Friday night football: Lancers win 400th game; Folsom, Vista, ORHS fall

See all Sacramento regional scores for week 2 of action below

It was a night of close matchups for local teams Friday as area high school football entered its second week of non-conference competition. Out of all those close games, one local team was celebrating a milestone win, while three others ended their night with buzzer-beating losses.

For Cordova, it was a night of celebration, not only for a nail-biting win but also for a milestone for Big Red. Facing Mesa Verde on the road, the Lancers clinched a 15-14 victory. The win marked Cordova’s 400th overall victory, a number they had been keeping in their sights since the end of 2024.

“You guys are part of history now. Four hundred wins is a major achievement,” Cordova head coach and Athletic Director J.P. Dolliver told his team following their history-making win before an energetic crowd that packed Mesa Verde’s shining new facility. Friday’s game even prompted well-wishes from Cordova’s most successful coach in its 61-year history, as Max Miller let them know he was cheering them on in a pregame call to Dolliver, who passed his words on to the team.

Under Miller’s watch in the late ’70s and ’80s, Cordova High School was the school to beat and one of the winningest teams in California and beyond, earning them the Big Red nickname. This year, the team is on the rise, making early-season headlines locally, garnering attention from the city and local television as a KCRA Game of the Week contender. They are now 2-0 on the season and will start conference competition in the newly formed Metropolitan League on Sept. 20 when they travel to West Park.

“The time you put in that weight room in the spring really pays off in the fall. That separates really good programs from ones that are going to struggle,” shared Dolliver as he responded to the team’s strong start and drive.

Folsom Cordova Unified School District Director of Athletics, Peter Maroon, has worked with the Rancho Cordova Athletic Association (RCAA) since its founding in 2013 collaborates regularly with Rancho Cordova High School, Dolliver, and Assistant Principal Cody Owens, to ensure that Cordova High School athletics continues to receive the necessary support, including coach recruitment, year after year.  He too shared his insight on the team he referred to recently as the “sleeping giant.”

“Cordova High School is a sleeping giant, waiting for the resurgence of the Big Red Pride. Today CHS has all the right people and support in place to perpetuate the Lancer Legacy,” Maroon shared as the team’s strong season began. “The school has the right administration, the right coaches, the outstanding facilities, the support of the district and community that any program would need to promote our students-athletes to excel.” 

Next Friday, Cordova will look to continue their strong start to the season as they host Valley Christian of Roseville.

Up the hill, another energetic crowd packed Prairie City Stadium to witness the Folsom Bulldogs take on the Serra of San Mateo Padres. Although this powerhouse matchup had its moments that brought the “dog pack” to its feet in celebration during the game, such wasn’t the case in the final moments of the fourth quarter as Serra took control, narrowly beating the Bulldogs 22-21.

The heartbreaking loss marked the third straight year that Folsom has fallen to Serra, all of which have been close matchups between the two top squads.

Vista del Lago hosted Bradshaw Christian Friday night. Vista took command of the matchup in the first quarter and was on top of the scoreboard 13-6. Before the half, Bradshaw Christian turned up the heat and began to ruffle the Eagles’ nest, outscoring them 21-8 in the second quarter.

In the second half, Vista came out of the locker room to put 13 points on the board over Bradshaw’s 8 in the quarter. Much like the other two games in the Folsom-Cordova Unified School District, this one remained close down to the final minutes of the fourth quarter. The night ended with Vista narrowly falling to the Pride of Bradshaw Christian, 50-48.

Next Friday, Vista will hit the road to Fairfield, where they will face Vanden, who is currently 2-0 overall in the early season.

Oak Ridge High School traveled to Fairfield on Friday to face San Clemente. The Tritons took control of the game in the opening quarter, which ended in their favor with 16-0 on the board. The Trojans picked up six points in the second quarter and another unmatched seven in the third to close the gap.

In the fourth quarter, San Clemente put 14 on the board, while Oak Ridge came up short with 10. The game ended with San Clemente on top, 30-23. The loss put Oak Ridge at 0-2 on the early season as they head into a unique powerhouse non-league matchup next Saturday on the road, facing McAllie of Chattanooga.

Nearby, Granite Bay traveled to Vacaville on Friday and brought home a win. Granite Bay was on top of the scoreboard throughout the matchup, taking command of the game with seven on the board in the opening quarter. Vacaville put seven on the board in the second quarter, but the Grizzlies stayed on top with three of their own. Both teams scored 14 points in the second half, with the Grizzlies taking home the win 17-14.

Alan Inderkane is a student intern/contributor to Folsom Times and All Town Media LLC.