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By Brian Pitts

Enterprise Record

It was hardly a work of art, but Davie’s JV football team outlasted visiting Reynolds in the Central Piedmont Conference opener on Sept. 16.

Ty Miller rushed for 146 yards, threw for 131 yards and accounted for four touchdowns (two rushing, two passing), which was nothing new. Archer Richardson ran for 85 yards. Braddock Coleman caught both TD passes.

The War Eagles needed every bit of those prolific outings to hold off the Demons in a 38-34 shootout. They were pushed to the limit after belting Reynolds 48-0 last spring and 33-8 in 2019.

“They are very much improved,” assistant coach Blaine Nicholson said. “They had two guys that were very good, and we really shot ourselves in the foot more often than not. We had a lot of turnovers. Our kicking game was not very good. We had a bunch of penalties. We had a snap over the punter’s head. We fumbled a punt on our own 5.”

It was a seesaw battle from start to finish. The Demons got possession at the Davie 8 and cashed in with a TD pass, plus a two-point conversion, to take a 14-8 lead.

Miller and Coleman hooked up for a TD, then a successful two-point play vaulted Davie in front 16-14 in a 30-point first quarter.

Reynolds returned an interception for a touchdown to take a 22-16 lead. When Coleman hauled in his second TD, Davie had a 24-22 lead.

Alas, Reynolds took advantage of another short field, only having to drive 17 yards, to regain a 28-24 lead, where things stood at halftime.

Reynolds was in position to add to its lead, but it had a turnover on downs at the Davie 2. Miller scored on a 33-yard run, and when Skylar Whittington’s two-point run was good, Davie had a 32-28 lead.

In the fourth quarter, Reid Nail got an interception at the Davie 15. That led to the crushing blow, a 4-yard TD run by Miller to give Davie a 38-28 cushion. The Demons marched 72 yards to pull within 38-34, but only two minutes remained and Hunter Testa covered the onside kick.

Miller hit 8 of 13 passes, half of the completions going to Coleman for 84 yards.

“Braddock is a competitor,” coach Tim Devericks said of the freshman receiver. “There’s nothing he will shy away from. When the varsity guys are doing something, he’ll say I can do that and he’ll jump right in and give it a shot. You love people who love to compete like that. He’s naturally gifted, but his competitive spirit burns.”

Nicholson considered it a flawed victory.

“We had good teaching moments in all three phases of the game,” he said. “But we came out with the win.”

Cornerback Nail and linebacker Testa were clutch on defense.

“Reid had two fourth-down pass breakups and a big interception in the fourth,” Nicholson said. “Hunter made play after play on the inside.”

Notes: Reynolds fell to 1-2 overall, while Davie improved to 2-1. … Grey Deal had two catches for 47 yards. … Miller averaged 9.7 yards per carry and Richardson 7.1.