Football Captures First-Ever Home Bowl, Capping Historic 10–1 Season

VICTORVILLE, Calif. – Under the lights at Rams Stadium, Victor Valley College football did more than win a game – it made history. The Rams stormed past Santa Monica College, 38–23, in the American Division Championship Bowl, securing the program's first-ever home bowl victory and closing the 2025 season with a 10–1 record and an outright American Metro Conference championship.

A Championship Won on Their Own Turf

On a cool High Desert evening, the Rams and Corsairs traded early blows in a tense, physical championship matchup. Santa Monica struck first with a field goal and later added a touchdown through the air to take a 10–7 lead into halftime, sending Victor Valley to the locker room trailing on the scoreboard but not in belief.

Coming out of the break, Santa Monica briefly seized control with a long touchdown run to make it 17–7. That could have been the moment the Rams flinched. Instead, it became the spark.

Sophomore running back Carlos Amplayo ignited the comeback with a 39-yard touchdown burst, slicing through the defense and cutting the deficit back to one score. On the next key drive, quarterback Seth Burbine found Darren Gandy in the end zone again, flipping the game on its head and giving Victor Valley a 21–17 lead as Rams Stadium erupted.

From there, the Rams took full control. The offense stacked on more points behind a balanced attack, while the defense grew more disruptive with every snap, forcing hurried throws and closing running lanes.

The dagger came in the fourth quarter. Freshman defensive back Zatravion Stevenson Henderson, who had been steady all year on the back end, jumped a route and came down with a clutch interception, racing deep into Santa Monica territory. Victor Valley turned that takeaway into crucial points – adding a field goal and later a defensive score – to push the game out of reach and finish off a 38–23 championship triumph in front of a packed home crowd.

"This is the kind of win that creates a legacy," said head coach David Slover, who called being the first to achieve a championship of this magnitude at VVC "extraordinary" and a reflection of the work of players, staff, and the entire campus community.

From "Retribution and Repeat Goals" to Champions

Back in August, the Rams opened camp talking about two things: retribution and repeat goals. The 2024 season had ended with a shared title; 2025 was about leaving no doubt.

Victor Valley set the tone immediately:

• 31–17 win at Glendale to open the season.

• 55–7 rout of LA Pierce in the home opener.

• 27–16 home win over Santa Monica that pushed the Rams to 3–0 and announced them as a serious contender in the American Metro.

From there, the Rams embraced drama as much as dominance. A 33–27 overtime victory at San Bernardino Valley showcased their resilience, while a narrow 39–37 road win at Antelope Valley proved they could close out tight games in hostile environments.

Their lone setback, a 31–28 loss to Grossmont, could have derailed the season. Instead, it became a turning point. Victor Valley responded with a six-game winning streak that included:

• A 79–29 home explosion against LA Valley.

• A 53–20 road statement at Desert.

• A 1–0 forfeit win over Compton.

• The 39–14 championship-clinching victory at LA Southwest that locked up the American Metro title and the right to host the American Division Championship Bowl.

By the time bowl selections were announced, the Rams had climbed to 10–1 overall, representing the SCFA's American Metro League as champions and earning national recognition as a top-50 program in the JCGridiron Dirty 30 rankings.

Air Attack Led by Burbine and a Deep Receiver Room

At the center of Victor Valley's offensive identity was sophomore quarterback Seth Burbine, who turned in one of the most efficient seasons in program history. Through the regular season, Burbine completed 206 of 314 passes (65.6%) for 2,338 yards and 25 touchdowns, averaging nearly 260 passing yards per game and posting a passer efficiency rating of 149.3.

Burbine's production was amplified by a receiver group that forced defenses to pick their poison:

• Ricky Sampson stretched the field and regularly flipped field position with chunk plays.

• Darren Gandy became a go-to target on third down and in the red zone, including two touchdown receptions in the bowl game to power the comeback.

• Don Henry provided consistent chain-moving catches and reliable hands underneath.

• Cael Meisman was a matchup problem in space, finding seams in zones and winning on the perimeter.

• Teshawn Cleveland contributed both as a pass-catcher and as a dynamic option in the run game.

Week after week, the Rams offense attacked vertically, spread the ball around, and forced opponents to defend every blade of turf. Over the regular season, Victor Valley averaged 497.5 yards per game, including 292.9 passing yards, and 43.1 points per contest – numbers that ranked among the most explosive in the American Division.

Ground Game: A Three-Headed Backfield

While the passing numbers grabbed headlines, the Rams' ground game quietly gave the offense its edge and identity. Behind a physical offensive line, Victor Valley rushed for 204.6 yards per game in the regular season.

The rushing attack was built around a true three-headed monster:

• Jayon Gillett (Sophomore RB) carried the load with 95 rushing attempts for 544 yards and 5 touchdowns, averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

• Carlos Amplayo (Freshman RB) matched that production with 64 carries for 542 yards and 4 touchdowns, an incredible 8.5 yards per carry – and delivered the signature 39-yard bowl-game touchdown that sparked the comeback.

• Teshawn Cleveland added 439 rushing yards and 4 scores on 75 carries, averaging 5.9 yards per attempt and giving the Rams yet another explosive option out of the backfield.

Together, that trio helped Victor Valley control tempo, close out games in the fourth quarter, and keep defenses from keying solely on the passing game.

Defense: Built for Championship Moments

The Rams' offense often stole the spotlight, but the defense was built for championship football – disruptive up front, opportunistic in the secondary, and balanced across all three levels.

Regular-season numbers tell part of the story: Victor Valley held opponents to 23.0 points per game, with 142.4 rushing yards and 212.9 passing yards allowed on average.

Key defensive standouts included:

• Adan Torres (LB) – The tackling machine in the middle, leading the team with 45 total tackles, plus 2.5 tackles for loss.

• Gabriel Garcia Jr. (DB) – The steady presence in the secondary, posting 31 tackles, 2 TFLs, and a sack while directing traffic in coverage.

• John Swain (DB) – One of the most consistent playmakers on the back end, with 28 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and an interception.

• Ethan Lizama (DL) – A force on the defensive front, finishing the regular season with 22 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks, plus an interception he returned 73 yards.

• Charles King (DL) and Tyler King (DL) – A disruptive duo combining for key tackles for loss and sacks that changed drives.

• Samuelo Tofaeono (DL) – Brought power and burst on the interior, adding 1.5 sacks and steady pressure.

• Elliott Norrignton, Brandon Moree, Quamaine Thomas, Atlas Bailey, and Shane Young – All contributed interceptions and pass breakups, helping the Rams win the turnover battle throughout the season.

In the bowl game, that same defensive DNA showed up when it mattered most. After giving up a big play early in the second half, the Rams stiffened, tightened coverage, and started winning first down. Henderson's fourth-quarter interception was the exclamation point on a season-long theme: when the Rams needed a big play on defense, someone stepped up.

Special Teams: The Hidden Edge

Championship teams win in all three phases, and Victor Valley's special teams were a quiet strength all season.

Freshman kicker Angel Montero Sanchez gave the Rams stability and range in the kicking game, going 9-of-14 on field goals with a long of 45 yards, and converting 46 of 48 PATs for a team-best 73 points scored.

Field position, coverage units, and the ability to finish drives with points all proved essential in a season where several games – including the Antelope Valley thriller and the bowl – swung on a handful of key moments.

A Legacy Moment for Victor Valley College

For Victor Valley College, this American Division Championship is more than a trophy; it's a program-defining milestone. The Rams completed a 10–1 season, repeated as American Metro champions (this time outright), and brought home the first home bowl victory in school history.

Athletic Director Artie Allen called the championship "one of the greatest moments" of his 20-plus years in community college athletics, emphasizing how far the program has come since rebuilding began just a few seasons ago and crediting the alignment between campus leadership, coaching staff, and student-athletes.

From the early-season statement at Glendale to the overtime win over San Bernardino Valley, the offensive fireworks against LA Valley, the conference-clinching road victory at LA Southwest, and finally the fourth-quarter surge to put away Santa Monica on championship night – the 2025 Rams wrote a story that will live in Victor Valley College history.

For the student-athletes who wore green and gold this fall, this season will be remembered not just for points, yards, and wins, but for what it represented: belief, persistence, and the feeling of walking off their own field as champions.

Stay connected with the Rams through social media. Follow Victor Valley College Athletics on Twitter @vvc_Rams. Check-in with the Rams on Facebook/VVCathletics and on Instagram @vvcathletics.

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