By Brian Pitts
sports@salisburypost.com
MOCKSVILLE ó The Davie football teamís mood improved dramatically in a weekís time. Last weekís 32-28 loss at Mt. Tabor was a wrenching low. Last nightís 28-17 win over visiting Reagan put a spring back in Davieís step.
For not only did the War Eagles (7-3 overall) get it done on Senior Night, West Forsyth upset Mt. Tabor 36-27 to create a three-way tie for first in the Central Piedmont Conference. With one week left in the regular season, Tabor, Davie and North Davidson are all 3-1 in the CPC. Reagan fell to 3-7, 1-3.
Davie will play a big one next week at North Davidson, the winner finishing no worse than tied for first.
ěThat (West-Tabor score) was good to hear,î Davie coach Doug Illing said. ěI told the guys Sunday that West could beat Tabor, especially coming off that emotional win against us. Our kids didnít come in holding their heads down. They were more determined than ever to come out and win. Theyíve put themselves in position to have a conference championship that we havenít had (since 2007).î
At Tabor, Davie quarterback Adam Smith put on a fabulous rushing show, running for 191 yards. The Raiders stacked the box all night, and Davieís ground game was anemic most of the night.
But that wasnít all bad for Davie. Smith demonstrated his immense passing talent, throwing for 298 yards and four touchdowns. He completed 15 of 22 passes to seven different receivers – without throwing an interception. By contrast, the War Eagles picked off Reaganís JaShawn Joyner five times.
ěItís starting to get pretty routine,î receiver Mitchell Miller said of Smith. ěI mean heís a heck of a quarterback. Heís amazing.î
Nate Jones (seven catches, 132 yards, two TDs) was a big part of Davieís air attack. Smith also connected with Miller (72 yards on three catches), Jae-Re Peebles, Tristen Jarvis, Jonathan Wiseman, Stephon Smoot and Cameron Heaggans.
Down 3-0 early, Davie never trailed after Smith hit Jones for a 28-yard score midway through the first quarter.
Smithís four TD passes tied a record for the 56th-year school. Garrett Benge did it three times and Brad Corriher twice. Zach Illing and Tommy Eanes did it once each.
ěTwo linebackers theyíve got are studs, and then theyíre rolling the safeties into the box behind them,î Illing said. ěWe had a tough time running it. I donít think weíve played two better linebackers. They gave us the throw, and weíve got to take what they give us.î
Perhaps the biggest swing in the game: A.J. Blaskievich intercepted Joyner with 68 seconds left in the first half. On first down, Smith faked a handoff and went up top. The result was a 62-yard TD to Jones for a 21-10 lead.
Smith started the third with completions to Jones, Miller and Jarvis, who hauled in a 26-yard TD for a 28-10 lead.
Davie also got INTs from Mookie Martin, Russell Anthony, Caleb Mathis and Devon Parks.