No. 2, no match for No. 1

By Ryan Kuhn
The Guardsman

City College blows out the Roadrunners in most anticipated game of the year.
Half back DeShae Edwards (4) runs past defensive back Robbie Kendall (34). Photo by Angelo Boscacci of Butte Roadrunner
 

Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinaiteri once said, “To be the best, you have to beat the best. That’s all there is to it,” and on Oct. 15, City College took those words to heart.

 

The Rams finished up their two-game road trip when they travelled north to Butte College and demonstrated that the Roadrunners were no contest, beating them in convincing fashion, 44-19 in front of a sold-out crowd.

Coming into the game ranked No. 2 overall, Butte’s third-ranked scoring offense was held to just half their average score for the season. It was their lowest point total since 2009.

“I think we played extremely well against a quality football team,” said Rams head coach George Rush. “We were playing on their field with a big crowd and a hostile audience and you wouldn’t even know they were there half of the time because there was nothing to cheer about.”

The Roadrunners took the lead eight minutes into the first quarter on a 37-yard field goal but the Rams would quickly respond.

Freshman quarterback Turner Baty, who came into the game with a record of 12 touchdown passes and only one interception, led the Rams down the field to score on a 45-yard pass to Desmond Epps.

Despite throwing a pair of interceptions, Baty stayed composed throughout the match, throwing for 281 yards and three touchdown passes.

“I’m really satisfied with the way he played,” Rush said. “He made throws and he ran the ball extremely well today. I couldn’t be more pleased with our offense.”

After scoring three more times with a second touchdown pass and a pair of field goals, City College took a 9-point lead into halftime.

In the second half the Rams drifted away from the passing game and used a running game to control the offense, led by a tandem team of Dorian Cozart and DeShae Edwards. The two rushed for a combined 174 yards.

“Our game plan was just to pass the ball to open the run up and mix it up from there,” Cozart said.

Even the wide receivers started running the ball as Epps became the focus, running a double reverse in the third quarter to extend their lead by 18.

With just 16 points of offense in the previous game against San Joaquin Delta College, Baty said he was glad to see his team wake up.

“Last week the defense bailed us out and did a great job but this week our offense just stepped it up,” he said. “It taught us just to bounce back. When we get knocked down, we come together as a team.”

When the Rams quarterback was asked if this team could win a state championship, Baty answered in one simple word: absolutely.

City College returns home to face Laney College on Oct. 21.