It had been 33 days since the Eastside Rams played a true home game at Citizens Field. It had also been 27 days since the Rams last tasted victory.

The North Marion (Citra) Colts were exactly the cure-all for what ailed the Rams.

The Eastside defense intercepted five North Marion passes and pitched their second shutout of the season as the Rams pounded the Colts 42-0 in a District 7-2S game.

It was Eastside’s first true home game since beating Inlet Grove (Riviera Beach), 28-9, in their opening game on Aug. 25.

Eastside had lost their last two games by a combined 69-7 to Buchholz and Bradford, two of the best teams in the state. Rams coach Gator Hoskins said the team was ready to get back in the win column.

“I told the guys let’s get back to winning,” Hoskins said. “We have a chance to be district champs and we had to take care of business tonight. It feels great.”

After forcing a North Marion punt on the opening drive, the Rams moved down the field behind junior running back Corvin Byrd. On a fourth-and-one play from the Colts 35, Byrd ran 32 yards down to the 3-yard line to set up his own 4-yard touchdown run. The extra point was blocked, but Eastside led 6-0.

“That was the message before the game, to run the ball and play defense,” Hoskins said. “We came out on the opening drive and ran right at them.”

The tide turned early in the second quarter. North Marion hit Eastside junior quarterback Adrian Curtis, forcing a fumble at the Eastside 16-yard line. But Colts sophomore quarterback Isaac Smith threw his first interception into the hands of senior middle linebacker Travis Curtis, who returned the pick to the Rams 38.

Two plays later Curtis found junior wide receiver Davion Pugh for a 55-yard score down the right sideline for a 14-0 advantage.

After forcing another North Marion punt a little more than a minute later, junior Victor White broke through the line to block the punt, scooped up the loose ball and returned it for a touchdown and a 21-0 lead.

Adrian Curtis added a 16-yard scoring run for a 28-0 Rams lead at the half. 

Senior running back Joshua Benjamin and sophomore Kenneth McLellan both added second half scoring runs to get the game to a running clock.

Thomas Young III and D.J. Anderson both picked off two North Marion passes as Eastside improved to 3-2 and 1-0 in district play. The Rams can clinch their second straight district title with a win at Santa Fe on Oct. 27.