Lodi vs. Garfield or Rams vs. Boilermakers; no matter which way you say it, the importance of this game does not change for all your fall sports teams here at Lodi High School. The Lodi Rampage is proud to present to you an overview of how Lodi fared against our rivals, the Garfield Boilermakers!

Lodi Rams Football:

On Saturday Sept. 19, the Lodi Rams fell short of the Garfield Boilermakers by a score of 14-6. This was the Rams’ first home game of the season, and the boys were more than excited to play their rival. The game was full of energy and remained intense through all four quarters. Both teams came out strong, leaving the first quarter scoreless. It wasn’t until the second quarter where the Boilermakers scored their only two touchdowns of the game. “After that, our defense really stepped up. Compared to our Hawthorne game, everyone did a lot better. Our linebackers and linemen were ready and hyped to hit, especially since it was Garfield,” says Senior Captain Steven Villa. Lodi came out strong and was really looking to score during the second half. During the fourth quarter, Villa found Junior, Dayshawn Cunningham, in the endzone to score the Rams’ first and only touchdown. “We fought until the end. I’m so proud of this team and the way they played against a tough Garfield team. Now, we’re just moving on,” says Villa. The football team is now 0-3 and will be playing another rival, Elmwood Park, this Saturday. With intense practices and film time during the week, the Rams are looking to pick up their first win this weekend.

Gallery • 4 Photos

Rams line up on defense against the Boilermakers

Lodi Rams Boys Soccer:

The rams have been there before, walking off the field in rival town Garfield with a defeat. Last year it was an agonizing 2-1 defeat in double overtime; this year it was a heartbreaking 4-0 defeat filled with injuries. Despite the different scoreline, one thing remained constant from last year to now, the passion with which the rams fought. Through an interview with junior, Bryan Williams, who played his first Garfield game, the Rampage was able to gather some more insight on how the team felt about the game. “They were good, but I think we fought back pretty well and hopefully next time we can get a better result,” said Bryan. The Garfield Boilermakers have been getting the best of the Rams recently, but the Rams remain optimistic. With another chance to face them, this time on Lodi’s turf, the Rams hope to get the victory and turn around their, so far, rough season. “We’re going to come back harder and get it next game,” said Bryan. The Lodi Rampage and Lodi High School student body is confident that the rams will not only get a victory the second time around, but also have a strong finish to the second half of the season!

Lodi Rams Girls Soccer:

The Lodi girl’s varsity soccer team once came away with an impressive 8-1 victory over rivals, Garfield. Through a hard fought victory, the Lady Rams improved their record to 2-4 for the season and look to continue improving. However, this huge team victory could not have been accomplished without the help of some of the new faces on the team. The Lodi Rampage was able to speak with two freshmen starters and get some insight on their first Lodi vs. Garfield rivalry experience. Midfielder, number eight, Andrea Vasquez said that her first Lodi Garfield game “went as expected, but also to never underestimate your opponents.” This midfielder had 1 goal and 2 assists against the Boilermakers, really showing Garfield “who we are as a team.” Defender, number 13, Daysia Bubenik expressed that she “felt the intensity and was hungry to play.” Bubenik said that her and her teammates were “in game mode, ready to see what Garfield had in store for them.” The defender also netted a goal in the victory for the Lady Rams. The underclassmen stepped up in a huge way for the Lady Rams and the team hopes they continue to do so for the rest of the season. Regardless, the future is looking bright for our Lady Rams soccer team!

Lodi Rams Volleyball:

The two teams lined up in the center of the gymnasium for the Pledge of Allegiance. With racing hearts and determined looks, the Lady Rams were ready to take on the Boilermakers. The two teams have a great deal of history, with the all-time matchup neck and neck. The first set went in favor of the boilermakers, comfortably, while the second one was much closer; but the Boilermakers, ultimately, won the set and match. Despite the loss, the Rams were not deterred one bit from their goal of success this year. The Rampage sat down with junior, Nicolette Maggiore, to ask some questions about her experience in the rival game. “I love the competition. The energy was high, and it was just a myriad of emotions,” said Maggiore when asked how she felt during the game. As for how the team can change for the better, “We can improve defensively and clean up our passes, but overall I wouldn’t want to change much because we all always give 110% on the court.” To close, Nicolette states the loss has the team driven to practice and play harder every single day. The Lady Rams look to improve their record to .500 next week with a couple of games on their schedule. Stay tuned for the latest information on Lady Rams Volleyball! 

Lodi Rams Tennis:

It’s rivalry week here at Lodi High School and The Lodi Rampage sat down with Coach D’ Alessio to get his thoughts about the game and how he feels about their victory over Garfield. This was the girls’ first victory of the season and they were ecstatic that it was against their rivals. This is one team that the girls look forward to playing each year. Since they’re always playing to the best of their abilities,  they can come out with a win no matter which team they’re versing. That being said, the win against the Boilermakers is just a sweet feeling for the team. Check out the interview below!