LANDIS — South took a huge step toward returning to the 4A playoffs here Friday night with a 19-13 overtime win over Davie County.

South hadn’t beaten the War Eagles since 1995, but used a huge blocked punt by Jimmy Propst, a monster interception by Reggie McConneaughey and a comeback night by a forgotten man — quarterback Tim Cook — to take charge in its 4A Central Piedmont Conference opener.

It was a monumental game. Davie, playing without injured fullback Justin Goode, injured leading receiver Rod Tenor and injured lineman Andrew Rudy, appeared to have it won with under two minutes left. Then, South seemed certain to have victory in the bag in the closing seconds when reliable kicker Robby Basinger missed a potential game-winning extra point.

In the overtime, linebacker McConneaughey made a shoestring pickoff of Davie QB Dan’s Sullivan’s attempted throw-away on third down.

A field goal would then have won it for South, but coach Rick Vanhoy, confident that his team had the momentum went for the touchdown.Keith Garrett scored it from the 1 on third down.

“If you cut Garrett open from head to toe, all you’d find in there would be heart,” said Vanhoy.

Davie led 6-0 at halftime, getting two David Wooldridge field goals in the final minute of the second quarter.

The War Eagles put together a 15-play, 71-yard drive before settling for the first of Wooldridge’s 3-pointers. Wooldridge is 8-for-10 on the season, with both misses coming from more than 50 yards out.

Davie tacked on a bonus three when South fullback David Ritchie fumbled as South was trying to run out the clock and Davie’s Nick Raby recovered.

South still trails the series 12-9. ... Davie hasn’t given up more than 17 points in any of its last five games.