Laney looks to make gridiron history, aims to beat Rams for third straight time

By Scott Strain, Laney Sports Information

Is the third time a charm for the Laney College football team?
The Eagles open their season on Saturday, Sept. 2, at City College of San Francisco and are looking to defeat the Rams for a third consecutive time. Game time is 1 p.m.

Last season, en route to a 9–2 finish, Laney, for the first (and only) time, defeated CCSF twice in one season. The Eagles stunned the Rams 18–13 in Oakland on Sept. 2, and then knocked them off again on their home field, 49–35, on Dec. 3 in the San Francisco Community College Bowl.

“Winning lets everybody know they can be beat. “Beating them twice took a little luster off them,” Laney head coach John Beam said. “They can be beat. The coaches are confident, the players are confident and our fans are confident.”

It was a fitting end to a fine season. Question is: Can Laney do it again in a hostile environment against a team thirsting for revenge?

The answer is yes, probably. Despite losing six players to Division I schools, the Eagles return both quarterbacks from last season and the top two running backs from an offense that led the state in rushing yards per game.

Quarterback Noah Suszckiewicz threw for 257 yards and four touchdowns in the bowl victory over CCSF and Andrew Ve’e provided a dual threat at QB with his running and passing ability.

“He has really matured and is throwing the ball very well,” Beam said of Suszckiewicz. “And Andrew has really been steady.”

The unabridged version of this story can be found on the Laney College website.