WAKE FOREST — Wake Forest-Rolesville coach Reggie Lucas said his undefeated team had to look at Friday’s start of conference play as beginning a whole new season, but the Cougars continued with business as usual, beating Heritage, 35 - 7.

Wake Forest-Rolesville coach Reggie Lucas said his undefeated team had to look at Friday’s start of conference play as beginning a whole new season, but the Cougars continued with business as usual, beating Heritage, 35 - 7.

The cross-town rivalry was a bit one-sided between Heritage, in just its second year of varsity competition, and perennial Cap Eight power Wake Forest-Rolesville.

Huskies coach Jason McGeorge knew his team would have to be near perfect to contend with the undefeated Cougars. No. 4 Wake Forest-Rolesville (5-0, 1-0) has steamrolled competition this year, outscoring opponents 223-49.

“We have to be willing to take a blow or two and fight our way back,” McGeorge said Wednesday as his team prepared for the matchup. “As long as we’re in it down the stretch, we’ll be OK.”

But McGeorge’s team took more than a few blows and the Cougars took the visiting Huskies out of the game early, halting Heritage’s first two drives and turning both into scores, taking a 10-0 lead early.

Wake Forest-Rolesville linebacker Blake Williams recovered a Huskie fumble less than 40 seconds into the game, giving the Cougars possession on the 29-yard line.

The drive ended on a Petey Williams 8-yard touchdown run, and a minute later, Cougars linebacker Ben Fingers snatched his second interception in as many games. The Cougars put three more points on the board with a Drew Alvarez field goal.

“We came out with a solid intensity,” Wake Forest-Rolesville coach Reggie Lucas said. “The only thing I would’ve liked more is if we would have gotten another seven instead of the three. We can’t leave points in the red zone, but we’re working on that.”

The Huskies got things going a bit on the next possession with quarterback Blake Walters leading the charge with 54 yards on the ground, including a 29-yard rushing score to put Heritage on the board.

But that would be the last time Heritage made it into the end zone.

After stopping the Cougars on their opening drive of the second half, the Huskies put together a drive that had their fans riled up and hoping for a single-digit game, but Heritage fumbled in the red zone, giving Wake Forest the ball on the 9 and the Cougars put together a 91-yard march down field that ended with a 5-yard Chris Love score.

Instead of being within eight points, the Huskies were now down by 22 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Cougars would score once more on a touchdown by Devante Reynolds, who finished with 91 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

Chris Love added 128 yards and two scores of his own, and Walters led the Huskies with 82 yards on seven carries and one score.

“We lost 35-7 and had four turnovers,” McGeorge said after the game. “Those four turnovers resulted in 28 points. You have to have confidence. You can’t be tentative, but we’re on the right track.”

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