By Brian Pitts
sports@salisburypost.com
THOMASVILLE ó With 7:38 remaining in Monday’s marquee matchup between visiting Davie and Thomasville, the War Eagles had it. At that point in the game, Perry James had his second interception and Davie had the ball with a 34-23 lead.
Six and a half minutes later, the War Eagles (2-1) had blown it. They watched Thomasville (3-0) score two touchdowns in the final 4:47, including a 63-yard pass play with a minute left, and suffered a nasty 38-34 loss.
“We had our chances,” Davie coach Doug Illing said. “But they executed at the most critical of times. We were in position to pull it out, but we just didn’t make the plays when we needed to make them.”
The decisive 63-yard play was a Chris Brooks pass to Brandon Lucas. The pass went through the hands of a Davie defender. Behind everybody, Lucas snatched it and raced untouched to the end zone.
Davie took over from its 20, but couldn’t do anything with 60 seconds and an 80-yard field.
The loss overshadowed Zach Illing’s 209 passing yards and completions to seven different receivers. It also spoiled James’ two-interception effort, one of which was a pick-six of 28 yards.
The Bulldogs, who denied Davie 14-13 last year, knocked off the state’s No. 6 4-A team.
“We did just enough to win,” Thomasville coach Allen Brown said. “I really like Davie’s team. I think they’re going to have a great year. I think we were lucky to win. I think they’re better than us. It just happened to go our way in the fourth.”
Davie came in with injury problems and left with serious injury woes.
Star runner James Mayfield didn’t play (shoulder). Cornerback Brandon Walls was helped off the field with a knee injury. Stud defensive tackle Tanis Jefferies (sternum) didn’t play in the second half. And stalwart linebacker Jared Barber had to come out with a shoulder injury, perhaps the same injury that slowed him last year in wrestling.
Illing just hopes the test against tradition-rich Thomasville will pay dividends later on.
“Being through this experience and having a chance to beat a very good team at their place will benefit us down the road,” he said. “We should have won this game. But there’s no doubt in my mind that against Mount Tabor, Reynolds or West Forsyth, we’ll be able to execute better because of this experience.”
–
NOTE: Davie will try to get back on track Friday at home against Providence Day.