PITTSBURG, CALIFORNIA — If the rematch is anything like the original from last season, this CIF Division 1-AA Northern California championship should be fantastic.
Defending state Division 1-A champion Folsom (12-1) travels to Pittsburg (11-2) in a rematch of their 1-A championship game a year ago, when Folsom pulled out a 28-25 win thanks to 327 total yards and all four touchdowns from quarterback Ryder Lyons, the No. 2 ranked QB recruit from the 2026 Class accoring to 247Sports.
Many of the same top players return, however Folsom did add a pair of Division 1 transfers in Texas-bound defensive tackle Josiah Sharma (6-foot-5, 315 pounds) and Nevada-signee running back Carter Jackson (910 rushing yards, 10 TDs). Add in the passing combination between Lyons (3,425 total yards, 56 TDs) and junior wideout Jameson Powell (64 catches, 887 yards, 16 TDs) and USC-bound tight end Taniela Tupou (32, 566, 12), a rugged defense that hasn't given up a point since mid November and it's no wonder why most, including the CalPreps compute, are picking the Bulldogs to repeat.
Pittsburg, under second-year head coach Charlie Ramirez, is confident his group is a year stronger and smarter and knows how to deal with the talented five-time state champions. The Pirates certaiinly have the talent, with five players having signed Wednesday to Division I programs, including UCLA bound Jadyn Hudson, at safety, and defensive end Juju Walls, both four year starters.
Add in San Diego State bound middle linebacker Etene Pritchard, Boise State signee Domink Calhoun, at linebacker, and the team's top two-way threat, running back and strong safety Jamar Searcy (Washington State) and Folsom coach Paul Doherty is wondering where are there any holes. Searcy has rushed for 1,414 yards and 18 touchdowns and elusive Pittsburg QB Marley Alcantara has thrown for 2,598 yards and 36 touchdowns. Highlights of last year's game below:
What most are counting on is that Lyons will fill up any holes, though we found a coach who had possibly a couple solutions to slow down the Josh Allen-type threat.
Follow along below for live updates from the CIF regional bowl game between Folsom and Pittsburg, which is scheculed to kick off at 7:30 p.m. The winner plays the winner of Newbury Park vs. Lincoln in next week's state title game. Check in on that live update below
Updates will be placed here once the game starts; refresh and scroll down for the latest updates.
1ST QUARTER
TOUCHDOWN FOLSOM: Bulldogs take opening drive, control clock, all but one on the ground but one pass. Guess who scored. Ryder Lyons 1-yard run. 40-yard burst by Jackson sets it up. Lyons also completed 4th-and-6 from own 46 to Powell 8 yards. Folsom 7, Pittsburg 0. 6:43 1Q.
Guess who. 1-yard plunge. Ryder Lyons Folsom 7, Pitt 0. Opening drive. 70 yard drive. 6:43 1Q over Pittsburg. pic.twitter.com/hI8XO3Mqri
Jackson for 40 pic.twitter.com/4pUWKws6ee
TOUCHDOWN FOLSOM! After Pittsburg fumbles on first play, Bulldogs go 35 yards, Ryder to Daymion River 7 yards on third down. Steam taken out of a spirited Pittsburg team. Folsom 14, Pittsburg 0. 3:26 1Q.
2ND QUARTER
TOUCHDOWN FOLSOM! 4TH-AND-15 from Pittsburg 30, Lyons rolls right perfect pass right corner of end zone. Great catch. After long delay from refs, rule his feet are in. Remarkable. Folsom 21, Pittsburg 0. 10:24 2Q
And the theory is realized. Amazing 30-yard TD completion to sophomore EJ Coleman. Ryder Lyons delivers. Folsom 21, Pittsburg 0. 10:24 2Q. Great catch. Coleman on a sophomore. pic.twitter.com/QiNMOm6uiv
TOUCHDOWN PITTSBURG! PIRATES travel 70 yards, nice gains by Jamar Searcy, Alcantara with a big scramble then completes pretty 12-yard TD to freshman Kenneth Moore in right corner of end zone. A stop and score and we got a game. Folsom 21, Pittsburg 7. 7:54 2Q.
TOUCHDOWN PITTSBURG! Got a ball game now. Alcantara with second TD pass, another perfect throw and better catch, a one-handed for 10 yards, cuts Folsom’s lead to 21-14. Midway through 2Q.
Got a ball game now. Alcantara to Ralph Mosley 10 yards for Pittsburg. Folsom leads 21-14 midway through 2Q. Circus catch by Mosley! pic.twitter.com/dJRYk8p5UR
SACK SEARCY! Pittsburg with all momentum to close the half, a Searcy, a Washington State signee, sacks Lyons two plays after Boise State-bound Dominik Calhoun sacks Lyons. I’m guessing he hasn’t been sacked even 10 times all year. Maybe not even five.
All the momentum going into halftime remarkably with Pittsburg. Jamar Searcy with second sack of Lyons on three plays. Hand not seen Lyons sacked since…forever. Halftime: Folsom 21, Pittsburg 14. Pirates were down 21-0, 2 TD passes from Alcantara closes gap. NC D1-AA pic.twitter.com/a2eWD2SqWq
HALFTIME SCORE: Folsom 21, Pittsburg 14
3RD QUARTER
TOUCHDOWN PITTSBURG! After two 3-and-outs, Alcantara and Mosley hook up again, this more conventional 25-yard pass and catch. Pirates with 21 straight. No panic or passion on Folsom sideline. They got the franchise in control, so no reason to lose it. Pittsburg 21, Folsom 21. 8:04 2Q.
Tie game. Alcantara to Mosley 25 yards. Pittsburg 21 unanswered. Ties Folsom 21-21 8:04 3Q. pic.twitter.com/WPQovZddDh
PITTSBURG TOUCHDOWN!!! ANOTHER Alcantara dime, this 5-yard TD to Truly Bell. Pirates take the lead. Mosley had two more big catches, one a shorter out he turned into 40-yard gain. Pittsburg 28, Folsom 21. 3:42 3Q. Pittsburg has scored 28 straight in little more than a quarter.
Pirates take 28-21 lead. Alcantara 5-yard TD pass – his 4th – to Truly Bell. 3:42 3Q. Wow. What a comeback. pic.twitter.com/1x96HIE6iA
END OF 3: PITTSBURG 28, Folsom 21
4TH QUARTER
HUGE PLAY! A Pittsburg punt was touched inside the Folsom 10, but not downed. So Kam Totton picks up and returns 70 yards to the Pittsburg 19. What a turnaround. Folsom in perfect position to tie it back up. Huge momentum swing.
PIRATES HOLD: Folsom goes four and out, then holds Pittsburg, the Pirates go 3-and-out.
SEARCY SAUCE: Folsom drives inside the red zone, but on third down, Jamar Searcy forces Lyons to fumble, Pittsburg recovers with 4:49 left in the game.
PITTSBURG FUMBLES: Folsom recovers at the Pitt 16.
TOUCHDOWN FOLSOM! Lyons rolls left for 3-yard touchdown to close to 28-27 with 2:03 remaining.
FOLSOM GOES FOR 2! Lyons stumbles and is tackled short four yards short. Pittsburg still holds 28-27 lead, Folsom has 3 timeouts. I would have gone for it also with Lyons. But again, Pittsburg equal to task.
FOLSOM OUT OF TIMEOUTS, PITTSBURG TO PUNT! Three short runs plus a penalty makes it 4th-and-5 from 27. Pittsburg to punt.
2 INCOMPLETIONS: 3rd-and-10 from Pittsburg 27. No timeouts.
LYONS STOPPED SHORT, PIRATES WIN!: On 4th-and-20, Lyons scrambles for about 15 but is tackled short.
FINAL: Pittsburg 28, Folsom 27
Last gasp falls short. Final: Pittsburg 28, Folsom 27 pic.twitter.com/HlP42UHIGA
Mitch Stephens is a senior editor at SBLive Sports for California, a state he's covered high school sports since 1984. He won multiple CNPA and CPSWA writing awards with the Contra Costa Times, San Francisco Chronicle and MaxPreps.com before joining the SBLive staff in 2022. He's covered the beat nationally since 2007, profiling such athletes as Derrick Henry, Paige Bueckers, Patrick Mahomes, Sabrina Ionescu, Jayson Tatum, Chiney Ogwumike, Jeremy Lin and Najee Harris as preps. You can reach him at mitch@scorebooklive.com.
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