Football: R.J. Reynolds rolls over Parkland in pouring rain

R.J. Reynolds may have been without senior quarterback Caden Davis, but the Demons still had plenty of offensive firepower as they cruised to a 48-6 win over Parkland in a game cut short due to heavy rain on Friday.

Junior backup QB Duke Ferree filled in for Davis, who is preparing for Reynolds' third round basketball game at Weddington on Saturday. Ferree didn't have a busy night in the passing game, but was incredibly efficient, completing three of four passes (75 percent) for 115 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 51 yards rushing and two TDs on five carries (10.2 yards per carry).

Senior wideout Antonio Yates was the sole pass-catcher for Reynolds, hauling in all three catches for 114 yards and two TDs.

Sophomore running back Elijah Phelps led the Demons' rushing attack with nine carries for 76 yards (8.4 yards per carry) and two touchdowns, while junior back Isaiah Lytton added four carries for 62 yards (15.5 yards per carry) and a touchdown.

Senior kicker Miguel Burgos made six of seven PAT attempts for Reynolds.

Both teams got off to sloppy starts with early fumbles, before Phelps broke the deadlock with a nice second-effort lunge for a 1-yard TD on third and goal. That gave Reynolds a 7-0 lead with just a couple minutes left in the first quarter.

Moments later, following a botched punt attempt by Parkland, Lytton got to the edge and ran it in for a 20-yard score to give Reynolds a 14-0 lead just before the end of the period.

That's when the floodgates began to open for Reynolds. First Phelps ripped off a 69-yard TD up the gut, then Ferree got loose for a 38-yard TD run to make it 28-0. Parkland senior Jaquan Kelly took the ensuing kickoff 75 yards to the house to get the Mustangs on the board, but the Demons promptly responded as Ferree connected with Yates for a 57-yard bomb over the top. Ferree added a 5-yard TD run and a 21-yard TD pass to Yates to push the lead to 48-6 at halftime and initiate a running clock in the second half.

Once the game hit the six-minute mark in the third quarter and became official, the teams decided to call the game due to wet field conditions.

Reynolds (1-0) will hit the road next week to face preseason No. 10 Mount Tabor.

Parkland (0-1) will return home to face Glenn (1-0), who knocked off defending 4A state champ East Forsyth 18-0 on Thursday.