MISSION VIEJO — The Folsom Bulldogs added another historic chapter to their storied program Friday night, capturing the 2025 CIF State Championship with a 42-28 victory over Cathedral Catholic at Saddleback College, earning the program’s sixth state title and doing so in one of the most improbable ways imaginable.
Facing a Cathedral Catholic team the Bulldogs had never beaten before and forced to rely on their second-string quarterback for virtually the entire game, Folsom delivered a dominant performance that underscored the depth, resilience and championship pedigree that has come to define the program.
With starting quarterback Ryder Lyons sidelined after suffering a separated left shoulder in last week’s NorCal championship game, junior Brody Rudnicki stepped into the spotlight and authored one of the most remarkable performances in Folsom history. Rudnicki accounted for six touchdowns, rushing for four scores and throwing for two more, as the Bulldogs controlled the game from start to finish.
Folsom wasted no time asserting itself. After Cathedral Catholic went three-and-out on its opening possession, the Bulldogs marched down the field and struck first on a 2-yard touchdown run by Rudnicki. Just minutes later, Rudnicki connected with Rob Larson on a 33-yard touchdown pass, and before the first quarter ended, he broke free for a 30-yard scoring run to give Folsom a commanding 21-0 lead.
The Bulldogs’ defense matched the offense’s urgency, repeatedly stalling Cathedral Catholic drives and forcing punts. Even when the Dons managed to move the ball late in the first quarter, Folsom held firm, carrying the three-touchdown advantage into the second quarter.
Cathedral Catholic finally broke through midway through the second quarter on a 15-yard touchdown run by Honor Faalave, trimming the margin to 21-7. But Folsom responded with poise. After forcing a turnover on downs, the Bulldogs drove inside the Dons’ red zone in the closing moments of the half. With just seconds remaining, Rudnicki fired a 1-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Tuua, sending Folsom into halftime with a 28-7 lead and complete control of the game.
Any hope of a Cathedral Catholic comeback quickly evaporated after the break. On the opening possession of the third quarter, Folsom’s Daniel Eagleton intercepted a pass and set the Bulldogs up deep in Dons territory. Five plays later, Rudnicki punched in his third rushing touchdown of the night from 11 yards out.
Although Cathedral Catholic answered with a 74-yard touchdown run by Faalave, the Bulldogs once again seized momentum when Travis Beatty intercepted another Dons pass. Folsom methodically drove the field, leaning on its ground game before Rudnicki capped the drive with his fourth rushing touchdown, a 2-yard score early in the fourth quarter that stretched the lead to 42-14.
Cathedral Catholic added two late scores — a 3-yard run by Brady Palmer and a 10-yard touchdown pass with under three minutes remaining — but the outcome was never in doubt. Folsom controlled the clock, recovered a failed onside kick, and closed out the final minutes to secure the championship.
Rudnicki finished the night with 177 rushing yards and 115 passing yards, delivering a performance that will be remembered alongside the greatest in program history. Lyons, despite his injury, briefly entered the game for one offensive series and returned to take the final victory snap, a symbolic moment that reflected the unity of the Bulldogs’ championship run.
The victory marked Folsom’s sixth CIF State Championship in seven title appearances and its second state crown in the past three seasons, following the 2023 championship. It also represented a breakthrough win over a Cathedral Catholic program that had previously stood as an obstacle the Bulldogs had never overcome on the state stage.
On a foggy night in Mission Viejo, Folsom once again proved that championships are built not only on star power, but on preparation, depth and belief — qualities that carried the Bulldogs to yet another title and further cemented their place among California’s elite high school football programs.
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