The Fresno City College Rams football team was an absolute Tour de Force in their 35-16 demolition of Laney College on Oct. 17 at Ratcliffe stadium in Fresno, officially beginning the conference season for the team.

Coming off of a bye, the Rams were looking to build on their victory versus Reedley two weeks ago, this after a tough two-game losing streak to San Francisco and Butte.

“Well, we knew we had to play a complete football game,” head coach Tony Caviglia said. “We weren’t playing as well as we thought we should be playing and for this team to come in here and do what they did tonight, I’m very proud of them.”

Laney quarterback Stevie Farmer connected with his receiver Michael Maxwell for a 77-yard touchdown pass to take an early first-quarter lead, swinging the momentum directly to the Eagles.

“We blew a coverage,” Caviglia said. “And that stuff happens but you know what? We didn’t blink wand we responded and finished.”

The Rams responded and took the ball right back down the field, capping a long drive off with a 19-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Christian Rossi to wide receiver Kailon Carter.

Rams defensive back Tajhe Moore made sure that his team kept the momentum as he intercepted Farmer’s pass and returned it for a touchdown to make the score 21-6 Fresno, giving the team a nice cushion to work with.

Laney players, coaches and fans alike got used to hearing the announcer say ‘Rossi to Carter for the touchdown,’ as those two Rams kept it going throughout the entire game. Rossi hooked up with

Carter again twice in the third quarter, including a pair of huge passes for touchdowns, which stretched the lead to what would be the Rams final total. Laney could only muster a single, solitary field goal in the second half.

Carter said that those type of plays have a big impact on the whole team. “I think that it really brings a lot of energy. It’s like a domino effect,” he said. “We all won; we all wear Fresno across our chest. Once one person makes a good play, it’s like everyone else is making a good play. It’s just like electricity going around the stadium.”

Rossi said that wins like these will help the team down the road.

“It’s always good to start league off with a win. Hopefully it transfers to next week,” Rossi said. “I know that each week we are just trying to go 1-0 and trying to win every week, and now it’s back to work on Monday. We’ll prepare and it should carry over.”

Rossi finished with 239 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Carter’s final line was five receptions for 194 yards and three touchdowns.

“It’s important to win that first conference game and I really feel we were playing good coming off the bye, which is something that we wanted to do,” Caviglia said. “We got healthier, and we played a complete game.”

The Rams now will now focus on their game at Chabot College on Oct. 24 before returning to Fresno for homecoming week. Rossi is excited for the occasion.

“Playing in front of all the former Rams is awesome,” Rossi said. “Getting to see the guys that I played with last year and also the guys in the Ram hall of fame will be an honor playing in front of them, and it should be a good game.”