In football — regardless of level — momentum can turn on a dime.

Lowndes and Glenwood turned the theory into fact in the Gators’ 35-21 win in Hayneville on Friday.

“It’s a huge win for us,” said Glenwood coach Chris Holmes. “Tonight we got over the hump. Coach Sullivan has a great team.”

Glenwood (4-2) trailed 21-7 at the half. The Rebels (5-2) tied the game at 21 in the third quarter and appeared poised to claim their first lead after recovering a fumble at Glenwood 45 and advancing to the 35-yard line on a Chance Ward run.

And then, momentum blindsided the Rebels’ ambition.

Ward carried again, but was dropped by Perry Couch for a 2-yard loss and fumble. Dudely Taylor picked it up and rambled 63 yards for a Gator touchdown.

“That got us,” said Lowndes coach Art Sullivan. “I felt like we were going in on that one.”

The swing deflated Lowndes’ players, and the Gators didn’t look back.

“We had a chance at them,” said Sullivan. “They’ve got a pretty doggone good football team.”

The Gators got on the board first with an 11-play, 68-yard drive capped by 16-yard Marcus Woods touchdown run on Glenwood’s first possession to go up 7-0.

Lowndes tied the game 7-7 when quarterback Anderson Kasey found running back Tyler Bozeman for an 8-yard touchdown pass to cap a 10-play, 62-yard drive.

That would be the final bright spot for Lowndes in the first half as Woods and the Gators dominated to the buzzer.

Taylor put the Gators up 14-7 on their ensuring possession with a 16-yard touchdown run to finish a 6-play, 56-yard drive.

Glenwood appeared ready to put the game on ice early as Woods followed Taylor’s lead with a 65-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 21-7.

“It’s a base play for us,” said Holmes. “If one defender takes the wrong step, he’s quick enough to exploit it. That’s what he did.”

Lowndes was down, but not out of it. The Rebels stiffened to force a missed Glenwood field goal at the end of the half, then looked like a different team in the second half.

“We made a few adjustments, and the attitudes got better,” said Sullivan. “I’m real proud of my boys for coming out and tying it up in the second half. They didn’t lay down.”

Holmes wasn’t expecting the Rebels to lay down himself.

“We told our guys they’re not going to give up,” he said. “They’re going to come out and smack you in the mouth.”

The Rebels stuffed the Gator offense on its first possession, and Kasey capped off a 7-play, 51-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run.

The Rebels then took over at the Glenwood 49, thanks to an interception. Four plays later, Bozeman plunged in from the 1, and suddenly it was a new ball game.

The Gators gave it away again on their next possession as Rebel defensive end Hunter Schifferd caused Glenwood receiver Arthur Williams to fumble. Bozeman fell on it at the Gator 45.

Then came the momentum shift, and Glenwood took a 28-21 lead when Taylor returned Ward’s fumble 63 yards for the touchdown.

The Gators closed out the scoring with a 73-yard touchdown run by Williams.