Beware of the Demons
Earlier this season I watched Reynolds pick apart Parkland and wondered how good the Demons really were.
After watching them survive a horrific start, have their offense bottled up for a half, then come back and beat a tough Mount Tabor team anyway, 28-21, I have my answer.
This is the best Reynolds team since the mid-1990’s, when Dave McConnell was the coach.
Mike Propst and his staff are getting every ounce of effort out of their undersized, overly quick team, and that’s allowed them to be 8-0 overall and 2-0 in the Central Piedmont 4-A heading toward a showdown at West Forsyth (which is also 8-0, 2-0) on Oct. 30.
The Demons were penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct before the opening kickoff last week, gave up a 55-yard touchdown pass on the first play, and its offense manufactured only two first downs in the first half. Still, the score was tied at 14 at halftime because junior Jake Gainey blew through the Spartans like a cheetah on an 86-yard kick return, and safety Vance Matthews converted an interception into an entertaining 55-yard run up the right sideline for another score.
Mount Tabor (5-3, 1-1) is a scary team, and if the Spartans tighten a few things up, it wouldn’t be out of the question to see them make a long playoff run. What made Reynolds’ win so significant is, as Propst said, the Spartans seemed to have a perfect game plan for Reynolds, and for the most part, they executed it.
Before heading off to West for a matchup of unbeatens, Reynolds will have to beat much-improved North Davidson this Friday. I would be surprised if Reynolds is looking ahead — after all, North beat the Demons last year.