Bulldogs to host Mission Viejo, Vista looks to rebound at home, Oak Ridge returns from Texas and Cordova looks to stay perfect as second week of prep football arrives
Opening night delivered overtime drama, a one-point thriller more than 1,500 miles from home, a fourth-quarter comeback and a few hard lessons along the way.
Now comes Week 2. After finally getting to play games that counted last Friday, local high school football teams return to the field Sept. 4 with some looking to build on impressive opening victories and others looking to quickly turn the page.
Folsom survived a dramatic overtime battle with Cardinal Newman to begin its state championship defense with a victory. Oak Ridge traveled to Texas and came home with a one-point win over Argyle. Cordova exploded in the fourth quarter to pull away from Sheldon, while Vista del Lago had a much tougher opening assignment at Granite Bay.
This Friday brings another full slate, and for several teams the degree of difficulty isn’t getting any easier. Folsom welcomes Mission Viejo, Vista returns home against Antelope, Oak Ridge finally gets to play in front of its home crowd against Central East of Fresno and Cordova hosts Kennedy looking for a 2-0 start.
Casa Roble heads back on the road to Bella Vista while Granite Bay, fresh off its opening-night victory, stays home to face Cosumnes Oaks.
The first Friday provided a glimpse. The second offers another chance to find out just what these teams may become.
Folsom welcomes Mission Viejo after its overtime near miss
Folsom’s championship defense could hardly have started with more drama.
The Bulldogs escaped their season opener with a 23-17 overtime victory over Cardinal Newman after spending much of the night trying to dig out of an early hole.
Cardinal Newman jumped in front 10-0 and carried a 10-7 advantage into halftime. Folsom eventually moved ahead 14-10, only to see the Cardinals regain the lead 17-14 in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs tied the game at 17, but Cardinal Newman had an opportunity to win it in the final seconds of regulation after getting inside the Folsom 10-yard line. The Cardinals lined up for the potential game-winning field goal with two seconds remaining, but Folsom blocked the kick to force overtime.
Given another life, the Bulldogs took advantage. Folsom scored in overtime and its defense finished the job, allowing the defending state champions to escape opening night at 1-0.
It was hardly an easy beginning for a program that went 14-1 last season and captured the CIF Division 1-AA state championship with a 42-28 victory over Cathedral Catholic. But it was a win, and one that again demonstrated how difficult the Bulldogs can be to put away.
There won’t be much time to savor it.
Mission Viejo comes to Folsom Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff on the Bulldogs’ blue turf, bringing one of Southern California’s most accomplished programs north for one of the marquee games of the week.
For Folsom, Friday represents the second installment of a non-league schedule intentionally filled with difficult opponents. Cardinal Newman won 11 games last season and pushed the Bulldogs to overtime. Mission Viejo now provides another major early measuring stick before Folsom heads to San Francisco to face Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory on Sept. 11 and Inderkum in Sacramento on Sept. 18.
The Bulldogs are navigating that stretch without senior receiver Rob Larson, who suffered a hamstring injury and is expected to miss at least six weeks. Larson led Folsom with 18 touchdown receptions last season. Offensive lineman Zach Ramirez and receiver Arhian Acuna have also been dealing with injuries.
Brody Rudnicki, who helped lead Folsom to last year’s state championship and now commands the offense following the graduation of Ryder Lyons, gets another significant test Friday as the Bulldogs try to make it two straight victories to begin their title defense.
Friday: Mission Viejo at Folsom, 7 p.m., Folsom High School
Vista del Lago looks for early season rebound in home opener
Opening night didn’t go the way Vista del Lago envisioned.
The Eagles traveled to Granite Bay hoping an older and more experienced roster could produce a different result against a Grizzlies program that defeated them decisively a year earlier. Instead, Granite Bay again controlled the matchup, handing Vista a 47-16 loss.
For the Eagles, the challenge now is making sure one difficult night doesn’t define the beginning of a season they entered believing could produce significant improvement.
Vista has more varsity experience than it did a year ago, particularly among a group that was forced into important roles as sophomores last season. Quarterback Jacoby More entered this year healthy after battling injuries during his first varsity campaign, while Gavin Brainerd has moved into the primary role at running back. Cael Rens and Luke Roberts provide returning experience in the receiving corps.
The Eagles also entered the season expecting improvement defensively after fielding a largely inexperienced unit a year ago.
Friday offers their first opportunity to respond.
Antelope comes to Vista del Lago for the Eagles’ home opener at 7:15 p.m. After facing Granite Bay’s physicality on the road, returning home gives Vista an opportunity to reset before another home game Sept. 11 against Reed of Sparks, Nevada.
There is plenty of football ahead for a Vista team that entered the fall with playoff aspirations. The first order of business is putting Week 1 behind it.
Friday: Antelope at Vista del Lago, 7:15 p.m., Vista del Lago High School
Cordova looks to build on fourth-quarter surge, opener win
Few local teams finished opening night stronger than Cordova. The Lancers opened their season with a 33-16 victory over Sheldon, turning a close game into a convincing win with a fourth-quarter surge.
Cordova scored 21 unanswered points in the final period to pull away, giving the Lancers a 1-0 start and an early dose of momentum heading into the second week of the season.
It was the kind of finish Cordova can build on as it begins a five-game non-league stretch before Metropolitan League play arrives in October.
The Lancers won’t have to leave home this week.
Kennedy of Sacramento visits Cordova High School Friday for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. That gives Cordova an opportunity to start 2-0 before its first break in the schedule. The Lancers do not play again until Sept. 18, when they travel to Rio Americano, followed by a Sept. 25 road game at Pinole Valley.
Cordova then returns home Oct. 2 against Vallejo before beginning Metropolitan League play.
After scoring 21 unanswered points to finish its first game, the challenge Friday will be carrying that momentum into the opening quarter rather than waiting until the fourth.
Friday: Kennedy at Cordova, 7:30 p.m., Cordova High School
Oak Ridge comes home after Texas thriller
Oak Ridge went to Texas looking for an early-season test.
The Trojans got one — and came home with a victory.
Oak Ridge edged Argyle 27-26 Friday in a dramatic season opener, giving the Trojans a notable road win against a program that reached the Texas state semifinals last season.
The matchup also carried some extra significance because Oak Ridge became the first visiting team to play in Argyle’s new stadium complex.
More importantly for the Trojans, they left Texas 1-0.
Oak Ridge entered the season with high expectations following a 9-4 campaign and another appearance in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship game. The Trojans believe they have enough returning talent to make another deep postseason run, with senior Nick Johnson back at quarterback and an experienced defense returning around him.
The receiving corps was expected to be one of Oak Ridge’s biggest strengths, although the Trojans opened the season without Isaac Pierce after he suffered a broken hand in the team’s preseason scrimmage against Lincoln of Stockton.
One week after the long trip to Texas, Oak Ridge gets a much shorter commute.
The Trojans make their home debut Friday against Central East of Fresno, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. in El Dorado Hills.
For Oak Ridge, it is another step through a non-league schedule designed to prepare the Trojans for the Sierra Foothill League. After Central East, Oak Ridge heads south Sept. 11 to face Crean Lutheran in Irvine before opening league play Sept. 25 against Del Oro.
The Trojans proved in Texas they can win a game decided by the narrowest of margins. Friday they get their first opportunity to show the home crowd what the 2026 team looks like.
Friday: Central East at Oak Ridge, 7 p.m., Oak Ridge High School
Casa Roble heads back on the road
Casa Roble began its season with a road trip to Auburn, where the Rams fell to Placer in their first game following an 11-2 campaign a year ago.
The opening loss came as Casa Roble works to establish a new identity after graduation took a sizable number of starters from last season’s roster.
Head coach Chris Horner, now in his 10th season leading the Rams and his 27th year on the Orangevale campus, entered the season encouraged by his defense and play along both lines despite the roster turnover.
Captains Karter Coss, Urijah Fear, Jordan Keller and Ayden Ante are among the players being counted on to provide leadership as a younger group settles into larger varsity roles.
The Rams get another opportunity Friday, but once again it will come away from home.
Casa Roble travels to Fair Oaks to face Bella Vista at 7:15 p.m. The Rams will finally return to Orangevale on Sept. 11 for their home opener against Ponderosa.
Friday: Casa Roble at Bella Vista, 7:15 p.m., Bella Vista High School
Granite Bay looks to keep rolling at home
Granite Bay couldn’t have asked for a much better beginning.
The Grizzlies opened their season with a 47-16 victory over Vista del Lago, continuing their recent success in the matchup while providing an early indication that significant graduation losses haven’t changed expectations around the program.
Granite Bay entered 2026 needing to replace a sizable group from last year’s 9-4 team, including standout running back Isaiah Ene. But the Grizzlies returned quarterback Dominic Cattolico and once again entered the season expecting to contend in the Sierra Foothill League.
One game in, the Grizzlies are 1-0.
They also get to stay home Friday.
Cosumnes Oaks visits Granite Bay for a 7 p.m. kickoff, giving the Grizzlies an opportunity to build on their opening victory before hitting the road Sept. 18 against Ponderosa.
The schedule becomes considerably more demanding from there. Sierra Foothill League play begins Sept. 25 at Jesuit, followed immediately by an Oct. 2 home matchup against defending state champion Folsom.
For now, however, Granite Bay’s focus is on following a 31-point opening victory with another strong performance on its home field.
Friday: Cosumnes Oaks at Granite Bay, 7 p.m., Granite Bay High School
Week 1 provided plenty of reminders about how quickly a Friday night can change. Folsom was seconds away from potentially losing before a blocked field goal helped send the game to overtime. Oak Ridge traveled halfway across the country and returned with a victory decided by one point. Cordova turned a tight game into a 17-point win in the fourth quarter, while Vista del Lago and Casa Roble were reminded how quickly opening night can force a team to regroup. Now the records begin to take shape.
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