By Joel Langton
The 830 Times
For the first time in nearly two years, the Del Rio Rams walked off the field with the score in their favor.
Del Rio snapped a 12-game losing streak Friday night, overcoming a second-half rally by San Antonio Stevens to defeat the Falcons, 35-32, at Walter Levermann Ram Stadium.
The victory was Del Rio’s first since a 14-13 win over Medina Valley on Nov. 1, 2024, and the first win for new Rams head coach Daniel Infante, now at .500 with a 1-1 record.
It also gave substance to a theme Del Rio has embraced since Infante took over the program: “The Revival.”
The Rams entered the night hoping all their offseason work was beginning to pay off. They got their answer by overcoming a failed fourth-down attempt, two interceptions and a third quarter where Stevens erased Del Rio’s nine-point halftime lead.
Rather than collapse when the game turned against them, the Rams responded with 14 consecutive points in the fourth quarter and held on through one final Stevens comeback attempt.
“It feels amazing, just seeing the community come together for the first win in over a year,” quarterback Rodrigo Carmona said. “It’s amazing. It’s beautiful.”
Rodrigo’s night was key to that win, as he rolled up 29 completions in 34 attempts for 319 yards.
Del Rio’s first drive ended near the Stevens 18-yard line when the Rams went for it on fourth-and-2 and failed to convert. Stevens took over and answered with a drive capped by an 18-yard run over the right side and into the end zone.
Some questioned the decision to go for it that early and that close to the opponent’s goal line.
Infante said the decision was about more than gaining two yards.
“Just confidence in our guys,” Infante said. “I was trying to build that confidence in our guys. I use the old analogy: I’m like an old Mexican boxer, man. I’m going to go down swinging—those Julio César Chávez-type Mexican-style boxers. I’m going to go down swinging.
“I wanted to show them that I had confidence in them to get that first down. Unfortunately, we didn’t, and those are little things we need to fix. But I wanted to show them that I believed they could get it.”
Stevens scored the only touchdown of the first quarter but failed to add the conversion, sending Del Rio into the second quarter trailing 6-0.
The Rams’ offense then came alive.
Del Rio scored three touchdowns in the second quarter, including a Carmona touchdown pass to Nathen Mojica and a scoring run by Carmona. Carmona also rushed for 87 yards on 12 carries. He managed to touch the ball on every scoring play, personally passing for three and rushing for another.
Stevens answered with a rushing touchdown but failed on a two-point conversion, allowing the Rams to carry a 21-12 lead into halftime.
Infante said he used a familiar image to explain the team’s progress during his halftime talk.
“I told them at halftime that we had some struggles, but they were starting to see signs of growth and development because they were still in it,” Infante said.
“It’s like when you’re trying to recover from a disease that has been holding you down for the last two years, and now you’re finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Your cough starts going away, and you’re beginning to feel healthy again.
“That’s the mentality I gave them at halftime. We’re starting to get rid of that cough. We’re getting over it, and now we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Stevens delivered the next challenge.
The Falcons scored two rushing touchdowns in the third quarter, making one extra point and missing the other, to turn a 21-12 deficit into a 25-21 lead.
Del Rio entered the fourth quarter trailing, but the Rams did not stay behind for long. Another factor that worked in the Rams’ favor was the heat. The Rams could handle it and it grounded the Falcons, as play was paused four times so Stevens’ athletic trainers could help cramping Falcons off the field.
Carmona connected with Ethan Dobbins for a 20-yard touchdown, and the extra point restored Del Rio’s lead at 28-25.
Dobbins said the Rams’ belief had begun building before they ever left the locker room.
“We started with the momentum in the locker room before the game,” Dobbins said. “We were getting hyped and getting locked in. The first couple of drives didn’t really go our way, but we still had to push through mentally, physically—everything.”
Stevens had an opportunity to regain the lead but missed a field goal wide left, giving Del Rio possession at its own 20-yard line.
For Carmona, that was the moment when victory began to feel real.
“Honestly, when they missed the field goal,” Carmona said. “Or when we kept moving the ball and scored that last touchdown—that’s when I realized it.”
The Rams capitalized on the missed kick with another touchdown pass and extra point, extending their lead to 35-25.
Stevens refused to go quietly. The Falcons scored a rushing touchdown and added the extra point late in the fourth quarter to pull within 35-32.
That left one final obstacle between Del Rio and the end of its losing streak.
Stevens attempted an onside kick, but the Rams recovered the ball and secured a victory that triggered an emotional celebration among Del Rio’s players, coaches, administrators and fans.
Carmona acknowledged that his two interceptions presented another test of his leadership, but he said he could not allow his mistakes to affect the rest of the team.
“It’s just keeping your head up,” Carmona said. “I did throw a couple of interceptions, but as a captain, if your team sees you down, they go down with you. You have to stay motivated and keep your head up.”
Infante praised the Rams for continuing to battle through every swing in momentum.
“Tremendous,” Infante said. “All night long, their fight was awesome to see.”
The coach said Del Rio still has plenty of work ahead, but he believes opponents will begin noticing the progress the Rams have made since their first scrimmage.
“We still have a lot of work to do, and the good thing is we have another nondistrict game before district,” Infante said. “We’re getting there, and I think teams are going to start noticing how much we’ve improved.”
When asked afterward whether the revival had officially begun, Infante said its foundation was already in place.
“I want to say it’s been beginning,” Infante said. “Now we’re starting to build on that foundation.”
