By Brian Pitts
sports@salisburypost.com
MOCKSVILLE ó Davie and Hibriten met for the first time ever last night in Lenoir, and Davie made a first impression on the Panthers that was rather ruthless.
The War Eagles were in the end zone 61 seconds into the game, it was 14-0 less than three minutes in and it was 28-0 with nearly three minutes left in the first quarter. Davie took a staggering 49-6 lead into halftime and settled for a 56-12 win in the War Eaglesí final nonconference game.
Davie won its fourth straight for a 4-2 mark. Hibriten tumbled to 3-3.
ěI feel real good about it,î Davie coach Doug Illing said of the winning streak heading into Central Piedmont Conference play. ěWeíve gotten better every day. Tonight was a big confidence-booster going into (the CPC). Now weíve got to handle this well and accept the challenge of our conference.î
It was a dizzying display of firepower from the War Eagles. Adam Smith hit Nate Jones with a 40-yard touchdown pass on the second play from scrimmage, and Woody Parrish converted the first of eight extra points for a 7-0 lead.
Hibritenís Julius Gaines fumbled the ball to Davieís Caleb Mathis on the Panthersí first offensive play, and Stephon Smoot ran 10 yards for a 14-0 lead. Hibritenís fumble woes were just starting. It had more fumbles (six, losing three) than completions (five).
Nose guard Kyle Bullins pounced on a Zac Walker fumble near midfield, and Russell Anthonyís 13-yard run pushed the margin to 21-0.
Hibriten went three-and-out and punted to Jones. A.J. Blaskievich, who was sensational at linebacker and on special teams, delivered a killer block, springing Jones toward a 47-yard return for a 28-0 bulge.
Davie was sixty-some miles from home, but folks in Mocksville could hear a dozen or so hits, starting with Blaskievichís vicious lick on the kickoff team with 9:38 showing in the first quarter. After Hibritenís first touchdown, Blaskievich blocked the extra point.
ěA.J. really set the tone on that kickoff, showing this is what weíre about and this is how physical weíre going to be,î Illing said.
Fifty-one seconds after Hibriten found the end zone, Smith and tight end Johnathan Wiseman connected for a 65-yard TD.
Kurtis Banner, the hero in the closing minutes against Thomasville, intercepted Hibriten at the Davie 14. Thatís when Illing unveiled a wildcat package, with Jones at QB, Denzel Redmon at running back and Bullins at fullback. The new package moved the ball from the Davie 20 to the Hibriten 31, getting 17- and 33-yard runs from Redmon, and Smoot took care of the final 31 yards for a 42-6 lead.
The first-half torture session for Hibriten wasnít over quite yet. Blair Carson sacked Jordan Rutherford 12 yards back ,and Mathis intercepted on the next play. Russell Anthony devoured the short field (14 yards) on two runs, bumping the lead to 49-6 with 1:36 left in the half.
The cherry on the sundae came early in the fourth. From the wildcat formation, Jones kept the ball around left end. He was corralled by two Panthers. His knee was inches from the ground, but he busted out and raced 68 yards to cap the scoring.
ěI saw him get hit, but I knew Nate wasnít done,î Illing said. ěIf you donít wrap him up and actually get him on the ground, heís going to fight through that.î