Wake Forest
Welcome to 4th & Forever’s Wake Forest hub — your home for all things Demon Deacons. From clutch moments on the gridiron to standout performances across every sport, we bring you the stories, highlights, and behind-the-scenes coverage that showcase the heart of Wake Forest athletics.
Next Up for the Demon Deacons
Clemson at Wake Forest 2/18
Football
DURHAM, N.C. — Duke kept its ACC title hopes alive on Saturday with a 49–32 win over Wake Forest, highlighted by a milestone day from quarterback Darian Mensah. Mensah, a Tulane transfer, broke the program’s single-season passing touchdown mark during the third quarter and later added one more before the final whistle. He completed 24 of 35 throws for 268 yards and also scored his first rushing touchdown of the year. The Blue Devils (7–5, 6–2 ACC) never trailed, powered by two rushing scores apiece from Anderson Castle and Nate Sheppard. Sahmir Hagans contributed a receiving touchdown and delivered an 80-yard kickoff return that set up Duke’s early fourth-quarter points. Head coach Manny Diaz said the game mirrored the team’s season-long mentality: less about flawless football and more about steady determination. Wake Forest (8–4, 4–4) had a productive outing from Robby Ashford, who totaled two passing touchdowns, 342 yards through the air, a rushing TD, and a two-point conversion. But the Demon Deacons were hurt by four turnovers and nearly 100 penalty yards, snapping their three-game win streak. Duke continued its trend of timely trick plays, converting a fake punt in the fourth quarter that extended a drive and drained valuable minutes off the clock while leading 42–32. Mensah’s record-breaking 30-yard strike to Hagans in the third quarter set the new season benchmark at 27 touchdown passes, and he added one more in the closing minute to cap the victory.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Wake Forest continued its late-season surge on Saturday, rolling past Delaware 52–14 as Robby Ashford accounted for four total touchdowns — three through the air and one on the ground — to extend the Demon Deacons’ winning streak to three. The victory also marked a milestone for head coach Jake Dickert, who is now the winningest first-year coach in program history. Wake Forest (8–3) has taken six of its last seven matchups, a run Dickert credits to pushing his team to raise its expectations. “We reset the standard,” Dickert said. “It hasn’t been smooth the whole way, but the progress has been real.” The game doubled as a meaningful Senior Day for a roster and coaching staff that came together less than a year ago. Dickert noted how rewarding it was to see the group’s growth from start to finish. Carlos Hernandez delivered one of the afternoon’s standout performances, torching the Delaware defense for 197 receiving yards and two long touchdown grabs — one from 79 yards out and another from 93.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Carlos Hernandez delivered two of the game’s most unexpected scoring plays — one on a catch and another by scooping up a teammate’s fumble — helping Wake Forest secure a 28–12 win over North Carolina on Saturday. The Demon Deacons kept the Tar Heels out of the end zone the entire afternoon. Hernandez finished with 100 receiving yards on six grabs, while quarterback Robby Ashford added both a passing and rushing touchdown for Wake Forest (7–3, 4–3 ACC). Demond Claiborne powered the ground game with 98 yards, highlighted by a 12-yard score. The victory gave first-year head coach Jake Dickert his first win over an in-state ACC opponent, something he said came with a noticeable shift in atmosphere and emotion on the sidelines. North Carolina relied solely on the leg of Rece Verhoff, who made four field goals — one of which set a new program record — but also had two attempts blocked. The Tar Heels (4–6, 2–4) saw their two-game streak come to an end and now need to win their remaining matchups, both against in-state foes, to have a shot at bowl eligibility in Bill Belichick’s debut college season.
Basketball:
Articles by: Vickie mathis
Men's basketball
Wake Forest (14-12, 5-8 ACC) built control early, stretching its lead to as many as 20 points in the opening half while shooting 67% from the field and knocking down six shots from beyond the arc. The Demon Deacons poured in 45 points before halftime, matching the highest first-half total Clemson has allowed this season. The Tigers mounted a push after the break, trimming the margin to six points, but were unable to overtake Wake Forest down the stretch.
N.C. State delivered a strong second-half performance to defeat Wake Forest 96-78 on Saturday in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Paul McNeil Jr. led the Wolfpack with 28 points, connecting on six shots from beyond the three-point line. He finished the game shooting 8-of-12 from the field, 6-of-8 from long range, and was perfect at the free-throw line, going 6-for-6. With the victory, N.C. State improved to 16-6 overall and 7-2 in ACC play. The Wolfpack shot an efficient 54% from the floor and hit 57% of their three-point attempts. N.C. State built momentum early, taking a 49-31 advantage into halftime after the start time of the matchup was moved up by more than two hours because of weather conditions.
B.J. Edwards powers SMU past Wake Forest, 91–79 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — B.J. Edwards delivered a standout performance Tuesday night, pouring in 24 points as SMU pulled away early and never relinquished control in a 91–79 win over Wake Forest. Edwards was efficient from the floor, knocking down 8 of 13 shots while nearly filling the stat sheet with eight rebounds, seven assists, and six steals. Jaron Pierre Jr. contributed 13 points for the Mustangs (14–5, 3–3 ACC), while Boopie Miller finished with 12 points and six assists. Jaden Toombs added 10 points and grabbed nine boards. SMU built separation before halftime, taking a 45–36 advantage into the break after opening up a nine-point cushion. Wake Forest made a brief push early in the second half, trimming the deficit to 50–46 with just under 17 minutes to play, but the Demon Deacons couldn’t close the gap any further. A three-pointer from Pierre late sealed the outcome as SMU extended the margin to 89–67 with 3:33 remaining. Juke Harris led Wake Forest (11–8, 2–4 ACC) with 27 points, hitting five shots from beyond the arc and shooting 10-of-17 overall. Tre’Von Spillers added 19 points, and Myles Colvin chipped in 17. Edwards scored 17 of his points in the opening half to help SMU seize momentum, while Harris posted 11 first-half points for Wake Forest, which last held a lead at 20–18 midway through the opening period.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Nate Calmese came through in the closing moments Saturday night, scoring 18 points and burying the go-ahead shot with 6.8 seconds remaining as Wake Forest completed a late comeback to edge Florida State 69–68. The win marked the Demon Deacons’ first ACC road victory of the season. Wake Forest closed the game on an 11–4 surge, trimming a double-digit deficit to take a 68–67 lead with 24 seconds to play. After Calmese’s floater put the Demon Deacons ahead for good, Florida State used a timeout to set up the final possession, but Robert McCray V’s potential game-winner rattled off the front of the rim as time expired. Calmese connected on 8 of 19 shots from the field and was supported by Juke Harris and Myles Colvin, who each scored 15 points for Wake Forest (11–7, 2–3 ACC). The Demon Deacons had trailed 65–54 with just over four minutes remaining before mounting their rally. Florida State (7–11, 0–5 ACC) was led by Chauncey Wiggins with 15 points. McCray finished with 12 points and five assists but struggled with ball security, committing 11 turnovers. Thomas Bassong added 11 points for the Seminoles. The Seminoles took a 34–31 advantage into halftime after scoring the final four points of the opening half. Martin Somerville recorded seven of his nine points before the break, while Calmese led Wake Forest early with 10 first-half points.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Henri Veesaar delivered a big night inside, scoring 25 points and pulling down nine rebounds as No. 17 North Carolina held off Wake Forest 87–84 on Saturday night to earn its 500th victory at the Dean E. Smith Center. Caleb Wilson recorded his 11th double-double of the season with 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Jaydon Young provided a spark off the bench with a season-best 12 points for the Tar Heels (14–2, 2–1 ACC). North Carolina rebounded from its first conference loss a week earlier at SMU. With the win, UNC improved to 500–90 all-time at the Smith Center, which has been home to the program since 1986. Wake Forest (10–7, 1–3 ACC) nearly erased a 15-point deficit behind a strong performance from Nate Calmese, who knocked down seven 3-pointers and finished with 28 points and nine assists. Juke Harris matched him with 28 points of his own, connecting on five shots from long range. Calmese’s step-back three with just over four minutes remaining pulled the Demon Deacons within one at 75–74, but North Carolina answered with timely finishes at the rim from Seth Trimble and Veesaar to maintain control. Another Calmese three cut the margin to 85–84 with seven seconds left, but Jarin Stevenson calmly sank two free throws to seal the outcome. Calmese’s off-balance attempt at the buzzer fell short. Wilson set the tone early, scoring 17 points and grabbing nine rebounds in the first half while shooting a perfect 7-for-7, helping the Tar Heels carry a 49–38 advantage into halftime.
Vanderbilt took the tip o> and the momentum in the first half here in Winston Salem, starting the game with a 14-5 run in the first 4 minutes of the game that included three 3-pointers from the Commodore’s senior Forward Tyler Nickel. Juke Harris led the way for the Demon Deacons, knocking down seven shots from deep on his way to a game-high 28 points. Tre’von Spillers added 16 points, converting eight of his 13 attempts. Early in the second half, Omaha Biliew’s 3-pointer nudged Wake Forest in front, and the momentum snowballed from there. Myles Colvin sank two free throws, Harris drilled consecutive triples, and Spillers capped the surge with a dunk that stretched the advantage to 47–36. West Virginia made a push when Honor Huff connected from long range to cut the gap to 61–56 with just over five minutes left. But Nate Calmese steadied Wake Forest, scoring on a put-back and setting up two straight baskets by Spillers to rebuild a double-digit cushion. Calmese matched his season best with nine assists while also contributing four points and four steals. Wake Forest (7–3) shot 51% from the floor, hit 10 threes, and turned 17 Mountaineer turnovers into 25 points.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Wake Forest closed out Saturday night at Holiday Hoopfest with a 75–66 win over West Virginia, powered by a barrage of outside shooting and timely playmaking. Juke Harris led the way for the Demon Deacons, knocking down seven shots from deep on his way to a game-high 28 points. Tre’von Spillers added 16 points, converting eight of his 13 attempts. Early in the second half, Omaha Biliew’s 3-pointer nudged Wake Forest in front, and the momentum snowballed from there. Myles Colvin sank two free throws, Harris drilled consecutive triples, and Spillers capped the surge with a dunk that stretched the advantage to 47–36. West Virginia made a push when Honor Huff connected from long range to cut the gap to 61–56 with just over five minutes left. But Nate Calmese steadied Wake Forest, scoring on a put-back and setting up two straight baskets by Spillers to rebuild a double-digit cushion. Calmese matched his season best with nine assists while also contributing four points and four steals. Wake Forest (7–3) shot 51% from the floor, hit 10 threes, and turned 17 Mountaineer turnovers into 25 points.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Oklahoma rolled to an 86–68 victory over Wake Forest on Tuesday night in the ACC/SEC Challenge, led by Tae Davis and Mohamed Wague. Davis scored 18 points, while Wague recorded a double-double with 11 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. Derrion Reid contributed 16 points, Nijel Pack added 13, and both Jadon Jones and Xzayvier Brown chipped in 11 each as the Sooners improved to 6–2 on the season. Wague’s 14 rebounds marked his second double-double of the year. The game was tight at halftime, with Oklahoma holding a 37–35 edge. The Sooners then pulled away with a 15–7 run, featuring six points from Jones and four from Davis, to build a 66–55 lead with just under eight minutes remaining. Later, a 15–3 stretch extended the lead to 84–61, and although Wake Forest (6–3) managed a late 7–0 run, it wasn’t enough to close the gap. Oklahoma shot 48% from the floor (26 of 54), while the Demon Deacons struggled at 34% (19 of 56). Wake Forest was paced by Juke Harris, who finished with 22 points, including 12 of 15 from the free-throw line, and Nate Calmese added 13 points.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Wake Forest overcame a tight first half to pull away from Northeastern, earning an 86–73 victory on Friday. Tre’Von Spillers scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Juke Harris also added 17 points for the Demon Deacons. Sebastian Akins contributed 13 points and Myles Colvin chipped in 11, with Spillers connecting on 8 of 11 shots and Harris making 10 of 11 free throws. Wake Forest improved to 6–2 on the season. Northeastern was led by Miles Newton with 22 points, Xander Alarie added 15, Xavier Abreu scored 12, and Youri Fritz contributed 10 for the Huskies (3–4). After trailing by one at halftime, Wake Forest took control in the second half, scoring 16 points off 11 Northeastern turnovers in the first 14 minutes to build a 79–65 lead. Northeastern cut the deficit to 79–70 with 4:20 remaining, but Harris hit a jumper and Colvin followed with a 3-pointer, allowing the Demon Deacons to maintain a double-digit lead for the rest of the game. Wake Forest had built an early advantage of 33–24, but a 10-point surge from Newton helped the Huskies close to 45–44 by halftime.
Women's basketball
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons fell just short against the Georgetown Hoyas, dropping a 58–56 decision. With Wake Forest trailing by one in the final seconds, Summer Davis drained a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to seal the victory for Georgetown. Grace Oliver led Wake Forest’s offense, finishing with 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting, including one 3-pointer, and added seven rebounds. Caitlyn Jones chipped in 12 points, while Mary Carter contributed eight. The Hoyas were led by Destiny [last name not provided], who paced Georgetown’s scoring.
WINSTON-SALEM — The Wake Forest Demon Deacons suffered their first loss of the season, falling 67–64 to William & Mary in ACC women’s basketball action. The Tribe came out red-hot, building a 25-point lead in the first half. Wake Forest mounted a strong comeback but couldn’t close the gap in the final minutes. Mary Carter led the Demon Deacons with 15 points and pulled down seven rebounds, pacing the team’s effort.
SAN JUAN — Wake Forest got off to a strong start in the final game of the Puerto Rico Shootout on Friday, building an early lead that Illinois State couldn’t overcome. The Demon Deacons held on for a 57–44 victory over the Redbirds at Coliseo Guillermo Angulo, handing Illinois State its first loss in San Juan.