BREAKING: Cross Keys football ends 43-game losing streak

Head coach Eric Quarles took over the Cross Keys football program in 2023, knowing the team had not won a game since 2020. It was clear that the job was not going to be easy. He inherited what was then a 14-game losing streak.

In his first season, the team finished 0-10. Last season, the team finished 0-8. This year, the program had lost nine-straight, growing the streak to 43-games. But after beating Skipstone Academy 20-12 Thursday, the streak is over.

“The kids are elated and the great crowd who came out for homecoming and senior night is really appreciated,” Quarles told DeKalb Athletic Director Mark Brock. “The team finally came together behind our seniors to get a win. Gustavo (Martinez) really put the team on his back by rushing for over 100 yards and making several big plays on defense,” said Quarles. “We have a relatively young team, and this gives up a big boost heading into the offseason and build for next year.”

The program, which has been playing football since 1958, has an overall record of 116-501-11. The team’s glory days were the late 1980’s and early 1990s. In the 1989 and 1990 seasons under head coach Kenny Reese, his only two seasons at the helm, the team finished 6-4 and 5-5, respectively.

Bill Harris led the program to its best-ever season in 1994, when Cross Keys finished 8-2. Harris led the team to a 4-6 record in 1995 before departing. Since, the team has never won more than three games a season (once in 2004).

‍