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Davie Goes Down In Round 1 Despite Gutty Performance
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| Receiver Floyd Collins put on a show in his final game, making six catches for 99 yards. |
In the first round of the 4-AA playoffs Friday against the visiting East Mecklenburg Eagles, James Mayfield and the War Eagles were driving. East had a 17-14 lead, but a 4-yard run by Mayfield gave Davie an apparent first down at the East 16.
But fate was in a silly mood. Davie was stuck with a holding penalty away from the play, and it had to settle for a Michael Rowe field goal that tied the game. East quarterback Olen Little passed the Eagles into kicker Mike Davis’ range, and his 33-yard field goal with 10 seconds left handed Davie a stinging 20-17 loss.
Although the end was all-too similar to four other losses by a combined 12 points, Davie coach Doug Illing could take comfort in a gutty performance. Davie couldn’t have played much better, even though it lost star quarterback Garrett Benge to a concussion with 35 seconds left in the first half. Mayfield, the tireless runner, came through with 121 yards on 26 carries. Receiver Floyd Collins delivered a performance for the ages while making six catches for 99 yards. Zach Illing replaced Benge and rose to the occasion with 7-of-11 passing for 72 yards, leading two scoring drives without throwing an interception. And Rowe, the iron-nerved kicker, drilled a career-long 43-yarder to tie the score with 3:31 to play.
The offensive line (D.J. Holman, Jesse Crotts, Lewis Favre, Josh Burcham, Zach Drechsler and Drew Kakouras) allowed three sacks in the first half, but was equally vital by not giving up any sacks in the second half. You could go on and on about this valiant effort.
While fifth-seeded Davie closed at 7-5, No. 12 East improved to 9-3.
“I am really proud,” coach Doug Illing said. “We played a really good team, and we made a lot of plays. We needed one more possession.
“I think we had them where we wanted them, and the (holding) penalty hurt us. We had it going. We had them ... subscribe to the Davie County Enterprise Record, P.O. Box 99, Mocksville, N.C. 27028.