NEWPORT NEWS, VA (WAVY) — The culture is changing for Denbigh football.

On Thursday night, the Patriots snapped a 34-game losing streak dating back to March 2021, taking down Gloucester and moving to 1-2 on the season, as Todd Stadium was the place to be.

Behind sophomore quarterback Kevin Parker Jr, the Patriots believe that things are moving in the right direction.

“Some people don’t believe in us,” Parker said. “Some people play around and say Denbigh is the best, but we’re going to show them. Give us two years. We’re going to be like that.”

Parker is showing how much of a dual-threat quarterback he is, as the sophomore used his legs to move the Patriots down the field before running in a 1-yard touchdown that clinched the Denbigh victory.

Patriots head coach Tommy Reamon, who has coached for nearly 30 years in the Hampton Roads area, said he’s seen some elite talent pass through under his mentorship, and Parker fits right into that mold.

Reamon believes his newest pupil is next in line to represent the 757 on that high-level quarterbacking play.

“I’ve had Aaron Brooks at Ferguson, and then I had a kid named Michael Vick who played for me at Warwick,” Reamon said. “Then you ask me about Kevin Parker and he belongs in that group. You can say that’s putting pressure on him. Well, it was [pressure] for them to. That’s what special ones do.”

Parker and the Patriots look for back-to-back wins for the first time since 2015 when they take on Hampton Saturday at Todd Stadium. Kickoff is at noon.