack — playing both sides of the ball — jumped a route, intercepted the pass and returned it 20 yards for a pick-six. The extra point made it 34-7 and sent the homecoming crowd into full celebration mode.
Rocklin added a late touchdown pass to narrow it to 34-14, but Oak Ridge never lost control. The Trojans’ offensive line protected well, the running game kept drives moving, and the defense delivered the kind of turnovers that swing playoff games.
Most importantly, Oak Ridge closed the regular season doing exactly what a playoff team is supposed to do in Week 10: win at home, win with defense, and win with a quarterback making plays when it matters. The Trojans now take that performance — and that confidence — straight into the postseason.
SUTTER — The Casa Roble Rams closed out their regular season in championship fashion Friday night, defeating the Sutter Huskies 22–9 on the road to secure the Golden Empire League title and build momentum for the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs.
Sutter struck first midway through the opening quarter on a short rushing touchdown to take a 6–0 lead after missing the point-after attempt. Casa Roble’s offense struggled to find rhythm early, trading punts before quarterback Aidan Lopezbegan to heat up late in the first quarter. Lopez connected with wide receiver Felix Rodriguez on a long completion to the Sutter 20-yard line to set up the Rams’ first scoring threat.
Early in the second quarter, the same duo struck again as Lopez hit Rodriguez on a 7-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 6–6. The Rams’ extra point attempt missed, but the momentum began to shift. Casa Roble’s defense held firm on the following Sutter drive, forcing a punt that gave Lopez and company good field position.
Running back Jaylan Barcenas helped move the ball with a pair of strong runs — one for over 30 yards and another to the Sutter 5-yard line — before the drive stalled near the goal line. With just over a minute left in the half, kicker Raul Menera drilled a 23-yard field goal to give Casa Roble its first lead of the game, 9–6, heading into halftime.
Sutter opened the third quarter with possession but managed only a short drive before punting. Casa Roble quickly turned the field, as Lopez found Rodriguez again for another big gain to the Sutter 39. The Rams drove inside the red zone but were stopped on downs, setting up a long defensive stand that kept the Huskies out of the end zone. Sutter settled for a 26-yard field goal midway through the quarter, knotting the game at 9–9.
Casa Roble responded immediately. After a few short gains by Barcenas, Lopez dropped back and hit Kymani Burkes in stride for a 70-yard touchdown bomb, reclaiming the lead at 16–9 following Menera’s extra point. The Rams’ defense continued to dominate, with Mason Higby delivering a key tackle for loss to force a turnover on downs late in the quarter.
In the fourth, Barcenas took control of the offense, breaking off multiple long runs to move the ball deep into Sutter territory. Lopez then connected once again with Rodriguez on a pass down to the 5-yard line. Moments later, Barcenas capped the drive with a 3-yard rushing touchdown, extending the Rams’ lead to 22–9 after the missed PAT.
Sutter’s final drive ended when Ayden Ante intercepted a pass in the closing minute to seal the victory. Casa Roble’s defense allowed just three points after the first quarter and shut down the Huskies’ passing attack completely in the second half.
With the win, Casa Roble finished the regular season 8–2 overall and claimed the Golden Empire League championship outright. The Rams will enter the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs as one of the top small-school programs in Northern California, riding the strength of a balanced offense and a defense that has delivered all season.
Vista del Lago edges Bella Vista 44-37 in bittersweet finale
A night earlier, Vista del Lago delivered the week’s most dramatic finish. In a game that featured swings, explosive plays and very little separation on the scoreboard, the Eagles outlasted Bella Vista 44-37 to end their season with a win. It was, as the team described afterward, a bittersweet end — a game that showed this roster’s talent and heart, even if there’s no next week on the schedule.
Bella Vista got on the board first when Dvaughn Norwood broke into the end zone on a four-yard run late in the first quarter to make it 7-0. Vista answered quickly. Quarterback Jacoby More hit receiver Jack Cromwell on a 33-yard touchdown pass, and kicker Joseph Ahola added the point after to tie it 7-7.
The second quarter was a full-on shootout. Norwood scored again from a yard out to put Bella Vista ahead 14-7. Vista came right back, this time with More rolling out and finding Jack’s brother, Kyle Cromwell, on a five-yard touchdown to tie it again at 14-14. On the next Eagles possession, More uncorked one of the biggest plays of the night — a 70-yard touchdown pass to Cael Rens — to give Vista its first lead at 21-14.
Bella Vista, though, answered right before halftime. Quarterback Nathaniel Delucchi connected with Christian Taylor on a four-yard touchdown and Norwood powered in the two-point try to give the Broncos a 22-21 halftime lead.
Vista regrouped out of the break. Early in the third quarter, the Eagles went back to their most reliable weapon: the Cromwell brothers. This time it was Jack on the ground, scoring on an eight-yard rushing touchdown to make it 28-22 after Ahola’s PAT. Bella Vista responded again with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Shawn Douglas to Hugo Lopez to inch back ahead 29-28.
That’s when Vista turned to special teams. A steady fourth-quarter-style drive near the end of the third set up Ahola for a 30-yard field goal, and he drilled it to give Vista a 31-29 lead going to the fourth.
But Bella Vista still wasn’t done. With about eight minutes to play, the Broncos marched downfield and Norwood scored his third rushing touchdown of the night, this one from 12 yards out, then quarterback Jack Singley connected on the two-point pass to make it 37-31.
Down six in the fourth quarter of their last game, Vista del Lago went to work. More led a long drive and finished it himself with a one-yard quarterback keeper to tie it at 37-37. The PAT missed, leaving the game dead even.
The Eagles’ defense did its part to get the ball back, and then came the play that will stay in this team’s memory all offseason. With under a minute to go, More dropped back and fired a deep ball down the right side to Jack Cromwell, who pulled it in and took it the distance for a 69-yard touchdown — their second long scoring connection of the night. Ahola hit the extra point to make it 44-37, and Bella Vista didn’t have enough time left to answer.
More finished with five total touchdowns — four passing, one rushing. Jack and Kyle Cromwell combined for three scores. Rens had the long second-quarter touchdown. Ahola kicked four PATs and a 30-yard field goal that mattered. And the Eagles finished the year not just with a win, but with a win that showed what the offense can do when it’s in rhythm.
For Vista del Lago, that’s the definition of a bittersweet end: a high-scoring home win that sends the seniors out right, even though there isn’t a playoff bracket waiting next week.
Cordova closes season with loss to powerhouse Grant, 48-7
The Cordova Lancers wrapped up their season Thursday night in Rancho Cordova, falling to state-ranked Grant 48-7 in their final Metropolitan League matchup. It was a tough ending to a challenging season for the young Lancer squad, who faced one of the most explosive offenses in the region and refused to back down.
Grant came out firing from the opening kickoff. The Pacers scored four times in the first quarter — including an 80-yard rushing touchdown and a 58-yard touchdown pass to Malakai Guidry — to take a 28-0 lead before Cordova could settle in.
In the second quarter, the Pacers continued to roll. Quarterback play and speed in the open field stretched the Lancer defense, with Sosaia Noa catching a 21-yard touchdown and Jayson Williams adding a short rushing score just before halftime to make it 42-0.
The Lancers battled through the second half with grit. Grant added one more touchdown on a three-yard run by Tyron Carter in the third quarter, but Cordova’s defense tightened up in the fourth, forcing multiple turnovers on downs and keeping the Pacers off the board for the remainder of the night.
Cordova’s highlight came late in the fourth quarter, when the offense pieced together its best drive of the game. Quarterback play and a long pass to Carnell Jones moved the ball to midfield before the Lancers broke through with a passing touchdown and a successful extra point to make it 48-7.
Friday Night Scoreboard, Oct. 31 2025
Amador 47, Argonaut 21
Atwater 35, Los Banos 34
Bear River 30, Center 36
Bradshaw Christian 32, Rosemont 6
Casa Roble 22, Sutter 9
Central Catholic 60, Sierra 7
Davis Sr. 6, Del Oro 44
Denair 59, Waterford 34
Dixon 35, Rio Linda 13
Edison 56, Lodi 17
Elk Grove 0, Monterey Trail 20
Escalon 42, Orestimba 28
Folsom 42, Granite Bay 14
Franklin 48, Cosumnes Oaks 14
Franklin (EG) 6, West 41
Hilmar 33, Ripon 21
Inderkum 37, Ponderosa 13
Jesuit 38, Whitney 17
Kimball 28, Tracy 26
Lathrop 54, Beyer 0
Lindhurst 23, Rio Vista 49
Manteca 40, Oakdale 26
Modesto Christian 18, Redwood Christian 42
Modesto 0, Turlock 41
Monterey Trail 20, Elk Grove 0
Mountain House 21, East Union 55
Oak Ridge 34, Rocklin 14
Pioneer 27, Vanden 40
Ripon Christian 55, Sonora 14
Rio Americano 24, Christian Brothers 21
Sutter 9, Casa Roble 22
St. Mary’s 54, Lincoln 41
Twelve Bridges 56, Del Campo 13
Vacaville 49, Wood 20
Valley 38, West Campus 6
Whitney 17, Jesuit 38
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