The War Eagles of Davie High School in Mocksville, North Carolina, came close to stringing together back-to-back wins, but a late fumble ended their comeback bid in a 13–10 loss to Pinecrest on Friday night, reports Jacob Patton in Davie’s student newspaper.
Davie looked strong out of the gate. Junior running back Braxton Bowling broke loose for a 73-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, and kicker Dylan Cassetta added a field goal to give the War Eagles a 10–7 lead. Senior quarterback Aiden Hall and wide receiver Ethan Driver connected for several big gains through the air, while the defense forced three turnovers and kept Pinecrest in check for much of the night.
Junior linebacker Elijah Chaffin said the defensive effort went beyond the stat sheet. “It’s less about the turnovers,” he noted. “It’s more that each guy is starting to trust the other 10 players, and then stepping up and being able to know the other teammates on the field are doing the same.”
Pinecrest tied the game with a short touchdown run in the first quarter, then finally broke through in the fourth. A fourth-down conversion set up another rushing score that gave the Patriots a 13–10 edge with time running out. Davie mounted one last drive, but a fumble near the end sealed the game for Pinecrest.
Even in defeat, the War Eagles saw signs of progress. “The offensive line was playing much better, and we were able to drive the ball down the field better,” Driver said. “But as a team, we have got to finish the drives.”
Davie, now 1–2, will try to bounce back Friday night on the road at Oak Grove.
