Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Brian Pitts

Enterprise Record

Beau Byerly’s head-coaching career for North Davie football began with a 27-0 destruction of China Grove on Aug. 17.

Byerly distinguished himself in the Davie sports world as a receiver for the awesome 2016 War Eagles. Chris Reynolds tossed 29 touchdown passes during that 12-2 season, and Byerly was on the receiving end of seven of them.

Now he’s leading the Wildcats after Timmy Allen left to take the wrestling position across the river at West Forsyth High.

After the Wildcats struggled to 3-4 and 2-4 records the past two years, they got off to a blistering start on the road. It was 21-0 at the end of the first quarter, 27-0 at halftime, and Byerly called off the dogs in the second half.

It was a very encouraging first game for North’s seventh-grade quarterback, Levi Morales.

“He’s very good,” Byerly said. “We throw a lot. I’ve got a lot of pride in little Levi. He knows the game. He does a lot of traveling stuff (in football). He’s been around it, so I’ve got a lot of faith in him. He shined pretty bright. He did throw two picks, but one was on me. He threw a lot of good balls.”

Running back Isaiah Hernandez and receiver/running back Carter Cornett were big factors. Hernandez ran for two touchdowns. Cornett also scored twice, once on a pass from Morales and then on a run.

“Isaiah is a little shifty running back,” Byerly said. “He can find a hole. He’s really impressed us and stepped up.

“I put Carter at running back because Isaiah was winded, and Carter took one to the house from about 50 (yards). Carter is a solid receiver. He’s got a lot of size; he’s 6-2 and moves really well. He’s explosive. He’s really impressed me – big step up from last year.”

Notes: Defensively, the Wildcats picked off two passes. Reynolds Tomlinson returned his interception 40 yards. Edarius Oliver had the other INT. … This was the first North-China Grove meeting since 2006, the year after the old Piedmont Conference broke up. This is the first year of the Tri-County Conference.