MOUNT PLEASANT - It was supposed to be a classic.

It turned out to be so much more than that.

Behind senior quarterback Steve Morris, who had 351 total yards, the Horlick High School football team defeated Park 35-28 Friday night in a Southeast Conference game at Hammes Field. The standing-room only crowd was estimated by Park athletic director Jim Kerkvliet to be close to 6,000.

Park had owned this series since 1979, having won 22 of 29 games prior to Friday night. But this was a game Horlick simply was not going to let get away in a unique showdown between undefeated teams in this historic 80-year-old rivalry.

Trailing 28-20 with 2:24 to play, Park tied the game when Deon McLain returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown and then ran for two-point conversion. But Morris, who completed 16 of 27 passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns ran for 165 and one score, went back to work.

Starting at Horlick's 35-yard line, Morris scrambled for 17 yards. After an incompletion, Morris scrambled to his left, continued to buy time with his nimble feet and then saw a wide-open Brian Mosley on what was his third read for a 48-yard touchdown pass with 2:01 to play.

Park regained possession at its 40 after Horlick's kickoff sailed out of bounds. This game appeared to be headed for overtime after Andrew Fix connected with McLain for a 22-yard gain, but there was no more magic for the Panthers, who turned the ball over on downs with 1:13 left.

For the first time since 2004, Horlick had beaten Park. And for the first time since 1981, the Rebels are 6-0.

"This is big," Morris said. "We're 6-0 and I think beating Park was my main goal for the whole season. I'm overjoyed right now."

So was senior linebacker Jeremy Greene, who set up a touchdown that enabled Horlick to go ahead 21-14 late in the second quarter with a blocked punt.

"It was the biggest game ever, a game for the ages," he said. "We did what we had to do and we're 6-0."

Added Mosley, "It's just incredible, man. We practiced non-stop until 7 or 8 o'clock just to play this game right here. We played our hearts out. Out offense played great, but when we needed a stop, the defense gave it to us."

But this game easily could have swung the favor of Park behind the brilliance of McLain, who rushed for 217 yards and two touchdowns, caught two passes for 37 yards and had his big kickoff return.

Horlick went ahead 7-0 with 6:29 left in the first quarter on a 17-yard touchdown run by Andrew Murriel. But Park threatened to put the game away.

A fumble by Mosley gave Park possession at Horlick's 29 and McLain went on to score on a 4-yard run. On the ensuing kickoff, Angel Garcia recovered a fumble by Kellen Miller and Andrew Fix went on to score on a 29-yard scramble as Park went ahead 14-7.

And then came what might have been the turning point of the game. McLain broke loose on a 91-yard run that gave Park possession at Horlick's 4-yard line. But Moriarity Brown-Griffin fumbled and Miller recovered.

Morris then directed a 98-yard touchdown drive that was highlighted by his 8-yard run for a touchdown.