Published: 10:36 AM, Sat Aug 18, 2012
Douglas Byrd races past South View, 41-21
By Earl Vaughan Jr.
Scholastic sports editor
After an inconsistent start against South View at Bob Paroli Stadium, Douglas Byrd's Eagles found themselves after adjourning to their dressing room during a lengthy lightning delay late in the first half.
They returned to the field to explode for 21 fourth-quarter points and run away from the Tigers, 41-21, in the season opener for both teams Friday night.
Eagles quarterback Breon Davis ran for two touchdowns, including the first one following a South View turnover, and also passed for a pair of two-point conversions as the Eagles experimented with various combinations on trying to score extra points.
"After the rain delay we had a little drought and couldn't move the ball, but we came back as a team and finished it off,'' Davis said.
The Eagles lost some key players from last year's offensive unit, but Davis thinks Byrd can make another run at the state title. Last year, the Eagles made it to the Eastern Regional finals.
"We're going to take it one game at a time,'' he said. "I believe in my team to take me there. I've got to carry them and they've got to carry me.''
Davis got some offensive support Friday from teammate Garry Lewis. Lewis scored a key touchdown on a reverse at the end of the first half. He got another big score on a 40-yard punt return.
South View got back into the game in the third quarter with a fumble recovery on a kickoff. Anthony McManus picked up the loose ball and returned it 40 yards to score. Jeremy Cox's conversion run cut Byrd's lead to 20-14 before the flood gates opened in the final quarter.
"I thought our offense clicked pretty well and our defense started playing dominant football, too,'' said Byrd coach Russell Stone of McManus' score. "I thought South View did a good job hanging in there. They gave us two easy touchdowns. Other than that, we weren't very good offensively.
"We knew coming in we had a lot of first-time starters on Friday night. We're just really pleased to be able to respond to the adversity after the 20-14 fumble and put it away.''
South View coach Randy Ledford said, "We turned the ball over too much. The kids came back and then it was like all of sudden we snapped, started doing things that don't help us.
"We've got a much better team than we had last year. We got back in it, but we've got to learn to win.''
Douglas Byrd 41, South View 14
DB - Breon Davis 6 run (Garry Lewis pass from Davis)
DB - Alonzo Hurtado 13 run (pass failed)
SV - Jeremy Cox 8 run (kick failed)
DB - Lewis 5 run (kick failed)
SV - Anthony McManus 40 fumble return (Cox run)
DB - Davis 1 run (McAllister pass from Davis)
DB - Andrew Byrd 15 run (run failed)
DB - Lewis 40 punt return (Omar Torres kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing: SV - DeShawn Ford 14-64, Cox 16-52. DB - Lewis 16-33, Byrd 2-20.
Passing: SV - Troy Cain 6-15-0, 56. DB - Davis 5-13-0, 43
Receiving: SV - Sergio Britton 2-25, Antonio Smith 1-12
Records: South View 0-1, Douglas Byrd 1-0
Next game: Hoke County at South View, Douglas Byrd at Terry Sanford
Scholastic sports editor Earl Vaughan Jr. can be reached at vaughane@fayobserver.com or 486-3519.