High School

Pittsburg fights back from 21-0 down, beats Folsom, Ryder Lyons 28-27: Live score recap

Marley Alcantara passes for four touchdowns to avenge last year’s season-ending defeat to win the CIF Northern California Division 1-AA championship

Mitch Stephens

Pittsburg quarterback Marley Alcantara, shown here during Folsom's 28-25 home win over the Pirates in last year's NorCal D1-A title game, threw for 2,675 yards and 37 touchdowns as a junior. The two teams renew their rivalry for the NorCal D1-AA title Friday at Pittsburg.
Pittsburg quarterback Marley Alcantara, shown here during Folsom's 28-25 home win over the Pirates in last year's NorCal D1-A title game, threw for 2,675 yards and 37 touchdowns as a junior. The two teams renew their rivalry for the NorCal D1-AA title Friday at Pittsburg. / Photo: Dennis Lee

PITTSBURG, CALIFORNIA — If the rematch is anything like the original from last season, this CIF Division 1-AA Northern California championship should be fantastic.

And it was.

Marley was magnificent. The Pittsburg defense was stout. And the Pirates' resolve and athleticism showed out in a fantastic 28-27 win Friday over defending state champion Folsom.

The Pirates (12-2) somehow fought back from a 21-0 hole behind their 5-foot-7 leader, Marley Alcantara, who threw four touchdowns passes to match the four-touchdown performance of the game's headliner Ryder Lyons, the nation's No. 2 rated junior quarterback who accounted for all four touchdowns in last year's 28-25 Folsom win.

He once again accounted for four scores — two rushing and two passing — but the his two-point conversion try with 2 minutes, 4 seconds remaining was thwarted by Jamar Searcy.

The Bulldogs (12-2) held Pittsburg to three-and-out but had to use all three timeouts. It took over from its own 27 with 1:37 remaining. But a sack a penalty eventually made it 4th-and-20, Lyons scrambled and had a lot of green grass ahead.

On many nights, he's fast and athletic enough to get it. But the speedy Pirates closed quickly, five yards short. When he was it the ball busted loose, the Pirates recovered and they avenged last year's defeat.

Alcantara completed two touchdown passes to Rolph Mosley and one each to freshman Kenny Moore and the go-ahead to Truly Bell, a 5-yard slant late in the third quarter to make it 28-21.

Pittsburg would have pitched a shutout the final 34 minutes, but a fumble set up a 17-yard field that Lyons eventually scored on with 2:03 remaining.

The Pirates now meet San Diego Lincoln, a 34-27 winner over Newbury Park, in next Friday's 8 p.m. Division 1-AA state championship game at Saddleback College. Much more on this game later (see all the scoring plays below and video highlights).

PREGAME: Defending state Division 1-A champion Folsom (12-1) travels to Pittsburg (11-2) in a rematch of their 1-A championship game a year ago, when Folsom pulled out a 28-25 win thanks to 327 total yards and all four touchdowns from quarterback Ryder Lyons, the No. 2 ranked QB recruit from the 2026 Class accoring to 247Sports.

Many of the same top players return, however Folsom did add a pair of Division 1 transfers in Texas-bound defensive tackle Josiah Sharma (6-foot-5, 315 pounds) and Nevada-signee running back Carter Jackson (910 rushing yards, 10 TDs). Add in the passing combination between Lyons (3,425 total yards, 56 TDs) and junior wideout Jameson Powell (64 catches, 887 yards, 16 TDs) and USC-bound tight end Taniela Tupou (32, 566, 12), a rugged defense that hasn't given up a point since mid November and it's no wonder why most, including the CalPreps compute, are picking the Bulldogs to repeat.

Pittsburg, under second-year head coach Charlie Ramirez, is confident his group is a year stronger and smarter and knows how to deal with the talented five-time state champions. The Pirates certaiinly have the talent, with five players having signed Wednesday to Division I programs, including UCLA bound Jadyn Hudson, at safety, and defensive end Juju Walls, both four year starters.

Add in San Diego State bound middle linebacker Etene Pritchard, Boise State signee Domink Calhoun, at linebacker, and the team's top two-way threat, running back and strong safety Jamar Searcy (Washington State) and Folsom coach Paul Doherty is wondering where are there any holes. Searcy has rushed for 1,414 yards and 18 touchdowns and elusive Pittsburg QB Marley Alcantara has thrown for 2,598 yards and 36 touchdowns. Highlights of last year's game below:

What most are counting on is that Lyons will fill up any holes, though we found a coach who had possibly a couple solutions to slow down the Josh Allen-type threat.

How to slow Folsom 5-star quarterback Ryder Lyons? Put your hands together says one California coach

Follow along below for live updates from the CIF regional bowl game between Folsom and Pittsburg, which is scheculed to kick off at 7:30 p.m. The winner plays the winner of Newbury Park vs. Lincoln in next week's state title game. Check in on that live update below

Folsom at Pittsburg, Division I-AA regional bowl game live updates

Updates will be placed here once the game starts; refresh and scroll down for the latest updates.

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1ST QUARTER

TOUCHDOWN FOLSOM: Bulldogs take opening drive, control clock, all but one on the ground but one pass. Guess who scored. Ryder Lyons 1-yard run. 40-yard burst by Jackson sets it up. Lyons also completed 4th-and-6 from own 46 to Powell 8 yards. Folsom 7, Pittsburg 0. 6:43 1Q.

TOUCHDOWN FOLSOM! After Pittsburg fumbles on first play, Bulldogs go 35 yards, Ryder to Daymion River 7 yards on third down. Steam taken out of a spirited Pittsburg team. Folsom 14, Pittsburg 0. 3:26 1Q.

2ND QUARTER

TOUCHDOWN FOLSOM! 4TH-AND-15 from Pittsburg 30, Lyons rolls right perfect pass right corner of end zone. Great catch. After long delay from refs, rule his feet are in. Remarkable. Folsom 21, Pittsburg 0. 10:24 2Q

TOUCHDOWN PITTSBURG! PIRATES travel 70 yards, nice gains by Jamar Searcy, Alcantara with a big scramble then completes pretty 12-yard TD to freshman Kenneth Moore in right corner of end zone. A stop and score and we got a game. Folsom 21, Pittsburg 7. 7:54 2Q.

TOUCHDOWN PITTSBURG! Got a ball game now. Alcantara with second TD pass, another perfect throw and better catch, a one-handed for 10 yards, cuts Folsom’s lead to 21-14. Midway through 2Q.

SACK SEARCY! Pittsburg with all momentum to close the half, a Searcy, a Washington State signee, sacks Lyons two plays after Boise State-bound Dominik Calhoun sacks Lyons. I’m guessing he hasn’t been sacked even 10 times all year. Maybe not even five.

HALFTIME SCORE: Folsom 21, Pittsburg 14

3RD QUARTER

TOUCHDOWN PITTSBURG! After two 3-and-outs, Alcantara and Mosley hook up again, this more conventional 25-yard pass and catch. Pirates with 21 straight. No panic or passion on Folsom sideline. They got the franchise in control, so no reason to lose it. Pittsburg 21, Folsom 21. 8:04 2Q.

PITTSBURG TOUCHDOWN!!! ANOTHER Alcantara dime, this 5-yard TD to Truly Bell. Pirates take the lead. Mosley had two more big catches, one a shorter out he turned into 40-yard gain. Pittsburg 28, Folsom 21. 3:42 3Q. Pittsburg has scored 28 straight in little more than a quarter.

END OF 3: PITTSBURG 28, Folsom 21

4TH QUARTER

HUGE PLAY! A Pittsburg punt was touched inside the Folsom 10, but not downed. So Kam Totton picks up and returns 70 yards to the Pittsburg 19. What a turnaround. Folsom in perfect position to tie it back up. Huge momentum swing.

PIRATES HOLD: Folsom goes four and out, then holds Pittsburg, the Pirates go 3-and-out.

SEARCY SAUCE: Folsom drives inside the red zone, but on third down, Jamar Searcy forces Lyons to fumble, Pittsburg recovers with 4:49 left in the game.

PITTSBURG FUMBLES: Folsom recovers at the Pitt 16.

TOUCHDOWN FOLSOM! Lyons rolls left for 3-yard touchdown to close to 28-27 with 2:03 remaining.

FOLSOM GOES FOR 2! Lyons stumbles and is tackled short four yards short. Guess who finished him off — Saucy Searcy again! Pittsburg still holds 28-27 lead, Folsom has 3 timeouts. I would have gone for it also with Lyons. But again, Pittsburg equal to task.

FOLSOM OUT OF TIMEOUTS, PITTSBURG TO PUNT! Three short runs plus a penalty makes it 4th-and-5 from 27. Pittsburg to punt.

2 INCOMPLETIONS: 3rd-and-10 from Pittsburg 27. No timeouts.

LYONS STOPPED SHORT, PIRATES WIN!: On 4th-and-20, Lyons scrambles for about 15 but is tackled short.

FINAL: Pittsburg 28, Folsom 27

Published |Modified
Mitch Stephens
MITCH STEPHENS

Mitch Stephens is a senior editor at SBLive Sports for California, a state he's covered high school sports since 1984. He won multiple CNPA and CPSWA writing awards with the Contra Costa Times, San Francisco Chronicle and MaxPreps.com before joining the SBLive staff in 2022. He's covered the beat nationally since 2007, profiling such athletes as Derrick Henry, Paige Bueckers, Patrick Mahomes, Sabrina Ionescu, Jayson Tatum, Chiney Ogwumike, Jeremy Lin and Najee Harris as preps. You can reach him at mitch@scorebooklive.com.

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