WINSTON-SALEM —Davie County’s 50-0 pummeling of Parkland was a typical game for the winless Mustangs. Considering Reynolds mashed Parkland 52-0 and Reynolds is 1-8, last night’s game at Deaton-Thompson Stadium went precisely the way everyone expected.
Davie star Cade Carney (955 rushing yards) was in street clothes after injuring both ankles in a painful 15-10 loss to West Forsyth, but it didn’t matter. Cameron Coleman did just fine as the running-back replacement as Davie blew it wide open in the second quarter.
While Parkland fell to 0-10 overall and 0-5 in the Central Piedmont Conference, it was a get-well game for the War Eagles, who have suffered a series of excruciating losses while watching four second-half leads evaporate during this 3-6, 1-3 campaign.
The Mustangs are getting outscored 50-3 on average, and this marked their eighth shutout loss and the fifth straight game with 50-plus points allowed.
“We talked all week about it’s how we play and not who we play,” Davie coach Devore Holman said after Davie kept its playoff hopes alive.
Davie put the outcome away in the first half (29-0). Coleman ran for 135 yards on 17 carries, and all three of Parker Correll’s completions went for 20-plus yards as he connected with Seth Dunn, Brandon Lankford and Paul Folmar.
“Coleman worked hard all week, he got the opportunity to get the majority of the totes, and he took care of that,” Holman said. “I’m telling you, he’s a good back.”
The Mustangs, experiencing a seventh consecutive losing season, barely had more rushing yards (12 on 31 attempts) than fumbles (nine). Davie only recovered three of the nine. Davie’s total yards (278) were not all that high because it seemingly always had a short field.
“(If you lose focus) you very easily can play to the level of your opponent,” Holman said. “We really didn’t need to do that. We needed to play to the highest level that we could.”
The best part of the night for Holman was getting to clear the bench and watch seldom-used players get extended minutes.
“We got those kids who work their tails off at practice – to give our starting guys a good look on scout team – an opportunity to play,” he said. “To be honest with you, that’s what does my heart good. “
They put in as much time as anybody else. I want them to not just go in the game. I want them to go in the game and produce.”
One of the reserves, junior Keion Joyce, intercepted a pass and returned it 18 yards.
“That couldn’t happen to a finer young man,” he said. “Hey, he does that in practice, and he makes our offense better. That’s what it’s about.”