GADSDEN, Alabama -- Running back Uziah McDaniels scored three rushing touchdown and defensive back Lamont Mitchell scored on a fumble scoop and interception for touchdowns, while #6 Park Crossing go on to defeat Gadsden City 65-21 Friday night at Titans Stadium. Park Crossing scored seven offensive touchdowns in the game and rolled for much of the night and spoiled homecoming for the Titans.

Park Crossing (4-1) led 23-14 at the half and scored 42 points in the second half alone. "We were resilient and had to over come a lot of penalties," said Thunderbirds Head coach Smitty Grider. "Just real excited the way we played through that, they didn't get frustrated over it. We overcome a lot of penalties. Just so proud of our football team because we beat a good football team tonight."

Gadsden City (2-4) scored first in the game. With 7:52 left in the first quarter, Jamontez Woods scored on a 9-yard run and the Titans led 7-0 midway through the first quarter. Park Crossing scored their first points when Gadsden City snapped the ball over the punter as the ball goes out of the back of the end zone. With the score, Gadsden City still led 7-2 with 3:20 left in the first quarter.

Park Crossing took the lead with :53 seconds left in the first quarter, when Cam Taylor threw to Tremaine Osborne down the left sideline for a 26-yard touchdown pass. With the TD score, the Thunderbirds led 9-7 late in the first quarter. With 7:04 left in the second quarter, McDaniels runs 6-yards for a score and Park Crossing leads 16-7 midway through the second quarter. "Cam played great tonight," said Grider. "Cam can throw the football, we just didn't have to use him throwing the ball for much of the game."

One of the best runs of the night happened when Jaelyn Fleming broke a few tackles at the line of scrimmage and busted out an 83-yard touchdown run and Gadsden City closed the gap to 16-14 with 5:53 left in the half. A few minutes later, Park Crossing came right back as Taylor found Gregory McConico on a 38-yard touchdown pass in the middle of the end zone and the Thunderbirds led 23-14 with 1:29 left in the second quarter.

In the second half it was all Park Crossing. With 11:11 left in the third quarter, McDaniels scored his second touchdown of the game on a 72-yard run and the Thunderbirds took a 30-14 lead and the momentum. McDaniels ran for 239 yards on 25 carries with three scores for the Thunderbirds. Gadsden City came back with 7:47 left in the third quarter, when Ryan Sparks found Laray Mostella in the back of the end zone for a Titans score. With the TD, Park Crossing led 30-21. 

With 3:27 left in the third quarter, McDaniels scored his third touchdown of the game on a 2-yard touchdown run. With the score, Park Crossing led 37-21 late in the third quarter. On the play, the Thunderbirds pull out the jumbo package of Jia Langford, Joshua Fannin and Romello Tarver and McDaniels goes untouched around the right end behind the three huge lineman. "I think we could have stayed in it all night," added Grider. "We were a lot bigger than them and that is a lot of weight on the right side of the line." Also, on that side of the line is one of the best lineman in Tank Jenkins.

Mitchell and the Thunderbirds defense turned a couple scores in a row. With 3:21 left in the third quarter, Gadsden City fumbled the ball around the right end and Mitchell scooped up the loose ball and ran the ball into the end zone for a Thunderbirds touchdown. With the score, Park Crossing led 44-21. On the next Gadsden City possession, Mitchell picked off a Titans pass at the Park Crossing 35-yard line and returned it 65-yards for a score. With the TD, Park Crossing led 51-21 with 2:46 left in the third quarter.

With 10:26 left in the fourth quarter, Park Crossing scored again on a 10-yard touchdown run by Janjamin Braswell and the Thunderbirds led 58-21 early in the fourth quarter. With 5:44 left in the game, backup quarterback Javier Taylor threw to Justin Hendrix on a short pass and he took it across the field for a touchdown. With the score, Park Crossing led 65-21 late in the game.

Mitchell and Taylor played well offensively for the Thunderbirds. "Explosive all night long, we came here to work and come out with the win," said QB Thunderbirds Taylor. "We have been working hard in practice and this is just a stepping stone for us. We think we can be even better. We have been working on the passing game a lot and even though we showcased it a little tonight, it is going to be ready when we need it. Our run game is amazing when we get (Doron) Mitchell back were going to be really good on offense. It's going to be fun. The offensive line has been playing good."