Folsom runs past Cathedral Catholic for 1-AA state football title

MISSION VIEJO – Fifteen minutes before Cathedral Catholic kicked off against Folsom in Friday’s Division 1-AA state championship football game at Saddleback College, a thick wave of fog settled onto the field.

The London-like soup was so thick that players couldn’t see across the field.

Said the public address announcer early in the first quarter: “I think it’s second-and-goal.”

The Dons certainly couldn’t track down Folsom junior quarterback Brody Rudnicki. Rucnicki, starting for BYU-bound Ryder Lyons, rushed for four touchdowns, passed for two more, racked up 305 yards in total offense and led Folsom to a 42-28 win over Cathedral Catholic.

The state title was sixth for Folsom (14-1), which closed the season with 12 straight wins. Cathedral (11-3) was trying to win its fourth state title.

Lyons, who was named the Gatorade State Player of the Year for the second season in a row, was injured in Folsom’s Northern California Regional win last week against San Jose Archbishop Riordan. The Bulldogs trailed 38-28 when Lyons exited.

On his first carry against Archbishop Riordan, Rudnicki took off on a 50-yard run and led a 42-38 comeback win.

The morning of the state championship game, Cathedral head coach Sean Doyle said of Rudnicki: “He’s good. Real good. If he plays, I don’t know that we’re catching a break.”

Folsom wasted no time taking control of the game. With 44 seconds remaining in the first quarter, the Bulldogs led 21-0, scoring on all three drives. Total yardage to that point: Folsom 159, Cathedral Catholic 17.

Folsom took the opening kickoff and covered 64 yards in nine plays, Rudnicki scoring from 2 yards. Folsom drive No. 2, following a three-and-out for the Dons, stretched 46 yards over four plays, Rudnicki hitting Rob Larson with a 32-yard touchdown.

For Folsom drive No. 3, the Bulldogs marched 73 yards on eight plays, Rudnicki scoring from 29 yards on a quarterback draw.

With 5:14 to play in the second quarter, Cathedral Catholic pulled to within 21-7 on a 15-yard touchdown run by Honor Fa’alave-Johnson.

Any thought of a Cathedral Catholic comeback was dealt a serious blow when Folsom scored 19 seconds before halftime on a 1-yard Rudnicki pass to Elijah Tuua for a 28-7 lead.

Rudnicki gained 188 yards rushing on 24 carries and completed 11 of 20 passes for 117 yardss.

The second-half highlight for the Dons was a 74-yard touchdown run by Fa’alave-Johnson. Cathedral Catholic’s star running back/defensive back finished the game with 267 yards on 22 carries and two TDs.

Cathedral Catholic trailed 42-14 in the fourth quarter, but scored two touchdowns to make the score respectable. Brady Palmer scored on a 4-yard run and tossed a 10-yard TD pass to Gianluca Busalacchi.

The game marked the third time Cathedral Catholic and Folsom have played for a state championship. Folsom now leads the rivalry 2-1. Cathedral lost to Folsom 21-14 in overtime in 2018. The Dons beat the Bulldogs 33-21 in 2021.

Division 1-AA State Football Championship Game

At Saddleback College

Folsom 42, Cathedral Catholic 28

Folsom 21 7 7 7 – 42

Cathedral Catholic 0 7 7 14 – 28

F – Rudnicki 2 run (Ganguly kick)

F – Larson 32 pass from Rudnicki (Ganguly kick)

F – Rudnicki 30 run (Ganguly kick)

CC – Fa’alave-Johnson (Bernstein kick)

F – Tuua 1 pass from Rudnicki (Ganguly kick)

F – Rudnicki 11 run (Ganguly kick)

CC -Fa’alave-Johnson 74 run (Bernstein kick)

F – Rudnicki 1 run (Ganguly kick)

CC – Palmer 4 run (Bernstein kick)

CC – Busalacchi 10 pass from Palmer (Bernstein kick)