By Loyd McIntosh
After jumping out to a quick 21-point lead on the road, Homewood held on to defeat defending state champion Parker, 35-28, in a thrilling 6A Region 5 showdown Friday night. The win gives the Patriots their first region championship since 2022 and a head of steam with the 2025 playoffs on the horizon.
Homewood quarterback Kaleb Carson had a strong outing, passing for two touchdowns and rushing for three scores. However, he also threw two interceptions and fumbled once, leading to half of Parker’s 28 points.
Despite those setbacks, the Homewood coaching staff put the ball in the hands of #3 as Carson busted loose with a 47-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter to seal the victory over the Thundering Herd.
“Caleb played great tonight. He’s just a winner. He’s unbelievable,” Berguson said immediately following the game. “We haven’t run him a lot this year, but we turned him loose tonight and, when it mattered, he won the football game for us.”
Beginning their first series on their own 47-yard line following an excellent kickoff return by Reid Goldstein, Homewood got off to a quick start as Carson quickly moved the Patriots downfield, capping the drive with a six-yard touchdown run. Homewood held a 7-0 lead with just three-and-a-half minutes played.
The Homewood defense made its first big play of the night as defensive back John Martin intercepted a long passing attempt from Parker quarterback Dylan Reese, ending the Thundering Herd’s first possession.
On the very next play, Carson connected with Tomon Felton on a beautiful wheel route for a 67-yard score. Midway through the first quarter, Homewood led the defending state champs 14-0.
The Patriots regained possession late in the first after forcing the Thundering Herd to punt. Starting on the Parker 47-yard line, Homewood leaned on the ground game, especially Goldstein, as the Patriots methodically marched down field, ending the first quarter with the ball on the Parker three-yard line. Carson punched it in on the first play of the second quarter, and before you could blink, Homewood held a commanding 21-0 lead.
This is where things went a little pear-shaped.
Parker’s offense found its rhythm, hitting four big plays and multiple first downs. However, the Patriots’ defense recovered a fumble on their own eight-yard line with 3:32 to play before halftime.
Two plays later, Carson appeared to be sacked in the end zone for a safety. However, after a brief conference, the officials ruled that Carson fumbled the ball before his forward progress was stopped and recovered by Parker for an easy touchdown with 2:57 on the clock.
Once again, the Patriots’ offense was clicking until Carson overthrew his intended receiver on a long passing attempt and was intercepted by Johnny Moody, giving the Thundering Herd great field position on their own 45-yard line with 39.2 seconds until halftime.
Two plays later, Reese scored on a 2-yard run. The extra point attempt was blocked, and, after leading 21-0 with three minutes left in the second quarter, Homewood’s lead was just 8 at halftime, 21-13.
Starting the third with momentum, Parker took just a minute-and-a-half to score as Reese scrambled out of trouble and hit Jacoby Quates, Jr. for a 65-yard touchdown. Reese converted the 2-point conversion to tie the game, 21-21.
The Patriots responded with a methodical 79-yard possession, chewing up almost six minutes of playing time. Carson capped the drive with an 11-yard screen pass to tight end Hayes DeCoudres, who rambled down the right sideline, breaking multiple tackles for the score. Homewood led 28-21 with just under five minutes to play in the third quarter.
Early in the fourth quarter, Carson led the Patriots’ offense on another time-consuming drive, pushing the ball deep into Parker territory. However, Carson was intercepted once again, this time on a one-handed grab by a Thundering Herd defender at the goal line, ending an opportunity to put the game out of reach.
The Patriots’ defense effectively shut down the Parker offense for most of the second half. However, the Thundering Herd tied the game again when running back Isaiah Miles broke free for a 73-yard touchdown with 3:59 to play in the fourth.
Time for the Kaleb Carson show.
Following an excellent kickoff return by David Griffin to the Parker 49-yard line, Carson broke free two plays later, galloping down the left sideline practically untouched for his third rushing touchdown to retake the lead, 35-28, with 2:29 to play. “I saw green grass in front of me and I just took off,” Carson said. “Coach wanted me to go be a player and I did.”
The Homewood defense held off a final comeback attempt as time expired, giving Homewood the win over the defending state champs and the region title for the first time since 2022.
“I like the way we started tonight. I was really shocked because I thought they would start fast and we’d have to settle in,” said Berguson. “You can’t turn the ball over three times against an explosive football team like them, but that just says a lot about our defense tonight.
“It feels awesome,” Berguson added. “I’m just proud of this win for the whole community.”
Homewood improves to 7-1 overall, 5-0 in region play, and will host Minor in the final region game of the season on Friday, October 24.
