Edwards scores four touchdowns to lead Victor Valley College to first victory of the season

Kenyard Edwards Jr. scored three first-half touchdowns and the Victor Valley College football team notched its first victory of the season Saturday night. 

Edwards ended with four scores on the night, bringing his season total to eight through four games, as the Rams beat Pierce College 46-0 at Julian Weaver Stadium. 

The Apple Valley graduate took 25 carries for 268 yards. 

“It was a great team effort and it feels good to get the victory,” said Edwards, who has 738 rushing yards on the season. “Everything is because of my o-line. I can’t do it without them. 

Edwards scored twice in the first quarter to give the Rams a 14-0 lead. 

The workhorse running back scored his easiest touchdown of the night in two minutes into the second quarter. 

Edwards took the handoff up the middle of the field and jogged into the end zone from 11 yards out as no defender was anywhere in sight. 

“I literally saw that they overloaded the outsides and I questioned why they would do that,” Edwards said. “I looked at my quarterback and he knew what time it was. He gave me the ball and just walked in (to the end zone).” 

The Rams tacked three points on the board to start the second half on a 25-yard field goal from Carlos Garcia, a Serrano grad. 

On the following Rams drive, Edwards turned on the boosters and broke free for a 71-yard touchdown to give the Rams a 31-0 lead.

“It was a well-deserved victory and we know what we have to do to keep on winning,” Edwards said. 

Rams head coach Artie Allen praised Edwards’ performance running the ball. But despite the four-touchdown performance, Allen said he intended issuing a challenge to the running back. 

“You kind of ask him to continue challenging himself to get better,” Allen said. “He ran the ball well but I do think there is more in him that he can do. We are going to try getting the most out of him and continue to work him this season.” 

Starting at quarterback for the first time this season, Braden Wingle threw two touchdown passes to Le-Shaun Potts to cap the scoring for the Rams. Wingle got the starting nod over KC Moore, who started the first three games. 

The first connection came in the third quarter from nine yards out as Potts leaped past his defender for the score. 

But the second was arguably the best play of the night. With the ball near midfield, Wingle hit Potts for a 20-yard pass. Potts stiff-armed his defender and beat the safety into the end zone for a 46-0 lead in the closing minutes of the game. 

Wingle completed 15 of 23 attempts for 194 yards and two touchdowns. Potts ended with six receptions for 104 yards. 

Wingle is expected to get at least another start under center for the Rams.

“We like both quarterbacks,” Allen said. “We think both are capable of running the offense and we want to make sure we give both of them opportunities. They are both sophomores and we want to make sure they both get scholarships.”

With the first victory as head coach under his belt, Allen’s first thought following the game was thinking about what needs to be fixed for the Rams after racking up 94 yards on 12 penalties. 

“I can’t help but stop thinking that we could more disciplined,” Allen said. “There were too many penalties, but that’s on us as coaches. We also could have done a better job at times in executing the things we are doing on offense, defense and special teams. And playing with more effort.”