Ok. Here is my take away:
DLS's defense does what their defense usually does -- even to elite offenses such as Centennial. They're fundamentally sound at all three levels, extremely well coached and make you earn everything.
That said, I thought Folsom's offense choked. They had numerous opportunities to score and put pressure on the Spartans offense to respond but couldn't get out of their own way.
I couldn't see the Daniyel Ngata fumble near the goal line so I have no idea whether he was really down by contact or really in the end zone first. But that was the biggest play of the game IMO because it set the Bulldogs back and negated the momentum they had built and continued to build to that point. If Folsom scores there, both teams confidence and swagger changes.
Then you factor in the long 70+ yard run by Ngata in the 2nd half that was negated by a silly, unforced illegal procedure penalty by Joe Ngata and there's your ball game. Those 2 plays did Folsom in. By their 2 star players.
Folsom could have seized control and put DLS into a very tough situation that they aren't really built for but mental lapses, penalties and coaching cost them a legit chance for a W.
I say coaching because I felt DLS made better halftime and in-game adjustments than Folsom did (which was probably expected by most). I don't think Folsom took enough deep shots to Ngata (by rolling Bennett out) for bigger plays nor did I think they took advantage of their 'other' WR Elijah Badger. It seemed whenever they did go to Badger, he made a positive play. But they didn't go to that enough to make DLS pay for paying all the attention to Joe Ngata.
Lastly, I thought Kaiden Bennett didn't play well at all. Sure, DLS's schemes, pressure and coverages were consistently good, but there were plays to be made and he didn't make many positive ones. I thought he ran too much when it clearly wasn't working much and he made a lot of poor throws.
All in all, Folsom's offense moved the ball well against what I believe will prove to be an excellent, if not elite, defense when all is said and done. But most of the 5 turnovers were unforced. It's tough to win against any capable opponent with unforced turnovers (and mental errors) when on the cusp of scoring points let alone against a team like DLS.
Props to the Spartans for the shutout and the W. They earned it, no doubt. But Folsom certainly hurt themselves as much or more than DLD did.
That's how I saw it anyway.
BTW, I absolutely KNEW that Foskey would make a big play down the middle of the field at some point in the game. I called it in some of the other threads on prepgridioron's site during the past couple weeks. Like Austin Hooper and Devin Asiata before him, that play seems to happen at least once or twice a game against Folsom. It's like clockwork.
