Sac-Joaquin Section Report
Franklin unveils new offense in rout of Petaluma Casa Grande
Despite waiting almost an hour after the originally scheduled 7:30 start time, and making a big switch at quarterback, El Grove Franklin (2-1) overcame a slow start to put a 43-3 shellacking on host Casa Grande of Petaluma.
A bad accident between Elk Grove and Petaluma delayed the JV team even longer than the varsity in arriving for its game. The result was in order to start the main contest before 8:30, officials had to call the JV game after three quarters with Franklin up by four touchdowns.
“We’re going to go with our junior Jacob Lopez at quarterback and move Lamar (Jackson) to running back. He’ll play slot too and even play some on defense,” Franklin head coach Mike Johnson told Prep2Prep prior to the game.
On his first play at running back Jackson was dropped for a 5-yard loss, and through two fairly sloppy quarters Franklin only had a comfortable but not huge 17-3 lead. However after all was said and done the 6-foot-3, 205-pound junior rushed for 101 yards and three touchdowns in the romp. He also caught three passes for 23 yards.
It only made sense that it was going to take a little time for the team to get adjusted to Lopez as quarterback in game conditions, and the game before a showdown this coming week with Cal-Hi Sports No. 18 and Sacramento Bee No. 4 ranked Sacramento Grant was the perfect time to make the switch if one had to be made or tried.
“With Lamar at running back or lined up in the slot, teams won’t be able to put so many guys in the box,” said Johnson.
Last week Franklin had a 28-7 second quarter lead before the Bellarmine (San Jose) defense put the clamps on Jackson as a dual threat quarterback. A combination of that and mistakes by the young Wildcats led to 35-straight points by Bellarmine in a 42-28 defeat.
Against Casa Grande Lopez actually took to being the starting signal-caller like water to a duck. The 6-foot, 170-pounder completed his first pass, a 22-yarder to sophomore Kadero Tamondong. On the seventh play of a 65-yard opening drive Lopez bootlegged it in from 2-yards out to give the Wildcats the only touchdown they would need. He finished a very respectable 9-for-14 passing for 117 yards, and added 34 yards rushing and the one score.
The Franklin defense was a nightmare for Casa Grande, particularly in the third quarter. In three drives that quarter, all which included a sack, the Wildcats defense held the Gauchos to minus-19 yards.
Reid Abshear had one of his four sacks in the third quarter. Besides the sacks the 6-1, 200-pound senior had a fumble recovery that led to the first touchdown and two tackles for losses. Patrick Walker had two of his three sacks in the third quarter.
As for Jackson’s first game as strictly a running back and defensive back, its obvious why Florida State and Boise State really like him and many other top programs are joining in.
Jackson needs to learn some of the finer points as a running back, like finding the holes faster and then turning it up field a little quicker, but he’s explosive and hard to bring down in the open field. As a defensive back he was put against Casa’s top receivers and was totally lockdown.
Folsom 56, Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) 6
The assault on the Cal-Hi Sports Record Book and now a potential shot at a national record continued for Washington-bound Folsom quarterback Jake Browning.
This week he threw seven touchdowns, all in the first half, as Cal-Hi Sports No. 5 and Sacramento Bee top-ranked Folsom (3-0) scored all its points in the first two quarters of a game played at Sacramento Sheldon.
Browning threw an 80-yard pass to Cole Thompson on the first play from scrimmage, then hit Thompson again with a 63-yard strike on the next series.
The 6-2, 210-pound Browning finished 24-of-33 for 532 yards and the seven scores. He also snuck one in rushing on a 1-yard plunge.
Thompson ended up with six catches for 279 yards and four touchdowns.
Browning, who broke the California record for career TD passes last week, now has 158 for his career and 20 for the first three games this season. The national record of 210 was set by Marty Mauk of Kenton, Ohio, in 2011.
This was Folsom’s first game against a CIF Sac-Joaquin Section opponent. The Bulldogs opened the season with a 55-10 win over CIF San Diego Section power Cathedral Catholic in San Diego, then stormed past Clovis North of Fresno 49-13 last week.
Next up for Folsom is Burbank of Sacramento at home before opening newly re-aligned Sierra Foothill League play with rival Granite Bay at home.
Pleasant Grove (1-2) will be in tough once again this week at home against 1-1 Jesuit of Carmichael.
Grant (Sacramento) 28, Fresno Bullard 14
Running back DeShawn Collins rushed for 269 yards and four touchdowns and the Pacers defense recorded six sacks in handing a very solid Bullard their first loss of the season.
The Cal-Hi Sports No. 18 and Sacramento Bee No. 4 ranked Pacers (3-0) continued their success against Fresno teams after a 36-13 win over Fresno Central last week.
Elk Grove 29, Stockton Lincoln 7
It was the Spencer Sheff show in a victory that saw the Cal-Hi Sports No. 22 and Sacramento Bee No. 2 ranked Thundering Herd overcome three first quarter turnovers.
Sheff, a 5-11, 200-pound bruising senior running back, rushed for 116 yards on 20 carries and scored two touchdowns. He also recorded a safety.
Up next is an interesting match-up with Yuba City at home. The Honkers are 1-2 but coming off a 47-29 win over CIF Northern Section power Foothill of Palo Cedro.
Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) 45, Sacramento Burbank 28
After escaping with a 24-23 win against a very solid Vacaville team last week by stopping a potential winning two-point conversion inches short, the boys from the foothills had to overcome a 7-0 deficit this week against a talented Burbank squad.
Quarterback Ian Book led the Sacramento Bee No. 3 ranked Trojans (3-0) to 35-straight points that turned the deficit into a 35-7 halftime lead. The 6-foot, 170-pound junior finished with 226 yards passing and three touchdowns.
On tap for Oak Ridge is a home date with Reed of Sparks, Nevada. Burbank (0-2) has the daunting task of going to Folsom.
Rocklin 62, Rocklin Whitney 14
According to the Sacramento Bee an estimated 6,000 fans packed the Quarry Bowl to see the host and Bee No. 6 ranked Thunder (3-0) crush their cross-town arch rivals.
Riley Clark rushed for four touchdowns and Max O’Rourke passed for two TDs and had a third score rushing. .
Up next for Rocklin is Sacramento at home.
Vacaville 44, Enterprise (Redding) 22
The Bulldogs, who along with Oak Ridge are on the Cal-Hi Sports Top 25 Bubble, overcame the heartbreaking loss to Oak Ridge last week with a resounding victory over the defending Northern California Division II Bowl Game champions.
Vacaville (1-1) is not in the Sacramento Bee rankings but is amongst the top 10 in the Maxpreps Sac-Joaquin Section rankings.
It was a close first half with the Bulldogs only holding a 17-14 lead, but the second half belonged to the hosts.
Up next is a huge test at Sacramento Bee No. 5 ranked and undefeated Granite Bay
