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Reynolds downs Reagan 33-16
Gainey has three TDs as Demons wrap up undefeated regular season
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Published: November 7, 2009
Few people at Deaton-Thompson Stadium gave Reynolds receiver Jake Gainey much of a chance on the play. Sure, he's fast. But this ball, a bomb from quarterback Craven Knotts, was just too deep, even for Gainey.
Still, Gainey churned his legs faster. And faster. And as the ball slowly dropped through the cold air last night, he got closer. And closer. At the last moment, he flung out his arms, they netted the ball, and Gainey tumbled into the end zone for the second of his three touchdowns.
They preach finishing at Reynolds. Gainey did it on that spectacular 49-yard scoring play. And the Demons finished their quest for a perfect regular season, rolling over Reagan 33-16 to improve to 11-0 overall and 5-0 in the Central Piedmont 4-A with only the playoffs remaining.
"I didn't even think I was going to catch that one," said Gainey, a junior who has five touchdowns in his last two games.
"I just kept running. Luckily I had the wheels to do it. We work on that every day in practice; keep running through the ball. Don't give up."
Last week, Gainey caught two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including one with 27 seconds remaining, as Reynolds came back to beat West Forsyth 14-9. That win secured the first conference championship for the Demons since 1998. The team ordered T-shirts and got all the celebrating out of the way during the week.
Still, against Reagan (1-10, 0-5), there were the matters of the undefeated season (the first since 1973) and protecting a top playoff seed in the Class 4-A playoffs. Reynolds did both, with little messing around. The Demons will likely be a No. 1 or a No. 2 seed, and get a home playoff game at Deaton-Thompson next Friday night.
"We wanted an undefeated season; and we knew it would affect our seeding if we lost," Coach Mike Propst of the Demons said. "I explained that. We preach to them, have pride. Don't play down to anybody's level."
Knotts threw for 270 yards and four touchdowns. Kevin Simmons had 144 yards receiving and a touchdown. Gainey had 100 yards to go along with his three scores. And Jermane Clark scored the game's first touchdown from a yard out in the first quarter.
For Reagan, Nick Hatch had 117 rushing yards on 30 carries, and Michael Bonifay threw two late touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Reynolds opened up a 27-3 halftime lead. Knotts' first score floated into the arms of Simmons perfectly in stride on a 40-yard skinny post between the safeties. The second came on a crossing route to Gainey for a 13-yard score. The third was the bomb.
Then, in the third quarter, Gainey shook a defender on a corner route, and caught a much easier touchdown from 29 yards out.
Gainey has 17 touchdowns on the season, including two returns. Propst said he doesn't see any reason why the junior playmaker can't continue the success, even as competition stiffens in the playoffs.
"He's got overdrive, superdrive, and nitro," Propst said.
Reagan 3 0 0 13 -- 16
Reynolds 14 13 6 0 -- 33
Rey -- Clark 1 run (Teasdall kick)
Rea -- FG Saakvitne 22
Rey -- Simmons 40 pass from Knotts (Teasdall kick)
Rey -- Gainey 13 pass from Knotts (Teasdall kick)
Rey -- Gainey 49 pass from Knotts (kick failed)
Rey -- Gainey 29 pass from Knotts (kick failed)
Rea -- Riley 15 pass from Bonifay (kick failed)
Rea -- Garrett 38 pass from Bonifey (Saakvitne kick)
Records -- Reagan 1-10, 0-5; Reynolds 11-0, 5-0 Central Piedmont 4-A
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