Photo by Charlie McDonald (Charlie.McDonald@surewestsports.com)
By Mike Finnerty
mike.finnerty@surewestsports.com
It’s been a record-setting year for Folsom Bulldogs quarterback Tanner Trosin, so it would only stand to reason that Trosin would do what he has done all year long which is put up big statistical numbers while sparking his team to another victory.
Down 14-0 to the host Elk Grove Thundering Herd in early in the first quarter of the CIF Division II Sac-Joaquin Section semi-final Friday, Trosin and the Folsom offense roared back to take a 21-14 lead before eventually prevailing, 42-28.
“I think a lot of people didn’t pay attention to us early on,” said Folsom head coach Kris Richardson. “That it might be a rebuilding year, but I’ve been saying all year this team is good. I knew this team was going to be pretty special. That was our goal. If we can win the section, I’ll be thrilled to death.”
Trosin was the story of the night throwing for 377 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for another 121 yards and a touchdown.
With Folsom capturing a Division II State championship just a year ago, it’s all about victories for the Bulldogs, and now they'll head back to the Division II section championship with a chance to defend their title.
“No one really thought we could do it again, so we wanted to prove a lot of people wrong, so here we are about to go and try and do our thing at the section championship next week,” said Trosin.
Everything was going right for Elk Grove early in the game as evidenced when quarterback Tommy Arnold scooped up a fumble and took the ball in 49 yards for the game’s first score.
Penalties hampered the Folsom offensive attack in the opening quarter, and a 27-yard touchdown run by Elk Grove’s Wadus Parker only widen the gap making it 14-0 Thundering Herd.
The Bulldogs answered the Herd's early scoring by finding the end zone on their next three possessions behind a pair of touchdown passes from Trosin, hitting Carson McMurtrey on a 12-yard strike, and then connecting with J’Juan Muldrow from five yards out to tie it at 14-14.
Although Elk Grove tied it at 21-21 on a Robert Frazier 26-yard touchdown run, Folsom spread offense never slowed down.
It was Trosin to Muldrow for a 15-yard score, before Muldrow returned a punt 73 yards for 14-point advantage. A late-game quarterback keeper around the left side by Trosin put the game out of reach.
“We had a very good game plan, we prepared like crazy, and it showed on the field,” said Trosin. “It was an all around team effort. We had some good stops on defense that helped us get the ball so we could go down the field and score.”
The Folsom defense came up with big turnovers and key stops that helped to keep Elk Grove's offense to just 28 points, the Herd’s lowest scoring output in six weeks.
“We had a lot of people at the beginning of the season who didn’t know what we were going to do, but we just came out and showed everybody what would could,” said Folsom linebacker Alex Wood. “We had a couple of hiccups at the beginning, we fixed some things, played harder, and once we started to shut them down we knew our offense could score.”
For Richardson and his Bulldogs, it’s been a year to remember as they look ahead for what will be a showdown against Vacaville for a chance to repeat as Division II section champions.
“Talk about a 12-month ride,” said Richardson. “I’m so excited for the kids.”