SACRAMENTO—On a hot Saturday night in Del Paso Heights, the lights, cameras, and national spotlight of ESPN’s High School Football Kickoff shone down on Grant Union High School. More than 5,000 fans packed the Pacers’ stadium, with countless more tuning in locally and nationwide, as the Folsom Bulldogs delivered a dominant 51–13 victory that electrified their supporters and silenced any doubt about their place among California’s elite.
The buildup stretched far beyond the stadium. In Folsom, restaurants and neighborhoods were filled with watch parties, the community’s pride as palpable as the heat on the field. Fans arrived early to Grant, many in Bulldog blue, ready to cheer on a program that has become one of the state’s most decorated. The buzz rivaled that of a championship weekend, and by kickoff, all eyes were fixed on the national broadcast and the clash of two storied programs.
Grant received the opening kickoff and looked sharp on its first possession, stringing together first downs that pushed the ball across midfield to the Bulldogs’ 43. But when the drive stalled, momentum flipped in a flash. On the punt return that followed, Folsom’s Jameson Powell fielded the ball deep in his own territory, cut past the first wave of defenders, and blazed 99 yards downfield for a touchdown that could have very well been the play that set the tone for the evening. The Bulldogs tacked on a conversion, and just like that it was 8–0.
The Pacers refused to flinch, answering with a determined march of their own. Quarterback Tavio Rios capped the drive by slicing into the end zone on a 10-yard keeper. With the PAT good, Grant had clawed back to within 8–7, their fans roaring in approval. But any momentum was quickly stolen back by Folsom’s star quarterback, senior Ryder Lyons.
Already considered one of the nation’s top recruits and committed to BYU, Lyons dropped back and connected on a long strike to Powell to flip field position, then led a fast-paced drive into the red zone. With just over a minute to go in the opening frame, Lyons kept the ball himself on a nine-yard rush, diving across the line for a score that re-established Folsom’s command. The kick was good, and the Bulldogs ended the first quarter up 15–7.
Grant opened the second quarter determined to stay close, pushing again into Folsom territory. The Pacers advanced as far as the Bulldogs’ 34-yard line, but the drive fizzled and turned over on downs. Folsom’s answer was clinical. Lyons rolled out, spotted Rob Larson streaking free, and launched a 66-yard bomb that dropped perfectly for another touchdown. The same duo combined on the two-point conversion, and suddenly the Bulldogs had opened a 23–7 lead.
Grant’s offense tried to recover, but the Bulldogs’ defense kept clamping down. Jason Hill Jr. broke through the line for a sack that jolted the Pacers, and soon the possession ended in a punt. Later in the half, Folsom had a chance to extend its lead even further after driving inside the Pacers’ 10, but a missed field goal left the halftime margin unchanged. Even so, the damage was done—Folsom jogged into the locker room in full control, ahead 23–7 with the momentum and confidence of a program that has been here before.
Any thoughts of a Grant comeback faded quickly in the second half. The Pacers opened with a break when they recovered a Folsom fumble at midfield, but they could not capitalize, turning the ball over on downs. That proved costly, because Lyons immediately reignited the Bulldogs’ offense. He connected with Powell again on a deep pass that set up first-and-goal, then rifled a five-yard touchdown toss to Hill Jr. Moments later, after another defensive stop, Lyons capped a second straight drive with a short touchdown throw to Isaiah Williams. In the span of minutes, the Bulldogs had swelled their lead to 37–7.
The defense joined the party when EJ Coleman intercepted a Grant pass late in the third quarter, returning the ball to the Bulldogs in Pacers territory. Folsom methodically worked downfield again, and when the third quarter ended the scoreboard read 37–7, with the outcome no longer in doubt.
Still, Folsom wasn’t done giving the ESPN audience highlights. Early in the fourth quarter, Lyons delivered his third touchdown strike of the night, a 20-yard dart to Larson that pushed the lead to 44–7. Then it was time for the backups to shine, and sophomore quarterback Brody Rudnicki did not waste the chance. Rudnicki uncorked a long completion to Arhian Acuna to bring the Bulldogs inside the 10, then called his own number for a five-yard rushing touchdown. With the extra point, Folsom had passed the half-century mark at 51–7.
Grant found the end zone once more in the closing moments, as quarterback Rahzario Edwards tossed a 10-yard pass for a late score, but the missed PAT sealed the final result at 51–13.
The night belonged entirely to the Bulldogs. Lyons finished with three touchdown passes, a rushing score, and multiple deep completions that punctuated why he is considered one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the state. Powell’s dazzling punt return ignited the first roar, while Larson’s two touchdown grabs, Hill Jr.’s sack and touchdown reception, Williams’ red-zone score, Coleman’s interception, and Rudnicki’s confident finish all rounded out a showcase of talent on both sides of the ball.
Restaurants and local sports bars hosted fans, others gathered at events in their homes, all of whom tuned in to follow the action live on national television. Across the city, families and alumni cheered on their team together, making the ESPN broadcast not just a moment for the players, but for the entire Folsom community.
It was also a night of playful stakes. Earlier in the week, Folsom Cordova Unified Superintendent Erik Swanson and Twin Rivers Unified Superintendent Steve Martinez agreed to a friendly wager: the losing superintendent would don the winning team’s jersey at a board meeting, post the proof online, and record a congratulatory video. With the scoreboard leaving no doubt, Martinez now faces the task of wearing Bulldog blue before his district and saluting the program that outplayed his Pacers under the brightest lights.
For Folsom, the triumph was more than just an early-season win. It was a declaration on a national stage that the Bulldogs are once again a force to be reckoned with in California high school football. Their schedule only intensifies from here, with road tests at Junipero Serra in San Mateo and Mission Viejo before returning home September 12 to host Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep. If Saturday night’s performance was any indication, the Bulldogs are built for the gauntlet ahead, backed by a community that showed once again how deeply it rallies behind its team.
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