Rams keep playoff hopes alive with game-winning 49-yard field goal

Lliam Peterson would be lying if he said he was nervous about potentially kicking the game-winning field goal.

He had just missed a 49-yard field goal earlier in the game.

Peterson had a chance to redeem himself with the game on the line.

Peterson lined up for a 49-yard attempt and kicked it. This time the football sailed over the goal posts with plenty of room to give Fresno City College a 23-21 victory in a Valley Conference game Saturday afternoon at Ratcliffe Stadium.

"I'm nervous because it's the game winner," Peterson said, moments before he kicked the ball. "I know I can make it, so I just stuck to my roots, took the rushers out of the play, just imagined it was in my backyard. I was able to do it."

The victory keeps the Rams' hopes for an at-large playoff berth. The win also gave Tony Caviglia his 200th as the Fresno City coach, who recently announced that he will retire at the end of the season.

Rams running back Jordan Colbert, who had two touchdown runs of 10 and 64 yards, said he is happy to have Peterson as a teammate.

"That's the type of dude he is," Colbert said. "Right here, man."

Colbert knows what is at stake for his Rams (5-4, 3-1), with one game remaining against Reedley in the Battle for the Pump. That game will take place Nov. 8 at Reedley High.

"Gotta keep doing what we're doing," he said. "We just got to go and compete. I got confidence. We just got to stay humble."

After the game, Caviglia was relieved that Peterson found redemption.

"He's a good kicker," he said. "He practiced in that spot a lot, and it worked out well."