“We’ve really been a pretty good football team all year,” Golden Hawks coach David Riggs said. “We’re not as bad as our record shows, but this start was not atypical for us. But whereas a lot of teams might’ve given up, we didn’t quit. I’m really proud of the way they battled.”

Apex started quickly.

Two Donte Smalls’ first quarter touchdowns put the Cougars out in front 14-0. On the first play of the second quarter, junior linebacker John Barrett picked up a Golden Hawks fumble and took it 67 yards down to the 3-yard line. Quincy Mangum pushed Apex’s lead to 21 one play later.

With 11:41 left in the first half, the Cougars led by three touchdowns. Things quickly changed.

Holly Springs responded with a two-play 80-yard scoring drive to make 21-7. Senior running back Markez Davis broke through the middle of Apex’s defensive line and rumbled 79 yards before being tripped up from behind a yard short of the end zone. Junior quarterback Brett Hudspeth finished it off with a keeper off the left side for the touchdown.

Davis’ first score of the game came with 5:32 left in the second quarter on a 2-yard run that pulled the Hawks to within a touchdown.

Defensive back Von Williams took care of getting Holly Springs the ball back with a pick just inside the Hawks’ own 25-yards line. And on a play very similar to Davis’ 79-yard run, Jerrel Herndon busted loose right up the middle.

This time, though, no one caught him. Herndon crossed the goal line with 3:03 left to tie the score at 21.

Holly Springs’ momentum carried into the third quarter.

Hudspeth capped the opening drive of the second half with a 2-yard score to give the Hawks their first lead of the game at 28-21. A 46-yard Alex Calogero field goal pulled the Cougars to within four, but Holly Springs answered right back with another scoring drive that ended with Davis scoring from four yards out.

Davis found the end zone for the third time with 26 seconds left in the third quarter to put Holly Springs in front by 17, and essentially put the game away. Davis finished with a game-high 254 yards on 26 carries.