By Mike London
mlondon@salisburypost.com
SPENCER ó North Rowan senior Keith Reid listened to the music following an easy 49-0 victory against North Moore and smiled.
“It was wonderful to hear our band playing again,” the 240-pound lineman said. “To see our fans happy, to see our coaches happy, to see my teammates happy, it just felt great. It had been such a long time.”
Reid, who plays both ways in the trenches, had nearly forgotten what if felt like to win at Eagle Stadium. North had come out on the short end on the scoreboard 10 straight times at home since a 34-28 victory against Ledford midway through the 2007 season.
“When we broke our losing streak this year down at South Stanly, the guys were trying to remember the last time we’d won,” he said. “We decided it was against Lexington, but I couldn’t remember if it was home or away.”
That game, late in 2007, was on the road.
The losing seems like ancient history now. North has won three in a row. Sure, it helps that as a 1A program it is finally getting to pick on schools its own size, but it’s also obvious the Cavs are getting better by the week.
“Keith’s a big part of it,” coach Tasker Fleming said. “On the offensive line, he’s been our beacon. We’ve been able to run behind him and move the sticks a little bit. That makes all the difference.”
Defensively, North’s been stout since opening night. The Cavs lost that one to East Rowan 7-0, but East’s offensive linemen felt like they’d just had a house fall on them. That physical performance was no fluke. After seven games, North’s defensive numbers are right up there with West Rowan’s.
“I can use Keith on defense at nose or at end,” D-line coach Tremayne Gilmore said. “We don’t have big numbers, so it’s important for kids to be able to handle several roles. Keith is strong and smart. He listens. You don’t have to keep repeating stuff.”
Still, North’s defense couldn’t win alone. Now it’s getting help.
North didn’t scratch the first three games, but the Cavs have scored 12, 16, 40 and 49 the past four outings.
Turnovers are down, backs are running hard and rushing numbers are climbing. North had a respectable 155 rushing yards against South Stanly, pounded for 347 against East Montgomery and had 341 against North Moore despite a non-stop clock in the second half. With normal timekeeping, the Cavs easily would’ve rushed for 500.
“The offensive line is getting off the ball now,” assistant coach Robert Myers said with a smile.
First downs let the defense catch its breath. That’s when a good defense has a chance to become great.
Reid, the right tackle on offense, never rests much, however.
“Six plays I was out of the game on Friday,” he said proudly.
Reid once was known as a nice, big kid who was a trifle soft, but he fixed that this summer. He went through boxing workouts at Spencer’s Force Fitness gym with coach Dave DeSanto and trimmed down from 265 pounds to a leaner, meaner 240.
“I worked out two or three times a day with Coach Dave,” Reid said. “Not to be a boxer, but for self-defense and to get in better shape for football.”
Assistant Mike White has teamed with Myers, and they’ve adopted the O-line as their special project. White has helped Reid improve his mental toughness.
“Coach White is trying to bring out my inner beast,” Reid said.
The beast is starting to show, and the celebration music at Eagle Stadium never sounded sweeter.