Folsom needs one of the following on their schedule next year: MD, SJB, C10, or MV. Plain and simple.
Thing is, outside of DLS for 5 of the past 6 years, Folsom historically hasn't shown an inclination to schedule games against programs they recognize as clearly superior to them. Games they don't reasonably expect to win (I think they expected to beat Serra-SM). Kinda like a champion boxer protecting their legacy by strategically setting up fights against favorable match ups only.
And IMO the only reason they started scheduling DLS in 2018 (Richardson's last season as HC) was because DLS stood in their path for the OPEN game and they knew they had one of the better classes of players since 2014.
They've only scheduled two Southern Section teams ever and neither were considered elite or even top level programs at the time.
I don't blame them for never scheduling Cen10, as that program historically refuses to travel outside of SoCal or Fresno sans a trip to Las Vegas last season and Peoria, AZ this season. But those other programs have shown the willingness to reciprocate travel.
Trouble is, Folsom doesn't reasonably expect to beat them and doesn't want to be Akron going into the Horseshoe in Columbus.
Again, I don't blame them (as much as I'd like to see it happen). Just as I wouldn't blame the average program here in the Sac Metro area not wanting to play Folsom.
This is something I've not understood for a while. Many NorCal teams that get games against SS competition only seem to want to swing for the fences (i.e., Mater Dei or St. John Bosco). There are a number of other teams that would provide very good reputation-building games that have demonstrated they might be open to travel: Orange Lutheran, Mission Viejo, Servite, or maybe Los Alamitos.
You're 100% right. Really, any game against a TL team not named Mater Dei or St. John Bosco would pose a serious challenge most years, as well as provide serious cachet (if won). The likes of DLS, Bishop Gorman, and Sierra Canyon, among others, have figured this out by scheduling JSerra, OLu and Servite in recent years.
Back around 10-13 years ago when Casey Taylor was still at Del Oro, they managed to schedule respectable Southern Section programs such as Westlake, Oaks Christian, Notre Dame, and Vista Murrieta. Westlake was even a top program at the time, representing the South in the OPEN game in 2011.
There are a myriad of good programs down South that would seriously strengthen SOS while not necessarily qualifying as a "blender" type game.
What about Sierra Canyon?
