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Rowe’s Leg, Lights-Out ‘D’ Give Davie 3-0 Win
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“It’s a win,” Davie coach Doug Illing said, breathing a sigh of relief on Senior Night. “When you wake up tomorrow, you’re going to see a W in the win column. After we record the (offensive) tapes, we’re going to put it on the shelf and move on.”
The War Eagles only mustered 60 net rushing yards, 129 passing yards and 11 first downs. They went three of 12 on third-down conversions, and Garrett Benge was sacked four times. But with the night Davie’s defense had, it ultimately didn’t matter. It was a razor-sharp performance that featured key plays from every defender: Nic O’Brien, Tanis Jefferies, Demetrias “Meat” Williams and Jesse Crotts up front; Chris Sponaugle, Jared Barber, Chase Sampson, Santana Arnold and Vince Cioce at linebacker; and Quinton Faulkner, Matt Oswell, Zach Long, Shyteek Brown and Brandon Walls in the secondary.
“We have to take our hat off to the defense,” Illing said after Davie held North to 48 yards on 34 rushes, 45 passing yards, two of 11 on third downs and six first downs. “They played lights out. After all those tough games, you’re seeing that tough skin come through. Our kids played with a lot of poise on defense and didn’t seem to panic at all.”
Davie’s offense started well enough. Davie kept the ball for 12 plays before summoning Rowe, who converted a career-long 42-yard field goal for the 3-0 lead less than four minutes into the game. Little did anyone know that Rowe’s ninth successful field goal in 11 tries would go down as the play of the game.
“I thought we were going to handle them pretty well,” said Rowe, who juggles football with soccer. “It’s great for me to be able to trust my line, my snapper and my holder. It’s on me then, and I just go out there and do my job.”
“That was a 42-yarder in the cold when the ball’s hard,” Illing said. “He’s developed into a kicker that we can trust at any time ... subscribe to the Davie County Enterprise Record, P.O. Box 99, Mocksville, N.C. 27028.