By Bart Moss for the FCT

Tharptown’s Peyton Price scored two third-quarter touchdowns to break open a tight game against Waterloo and propel the Wildcats to their first win since 2014, snapping a 20-game losing streak. To sweeten the win, it was the Wildcats homecoming game.

“Our kids have worked so hard this offseason and this entire season,” first-year Tharptown Coach Kevin Lacy said. “This is a reward for them, to finally have something good happen. They have kept fighting and kept working. We don’t want to stop getting better. We can close out this season on high note.”

Mikey Rosson ran for 124 yards and a touchdown, while Price added 111 yards.

Waterloo scored first on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Palmer to Christian Irons. Tharptown tied the game 7-7 a few minutes later on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Carson Petree to Dakota Nolen.

With the game tied in the third quarter, Price gave Tharptown its first lead of the night on a five-yard touchdown run, and on the following Wildcat possession, he capped a drive with a 16-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 21-7.

The Cougars struck back early in the fourth quarter on a five-yard touchdown run by Trevor Darby, cutting the Tharptown lead to 21-14. The Wildcats put the game out of reach with 3:48 to play, when Rosson scored from one yard out, and Petree’s two-point run gave the Wildcats a commanding 29-14 lead.

Waterloo would score one final time, as Palmer hit Irons again, this time on a 53-yard touchdown with one minute to play, but Tharptown recovered an onside kick to end the Cougars’ rally and finally seal a win.

Rachel Love was crowned Tharptown’s 2016 Homecoming Queen at halftime.

Tharptown will travel to Phillips Friday night for pivotal region matchup.