Under the Friday night lights, the Glenwood Springs Demons found redemption on their home turf, roaring back from an early mistake to clinch a 35-13 victory over the Summit Tigers. The win marked the first triumph for the team under new head coach Mike West, a moment that glimmered with promise for a team eager to prove its mettle this season.

“It feels good to get that (first win) under my belt,” West said. “Our team showed a lot of improvement tonight compared to last week. It’s promising to see.”

Glenwood fumbled the opening kickoff, giving Summit the early advantage. The Tigers capitalized quickly, scoring on a run to take a 7-0 lead. Senior running back Mason Markovich answered with an 18-yard touchdown run, tying the game with 10 minutes left in the first quarter.

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Despite the early turnover, Glenwood’s defense dug in. The Demons forced Summit into a delay of game and a third-and-14 situation. Although a costly pass interference penalty gave Summit some yardage, Glenwood’s defense held strong, limiting the Tigers to a field goal to make it 10-7.

Markovich, who had a career night, put Glenwood back on top with a nine-yard touchdown run, capping off a drive that was highlighted by a 10-yard screen pass to Jerrick Sorenson. Glenwood led 14-10.

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Glenwood’s defense continued to shine, with big stops that kept Summit at bay. A 30-yard touchdown run by Markovich late in the first half extended the Demons’ lead to 21-10.

The Demons kept the pressure on in the second half. Markovich fumbled on a long run, but the defense stepped up again, forcing Summit into another delay of game and limiting them to a field goal, bringing the score to 21-13.

A 31-yard touchdown run by Cash Hilgeford and a 40-yard scoring run by Markovich sealed the game for Glenwood. The Demons’ defense added two more sacks by freshman Landon Triebel and junior Ossie Hilgeford to keep Summit from mounting a comeback.

Markovich, who racked up 248 rushing yards and four touchdowns, credited the team’s hard work and determination for the win.

“We just needed time to learn a new offense,” Markovich said. “We worked really hard this week, and I think we’ve just gotten a lot closer over the past two weeks as a team.”

West praised his team’s resilience, especially after fumbling the opening kickoff.

“We had fun tonight,” West said. “The kids just kind of flushed that, and even after the first play where we gave the ball back up and then they scored, the kids just responded.”

The win was an improvement from the Demons’ season opener, where they managed only 78 all-purpose yards in a loss to Elizabeth last week. On Friday, Glenwood Springs showed offensive improvement, racking up 468 all-purpose yards.

Looking ahead, West emphasized the importance of fundamentals.

“Our goal each and every day is to get better,” West said. “We’re going to watch film and see what we can do as far as improving double teams on blocks and making tackles.”

The Demons will aim to build on the victory when they host the Northridge Grizzlies on Saturday.