Colin Ehrman
Staff Writer

It’s the fourth quarter, the clock is ticking down, and starting quarterback Tommy Elrod takes one final knee: the game is over. R.J. Reynolds is 2-0 for the first time since 2017. Could this mark a turning point for the Demons football program? Or is it just the start of another disappointing season?

Riding high after the 2-0 start, the Demons were promptly brought back to Earth following a 17-3 loss to Northwest Guilford. Despite the loss, the start marks a big accomplishment for Reynolds and second-year head coach Joe Davidyock. 

“It’s nothing to be overly excited about because it’s just 2 games,” Davidyock said. “We don’t need anybody’s pats on the back. We’re just looking to take care of our goals and our aspirations.” 

While the accomplishments are great, Coach Davidyock and his boys are 100% set on the future. More specifically, the postseason, a feat they have not accomplished since the 2018 season.   

“The unwritten mission is always to get into the playoffs,” Davidyock said. 

For the players, it also marks a big accomplishment in their high school careers, including senior wide receiver and safety Mac Murphy. 

“It means everything to the coaches and the guys to make it this far,” Murphy said. “For me and a lot of other guys, we’ve never won more than 2 or 3 games, so having a chance to make it far is everything.” 

While it’s still early in the season, the Demons have a tough stretch ahead if they hope to accomplish their goals. But with a resurgence of confidence and energy, they’re beginning to look at those remaining games through a new lens in a way they haven’t looked at them in a very long time. 

“This season hasn’t really had that many negatives; we’re a team that has to stay humble and continue to play with a chip on our shoulder,” Davidyock said. “We agreed that we can play with anybody. The guys feel pretty good about what they’re doing each week, and they feel confident going into football games. They feel prepared.” 

Confidence is becoming a big part of the team, and they’ll use it to win football games throughout the remainder of the season. It’s been a struggle for the team in prior seasons, but now they have it, and hopefully, they won’t look back.

 “It feels great starting off positive this year. It makes me and the team feel like we have a great chance to make the playoffs,” Murphy said. “You can never go into a game thinking you are going to lose or you are setting yourself up for failure. The goal is always to make the playoffs, no matter how good other teams are and how hard it may be. You have to have the thought of making playoffs, or you’ll never be able to get over that hump.” 

There’s still plenty of football left to play this season, but this season is different. This year, there’s excitement and a little more hope. Football is a staple of American high schools, and the prospect of a successful team certainly looms large for the students of RJR.

“We believe that we set the tone for the school,” Davidyock said. “That’s why football is on Friday nights in the fall. Sometimes it’s the only time that people in the community get to see what our school has to offer and that’s really important to us, and we want to make sure we’re fulfilling that mission every day.”