The Parkwood Rebels defeated Cuthbertson on Friday by a score of 35-21, after a second half rally led to four unanswered touchdowns, putting Parkwood far out of reach. The Rebels trailed 21-7 at halftime, but a resilient mindset and an emphasis on playing four full quarters allowed them the tools necessary to win one of the biggest rivalry games of the season. To top off their rivalry victory, they won back the saber that has been in Cuthbertson’s hands since last year.

A 90 yard score by Myles Teasley on the opening kick off put Cuthbertson ahead early on. A Parkwood fumble paved the way for a Jack Rhinehart running touchdown shortly after, making the score 14-0 at the end of the first. The second quarter saw Parkwood quarterback Brock Cain score the Rebels’ first touchdown of the night on a 15 yard run, but Teasley and the Cavaliers quickly answered with a 33 yard touchdown run that left the score 21-7 at the half.

According to head coach Tim Speakman, the Rebels were not happy with their first-half play, and their inability to stop the run. He said that their resilience carried them through into their second half comeback.

A short running touchdown from Parkwood senior Sametrius Drakeford followed a lengthy drive, and opened up the floodgates for Parkwood as they began to pile on touchdown after touchdown, while Cuthbertson remained scoreless. A passing touchdown to junior Makiya Evans finally tied the game at 21-21. The Rebels followed up with another Brock Cain rushing touchdown from two yards, taking the lead at 28-21, with less than 10 minutes left to play. Parkwood secured victory late in the fourth with another touchdown from Sametrius Drakeford that made the score 35-21.

Coach Speakman said that the key to their victory on Friday was his team’s resilience and their willingness to work hard in practice. He said that, in order to win on Friday night, you must win on each day of the week. He emphasized that correct preparation is essential. When you are prepared, he said, it alleviates much of the pressure that comes along with a highly anticipated matchup like this one. Coach Speakman said that the team’s emphasis this week will be on ensuring that all three phases of their game are working correctly, especially special teams, as they watch film and prepare for Sun Valley next week.