September 16th, 2022 marked Davie County’s first conference game of the season. The R.J. Reynolds Demons showed up ready to fight, but the game ended in a big 37-13 conference win for Davie County.
On Davie’s second possession, first downs by Markel Summers and Brodie Smith set up the War Eagles for a touchdown, but after an incomplete pass, kicker and punter Palmer Williams scored the first points of the game with a 24-yard field goal.
After two crucial stops by Mason Shermer, the Demons were stopped on their own 35-yard line. But, an illegal hit to the kicker by Davie immediately gave possession back to Reynolds. Several movements down the field were stopped by Davie’s defense. Brandon Wood, Mason Shermer, and Willie Purvis held off R.J.R until the end of the 1st.
The 2nd quarter began quickly with an interception by safety Eli Branham, but our momentum was crushed by a recovered fumble by R.J. Reynolds.
Senior Justin Hayes’ stop brings out 4th down forcing R.J.R to punt to Davie. Tae Maddox was lightning fast on the field taking a handoff all the way to the 20-yard line. Maddox finishes out Davie’s possession with a touchdown! The PAT is good, bringing the score to 10-0.
Maddox is on a roll and stops the punt return in its tracks. Matty Warner with a sack in the backfield to bring out a 3rd down and 8. It’s 4th and 4 and the Demons are going for it and get the 1st down. Another sack by Jared Alexander, a delay of game penalty, and an incomplete pass broken up by Justin Hayes sadly wasn’t enough to stop R.J.R. The PAT for the Demons was good, and the score was 10-7 with four minutes left in the half.
Markel pushed through several tackles for a 1st down. Tae, Ty and Markel continued to move the War Eagles down the field. Markel kept up the energy with a run down the middle straight into the endzone. The PAT is good 17-7 Davie. 1:59 left in the half.
A touchback by Palmer Williams forced Reynolds to start on the 20. John Stokes with a QB sack, and stops by Shermer and Stokes brought up 4th and 11. R.J.R’s punt went out of bounds at the 49. An unsportsmanlike conduct call against Davie put the War Eagles in a 2nd and 33 situation. Brodie Smith started back strong with a carry, but it wasn’t enough for a 1st down. Williams punts 56 yards for another touchback to end the half.
With a bad snap on the punt to Davie, the kicker was pushed back to the two-yard line where Davie County would take over. The third first-down attempt by Summers resulted in a touchdown for the War Eagles. A fight broke out with flags on both teams. Despite the penalties, and ejections, the touchdown stood, and the PAT was good, 24-7 with the Eagles in the lead.
On Davie’s next possession, Ty Miller’s pass to Aidan Froelich was complete; 2nd and 9. Summers gained a 1st down and quickly ran into the endzone for his third touchdown of the night. The extra point was good as the War Eagles took a substantial lead, 31-7.
The return by Reynolds was stopped by a team effort and pushed back to the 10-yard line. After several first down attempts, R.J.R fumbles and Davie recovers with 58 seconds left in the 3rd.
No movement by Davie County turned the ball over to the Demons and a long pass by the Demons’ QB brought the score to 31-13. The two-point conversion was broken up by Sophomore Connor Hood.
Tae Maddox had an impressive return and Davie began the drive on R.J.R’s 45-yard line. Maddox persevered on a rough play for a first down. Several more gains by Maddox set up Ty’s pass to Grey Deal for the last War Eagle touchdown of the night. The PAT was missed wide right with seven minutes left on the clock.
Junior Romero broke up Reynolds’s touchdown pass in the end zone and brought up 2nd and 10. Willie Purvis broke up another pass to bring out the 3rd down. The QB ran and was sacked by Gavin Taylor, but not without a 1st down. The ball was turned over on downs to the War Eagles with 17 seconds left in the game. Ty Miller took a knee to end the game with a Davie County win of 37-13!
This brings Davie County’s record to 2-2. Next week, the War Eagles travel to East Forsyth to take on the number-one-ranked team in the state.
