Just another work night for Folsom

Jake Browning sets regular season state TD pass record as Bulldogs top Pleasant Grove 63-32 to complete perfect run through Delta River League.

Despite all the mind-numbing passing and offensive totals, those doing all the passing and scoring for Folsom’s football team are very aware that none of it matters if the bottom line is not simply just to continue to improve each and every week.

“The coaches say not to pay attention to any of that stuff so we don’t,” said junior quarterback Jake Browning, who set the state regular season touchdown pass record during Friday’s 63-32 triumph over Pleasant Grove of Elk Grove. “Naturally, some of us will talk about it for a few minutes, but everybody is much more happy about being 10-0 as a team.”

Folsom’s 10-0 record now includes wins over Oak Ridge of El Dorado Hills (which was No. 11 in the state this week), Pleasant Grove, Jesuit of Carmichael and defending Division I state bowl champ Granite Bay. The Bulldogs will stay at No. 3 in the state next week but may move up a spot or two in the FAB 50 national rankings.

With his fourth TD pass of the game, according to our own Cal-Hi Sports state record book, Browning surpassed the previous state regular season record of 52 set in 1998 by Robert De La Cruz from Cathedral of Los Angeles.

That pass also was part of a streak in which Browning completed 26 straight passes, which could be another reported state record. That’s according our own stats, though, and wouldn’t be official until recorded by the school. Browning himself thought he also might have had such a streak in one game last season.

We also had Browning going 38 of 46 for 555 yards. The Sacramento Bee reported him at 36 of 45 for 483 yards. We’ll wait on official totals for that as well. It is late and math mistakes can be common.

Pleasant Grove’s offense showing some explosiveness of its own meant that the first string Folsom offense kept having to come back onto the field, which contributed to Browning’s huge night.

The Eagles were led by Esley Simmons with a 79-yard touchdown run and a 56-yard touchdown catch. Senior QB Dre Terrell also threw for a 68-yard TD to Wyatt Demps and had a 1-yard TD run.

Folsom co-coach Kris Richardson is keenly aware of all the talk about a possible rematch with De La Salle of Concord in the CIF NorCal Open Division bowl game, but seems to be taking a cue from the Spartans themselves, who have been the kings of taking it one game at a time.

“Sure, we know how everyone is talking about the Open Division coming up,” he said. “We just have to slow it down. The coaches have to keep them humble and just keep them working hard. A lot of our guys have been through it before and they get it how big these games can be.”

All three of Folsom’s top receivers had good nights, too. Senor Josiah Deguara hauled in four of Browning’s TD passes and ended with 10 catches for 157 yards. Will McClure, also a senior, had 10 for 148 and one TD while Troy Knox, who’s been a mainstay of the offense for three seasons, also had 10 catches. His went for 129 yards and two TDs.

Folsom is now expected to get a top seed in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I or Division II playoffs. Richardson said he thought it was “probably” going to be Division I. Regardless, when the pairings are announced on Saturday afternoon, the teams that won’t have to worry about playing Folsom will be a lot happier than those that do.