Hot off the wire... Big game and way to step up Pacer Nation.
Folsom at Grant 8-22-25
- Thread starter larry legend33
- Start date
Awesome that they were able to get this matchup together. The sport is better when the top local teams play each other.
Pacers played Folsom on ESPN during Shaq Thompson era (current Carolina Panther) a few years ago. Pacer All Time great Onterrio Smith son same name balled out for Folsom 2 years ago and red shirted at Sac State this past season.
Folsom at PACER HQ...nice to kickoff 2025
Folsom at PACER HQ...nice to kickoff 2025
That was 2010, when a fully healthy Pacers squad kicked the ever living football out of Folsom.
Folsom won the Section championship. No doubt!
I think he's highlighting that Grant faced significant challenges, as injuries sidelined their top two skill position players—arguably the best in the section. Shaq was hobbled by an injury sustained the previous week and was limited in his ability to play effectively (shouldn't have been on the field), while Ference Lang was unable to participate due to an injury from the first round of the playoffs. The highly anticipated rematch lost much of its luster, with 80 percent of Grant's offense and their best two defensive backs unable to participate.
While Folsom has definitely taken their program to another level, that Grant team was more talented than any Folsom team to date.
I think he's highlighting that Grant faced significant challenges, as injuries sidelined their top two skill position players—arguably the best in the section. Shaq was hobbled by an injury sustained the previous week and was limited in his ability to play effectively (shouldn't have been on the field), while Ference Lang was unable to participate due to an injury from the first round of the playoffs. The highly anticipated rematch lost much of its luster, with 80 percent of Grant's offense and their best two defensive backs unable to participate.
While Folsom has definitely taken their program to another level, that Grant team was more talented than any Folsom team to date.
True that! National TV beatdown...based on start game for 2025 game it may also appear on ESPN
I recall Folsom bombing Alberghini's Pacer edition from the arm of current Bengal backup to Burrows Jake Browning. Record setting Browning went scorched earth on Albi's team with TD passes galore...the rare time a Pacer team was obliterated in a playoff game.
Yeah, not really true. While Folsom’s defense wasn’t so great, their offense that season and the season before was as good as any they’ve had. One of the best HS QB’s they’ve had (he won Nat’l player of the year) with 3 offensive weapons as good as any they’ve had, including an NFL’er.
And stop with the next game crap. GHS was decimated by injuries to their best players. When healthy, those teams weren’t close. You of all people should know that. Too much time has passed and people forget.
Regardless, the point was about that one specific game that was brought up.
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Someone remembers.
I submit that the teams GHS fielded from 2006 - 2010 were pound for pound as good or better than any 5-year stretch from anyone in NorCal not named DLS.
2006 got voted out in favor of DLS for the top State game. 2008 remains the only NorCal team aside from DLS to win the OPEN. And 2009 arguably had the most talent of them all. 2010 was right there with them, but minus Booker.
I agree! 2006-2010 had incredible talent.
I still think the world was robbed of seeing Onterrio Smith, Donte Stallworth, and DJ Williams roam the field together! Lol
My guys...DJ went DeLaSalle-ing
Greg DuPree...Lincoln DuPree...Chad Elliot...Mario Henderson...etc
The Pacers sure could have used DJ in the 1997 playoff classic against Lance Briggs and Elk Grove.
From a more macro view, Grant Union was incredible from 1992 through 2010. Despite the early losses, I’d argue that their 1996 team may have been their very best all-around (definitely their best offense). They reached a peak very few have.
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It's hard to argue against the 96 team! They were great on offense! Weapons all over the field!
I agree. That would be a great game to start the season, especially if they were on ESPN again. Win or lose it would be nice to bring some recognition to the area, and to showcase NorCal football.
Sounds good, but ESPN in Heights, I don't see that happening. Even though the atmosphere would be amazing!
In 1997 ESPN had a sports show called High School Sports America hosted by Chris Fowler that visited Grant and did a feature on Grant BBall star Ronnie Walton.
The 96 team was loaded with talent and extremely fun to watch! The little homies were explosive on offense and made big time plays all year! What I like the most about them, and what makes them forever special in my heart, is what the have given back to the community. Donte donating to improve facilities, Reed building a championship caliber program, Tony helping to develop the JV talent, etc. On top of that, overall, they are a large part of creating a culture where kids not only graduate, but they further their education. They were special on and off the field.
Back to football. As good as they were, the one and only knock on them, is they lost to our rival NU. And they didn’t have to go through them in the playoffs. Had they had the opportunity to play them again, no doubt in my mind they win the second meeting, and the goat conversation is a lot stronger.
This might sound petty, but the rivalry was the real deal. And each game was a championship atmosphere. That's the one they had to get! And the feelings were mutual if ask any NU player from their 93 and 94 championship teams. Both years they went 13-1, losing to Grant in the regular season. The difference, the 94 team got redemption in the playoffs. Both teams were outstanding, but I'm confident the 94 team, beating Grant was the icing on the cake for team, and put them in the goat discussion.
The 96 team was still great and deserve the recognition they received/earned. But if you talk to some of them, especially some of the key players, they'll show love and respect to another 90's team that took care of business. Either way, amongst us former players, it's all love, as we enjoy debating this topic, and fxxkxng with each other.
I still keep a pair of cleats and a football in the trunk just in case I run across one of the og homies, and they still want it! 😀
That's wild! I remember Ronnie. I remember him more for his musical talents tho. And for being a ladies man. I haven't seen him in years, although I would see his dad Mr. Walton all the time at the 24 hour fitness. I moved out of state in the late 90's so I never knew he did his thang. That's awesome
100% 1st team All Metro SacBee...point guard for Grant's 1st State Final team. Pacers lost States to Collins twins from Harvard Westlake NBAers Jason and Jarron though Grant lead at half by 6.
13k in attendance
The Grant-NU football rivalry had just about everything you would want in HS sports.
Football season is pretty far away but at least on paper I gotta think Folsom is fairly heavy favorite in this game. And how much will transfers help in August given most will be not eligible unless they pull off what Parker did when he came from Elk Grove to Grant a couple years ago. Heard a story or 2 about that one but somehow, he was eligible day 1. Folsom also won't benefit from transfers until mid year but there machine is more tuned than the Pacers right now. Personally would love to see this game later in the year but I get why its played when its played. Any who knows maybe one day in the SJS playoffs.
Quite literally the greatest football rivalry ever in the SJS, IMO, at least of the CIF playoff era anyway.
Fittingly, the head-to-head record ended up dead EVEN. 16-16-1. Although the Pacers did win the CA tiebreak in the 1998 game, giving them a slight edge.
First game was played in 1973 and the most recent game played in 2013. 24 of the 33 match ups were league games (Capital Athletic, Metro) that often decided the league champion.
They met 3x in the postseason, with the Miners owning the slight edge, 2-1.
What made the rivalry so great -- aside from obvious differences between the two programs, their locations, and their fan support -- was that they were typically two of the best teams in the section, if not the two best teams, from the late 80's through the early 2000's.
Pacers 96-- NU QB Chad Elliot transfers to Grant and the Section mayhem begins challenging eligibility and Elliots true address...Elliot played for THE DPH and best memory he had 48 TD passes for Section champs
There was drama where El Camino a league team refused to play at Grant due to a gunplay incident around the campus days before game
Pacers went to El Camino instead and hung 80 plus on the Eagles...with running time
That following Alberghini was mercilessly ridiculed as a FB bully
There was drama where El Camino a league team refused to play at Grant due to a gunplay incident around the campus days before game
Pacers went to El Camino instead and hung 80 plus on the Eagles...with running time
That following Alberghini was mercilessly ridiculed as a FB bully
Yeah, that's a great call out wrt Chad Elliott. He helped NU win the D1 section title in 1994 then did the same for GHS in 1996 (not sure a player has accomplished that before or since?). His transfer to the Pacers surely leveled up the rivalry to another level.
I'm sure the Miners were sky high after defeating Elliott and the Pacers in their close 1996 contest, only to later suffer the heartbreak of missing out on the postseason via a 3-way coin flip despite finishing 9-1. Making matters worse was seeing their former QB be part of another D1 section title in their rivals uniform.
Close! He posted 47 TD passes with only 3 INT's.
The game against Johnson the prior week was called in Q3 due to a gunfire incident in parking lot. Despite the Pacers leading 27-14, the SJS ruled it a "no contest".
I'm sure that ruling, along with El Camino refusing to play at GHS the following week, placed a huge chip on the Pacers shoulders as they went to Abbott Field and put an 81-8 beat down on the Eagles.
FWIW, those 81 points only represent the 7th highest point total scored by GHS in their history. Crazy.
The game should definitely be interesting! Aside from a few key upperclassmen, the Pacers essentially had a JV team playing at the varsity level this past season. High school athletes often make the biggest strides in their abilities and physique between their sophomore and junior years. It will be fascinating to see how these young players develop next season when they are still primarily juniors and sophmores.
I'm hopeful that the defense will see significant improvements. Unfortunately, they will lose Jeremiah Tuiileila, who was the cornerstone of their defense, as he heads off to San Diego State next season. His presence will be sorely missed, but there is a wealth of talent returning to the team.
Last season, the linebackers and secondary were predominantly underclassmen, with the exception of one player. It’s been a while since we’ve seen a dominant Pacer defense—the 2010 season comes to mind, and 2014 was fairly strong. However, we’ve been missing that old-school, aggressive, fast, hard-hitting style with shutdown corners and terrorizing front sevens. It’s been quite some time since that was the norm.
With that in mind, Folsom will be the favorite as they have dominated the SJS competition. Grant will be showcasing a new quarterback, while Folsom will be led by All-State player Lyons.
There will be tons of talent on the field; hopefully, the Pacers come ready to make a statement! The game is seven months away and should be an exciting opener for NorCal and the SJS. A lot of work needs to be put in between now and then!
IDK about that. I mean, I suppose simply because they’ll still have Ryder Lyons they’ll be the favorite. But beyond that I’m not quite as convinced.
So many of GHS’s best players were underclassman. If those kids improve from last season, they’re gonna be a handful for anyone.
The big question mark is, who is going to be playing QB for the Pacers?
With Folsom and DLS on the 2025 schedule, not many will have a tougher non-league schedule than Grant Union.
Definitely!…. With a supposed 15-20 D1 players, Folsom couldn’t beat a 6 loss Serra team at home and blew a 21 point lead to PITT on the road….
Other than 2 players, Folsom doesn’t seem that great, but I guess we will see next year…. Great match up, really looking forward to this game!….
To be fair now, 2-3 of those D1 players didn't suit up for Folsom against Serra because of transfer rules 🤣
HA!…. My Bad…. So with 13-18 D1 players Folsom lost at home to a 6 loss Serra team…. 🤣
Yeah its really Ryder Lyons. You have the top play caller in the nation coming back. Grant needs a QB.
Huge hole and Folsom have tons of talent returning as well.
Serra comparison isn't a good one for those talking about that. Serra style has always bothered Folsom. Grant doesn't play that way at all.
