HOWARD — Football didn’t matter anymore with less than four minutes remaining in the half at Friday’s Devil-Dog rivalry game.
After attempting to make a tackle while on defense, Danville junior Wesley Payne did not get up. The six-foot, 160-pound defensive back laid face down as training staff members rushed to his side and exercised caution with his head and neck.
“That was a tough moment,” Danville coach Matthew Blum said of Payne’s injury.
The junior was placed onto a stretcher and exited the field via ambulance. Before the unit departed, players from each of the rival schools surrounded Payne as a sign of support.
“I love that kid (Payne),” Blum said. “I love him with everything that I have and to see that injury, I just hope he’s OK.
“But I was really proud of the way our team responded. That’s adversity. In these guys’ lives, they’re going to face adversity, somehow and in some way and they responded. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
At the time of Payne’s injury, Danville (8-2 overall, 6-1 in the KMAC) led the Bulldogs 14-0. The Blue Devils continued their success in the second half, defeating East Knox 36-6.
‘What would Wes want?’
Danville’s Josh Byers opened Friday’s scoring when he ran 28 yards for a TD with 2:41 left in the first quarter.
The Blue Devils’ only other first-half score came via a double-pass play. Nolan Ridgway found Payne in the front corner of the endzone on fourth-and-eight from the 11-yard line, extending Danville’s lead to 14-0 — which it would take to halftime.
While Payne was being taking care of by medical staff, Blum said the biggest message he gave his players was “what would Wes (Payne) want?”
“He would want us to win this game,” Blum said he told his players. “He’s a tough kid — really tough. He’s going to be OK, but we’ve got to find a way to win right now because that’s what he would want us to do.”
East Knox coach Andy Beatty said Payne’s injury was a very “sobering moment.”
“You realize as a coach how quickly something like that can happen,” he said. “I know for Coach Blum and myself, it’s one of those where all of the sudden the game doesn’t matter.
“There’s so much overlap in these two communities. We want to beat each other. They want to beat us. But zoom out, because life is so much bigger than that.”
Blue Devils shutout Bulldogs for three quarters
Blum’s message clearly clicked with his players, who rallied with one another on their way to a 30-point win — for Wes.
The Blue Devils added three rushing TDs in the second half. Cyren Wallace scored from four yards out and Aidan Burke scored twice on runs of four and five yards.
East Knox (4-6, 3-4) scored its lone TD in the fourth quarter when quarterback Jaxon Lester connected with Logan Clark for a 29-yard score.
“I thought our secondary did a great job tonight,” Blum said. “Offensively, our offensive line was able to get it rolling. I’m just really happy for our kids.”
Gallery: Danville at East Knox
Blue Devils prepare for playoff run
Danville had already secured a spot in the playoffs no matter the outcome of Friday’s game.
Blum said the Blue Devils’ past three games, including East Knox, have helped prepare his team for the postseason.
“We’re peaking at the right time,” he said. “That’s what you want as a coach. I’m just really happy and really excited. I’m going to let our kids really enjoy this tonight.”
On the other side, the Bulldogs’ playoff hopes largely decreased with their Week 10 loss.
Entering its game Friday, East Knox was ranked 18th in Region 18 of Division V.
Beatty said the postseason seems unlikely based on certain scenarios the Bulldogs needed to result in their favor.
“They felt like this is it,” he said of his players. “If they get a bonus game, great, and if not, there’s no doubt they brought their best.”
Gallery: East Knox and Danville marching bands
More than a game
Building relationships is why Beatty said he coaches — not opportunities to coach at a bigger school or at the next level.
“I know what football has provided to me and specifically, I know what male mentors meant to me at that age,” he said. “For this group of guys that’s what we want, to give them a group of men who will challenge them, walk alongside them, push them, encourage them and help them figure it out.”
With zeros on the clock, Beatty spent time exchanging handshakes and hugs with each of his players — spending extra time with the Bulldogs’ eight seniors.
He said the seniors leaned in and worked hard every day.
“If you take that and you move it forward in life, you will be successful,” Beatty said. “You’ll be successful as a husband, a father, as an employee or a business owner.
“Whatever it is, if they take what they’ve learned here and move it forward, really cool things are going to happen in their life.”
