Photo by Charlie McDonald (Charlie.mcdonald@surewestsports.com)
By Mike Finnerty
mike.finnerty@surewestsports.com
It’s not too often that you see competitive games in the opening round of the high school football playoffs, and sure enough that was the case Thursday night.
In Division I, the defending section champion and No. 2 seed Pleasant Grove Eagles made easy work of the No. 15 Rodriguez Mustangs of Fairfield with a 57-13 win.
Pleasant Grove scored on its first two possessions, each capped off with Mark Jenkins touchdown runs from one yard out and two yards out.
A second quarter safety was followed by a 75-yard kickoff return by Pleasant Grove’s Brandon Lewis upped the lead to 23-0, and the Eagles would push the lead to 30-0 by halftime when quarterback Cody Demps hit DJ Dunn on a 45-yard touchdown pass.
Second half touchdowns for the Eagles would come on a Tyler Slavich 6-yard fumble recovery for a score, plus three rushing touchdowns from Desmond Lewis (10-yard), Isaiah Saunders (18-yard), and Nnamdi Okwuosa (3-yard).
The win will now match up Pleasant Grove against No. 7 Pitman of Turlock. The game will take place at Sheldon High School on Friday with the winner moving on to the Division I semi-finals set for November 25.
Folsom 59, Rio Linda 16
If you were at Prairie City Stadium in Folsom for Thursday night’s Round 2 playoff game between the Rio Linda Knights and the Folsom Bulldogs, and if you happened to get up from your seat during the first quarter, then you missed an offensive showcase by the Bulldogs.
Folsom, the No. 6 seed and reigning Division II State Champion, made the home turf look like it’s personal playground with a 59-16 victory over the No. 15 Knights.
The Bulldogs scored 28 points in the first quarter, plus another 21 points in the second quarter to take a 49-0 lead by halftime.
However, it was also a record-breaking night for Folsom senior quarterback Tanner Trosin.
Needing 265 yards to break the single season section section passing mark set last year by former Folsom quarterback Dano Graves (3,702), now with the Air Force Academy, Trosin got more than what he needed with 387 passing yards to go with five touchdowns.
The big night put Trosin at 4,095 passing yards for the year, but Trosin will have a chance to add to the new record next week in round two of the playoffs.
On the receiving end of Trosin’s five touchdown passes was Carson McMurtrey and Philip Carter, with McMurtrey having four of the five touchdowns to go with 200 yards.
Sac-Joaquin section round one playoff games continue tonight.