CANUTILLO MAKES A STATEMENT: EAGLES CRUISE PAST PARKLAND 49-7

Canutillo responds in a big way, dominating Parkland from the opening kickoff By PREP1 Sports | September 11, 2026 There was no lingering hangover for Canutillo. After a difficult loss to Eastwood the previous week, the Eagles answered with the kind of performance every football coach wants to see from his team after a setback — physical, disciplined and relentless. Canutillo jumped on Parkland early and never looked back, rolling to a convincing 49-7 victory over the Matadors Friday night in El Paso. The win pushed Canutillo back into the win column at 2-1, while Parkland dropped to 1-2. And this one was decided early. FAST START, BIG FINISH Canutillo came out firing. The Eagles scored 21 points in the opening quarter, added another touchdown in the second and carried a commanding 28-0 lead into halftime. Parkland managed to get on the scoreboard in the third quarter, but Canutillo answered with 21 more points in the fourth, putting the finishing touches on a 42-point margin of victory. The final numbers reflected the dominance. Canutillo finished with 291 rushing yards and 103 passing yards, producing 394 total yards of offense. Parkland managed 54 rushing yards and 183 through the air. That balance was a major reason the Eagles were able to control the night. REYES LEADS THE GROUND ATTACK Senior running back Sylas Reyes was at the center of Canutillo's rushing attack. Reyes carried the ball 18 times for 151 yards and two touchdowns, averaging more than eight yards per carry. That's the kind of performance that makes life considerably easier for everyone else on the field. When a running game is moving like that, defenses have to commit extra bodies to the box — opening opportunities for the passing game. Canutillo quarterback C. Huerta took advantage. Huerta completed 7 of 11 passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns, while senior athlete David Rivas caught two passes for 47 yards and two scores. Four Canutillo touchdowns between the two players. And the Eagles' offense never really let Parkland settle in. A RESPONSE THAT MATTERED The victory was especially important considering what happened one week earlier. Canutillo opened the season with a strong 28-20 victory over Americas, then suffered a 49-17 loss to Eastwood on September 4. Friday night was the response. Rather than allowing the Eastwood loss to become a trend, Canutillo came out against Parkland with something to prove. Mission accomplished. The Eagles also extended their recent dominance over the Matadors to four consecutive victories in the series. PARKLAND'S NIGHT TO FORGET For Parkland, the 49-7 defeat was a difficult follow-up to an impressive offensive start to the season. The Matadors opened 2026 with a thrilling 44-41 victory over Riverside, but now sit at 1-2 after losses to Hobbs and Canutillo. Quarterback/defensive back Carter Perez threw for 183 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted three times, while receiver E. Lozano finished with 111 receiving yards and a touchdown. The Matadors simply couldn't generate enough consistency against a Canutillo defense that kept the game under control for most of the evening. NOW, CANUTILLO HAS MOMENTUM The Eagles have now shown two very different sides of themselves through three games. They've shown they can win a close game, as they did against Americas. They've also shown they can respond to adversity and dominate, as they did Friday night. That's a promising combination heading deeper into the season. Canutillo returns home next Friday to face Horizon, which enters the matchup at 1-2 after a 55-21 loss to Socorro. Parkland, meanwhile, will look to rebound against Franklin on September 18. For the Eagles, the message coming out of Friday night is simple: The loss to Eastwood is in the rearview mirror. Canutillo responded. And responded loudly. FINAL: CANUTILLO 49, PARKLAND 7 Canutillo: 2-1 Parkland: 1-2 Next for Canutillo: vs. Horizon — Sept. 18 Next for Parkland: vs. Franklin — Sept. 18 Photo: @DLCSnaps