A little friendly competition

LAURINBURG — As the temperature continues to rise and the calendar prepares to flip to August the Fighting Scots finished out their summer practices Wednesday morning with some friendly competition.

Instead of keep to their traditional practice routine, coach Richard Bailey and his staff were running the final day of the BCS Championship — an inter-team competition where players were divided into eight teams and pitted against each other in various speed and skills drills.

The team competitions began in June and were held every Wednesday during summer practices. Coach Bailey and his staff kept score throughout the team competitions to determine the rankings of each team for Wednesday’s BCS Championship.

Players were given T-shirts with their team colors — yellow, black, red, blue, orange, light blue, purple and green — to help identify them as they moved through the various drills. Each player took on someone from the other team, who was a similar size and skill level. Coaches kept score through each head-to-head event, which included tire pulls, sled races, cone drills and speed drills.

After the first round of the championships only four teams advanced to the next round — yellow, black, orange and purple.

With temperatures hovering right around 95 degrees players were drenched in sweat and started to walk to their next station — but coaches were quick to remind them that’s not the Scotland way.

“Winning a state championship isn’t easy,” said Coach Bailey. “Did you really think winning the BCS Championship was going to be?”

Players from the four eliminated teams gathered around to cheer on their teammates as the level of competition intensified.

Once all the drills were completed, Coach Bailey sat in the middle of the practice field to tally up the results. This year’s championship was between the No. 2 ranked Yellow team and the No. 5 ranked Orange team.

“We had our first upset this year, with a No. 5 team making it into the championship,” Bailey said.

In the end though, the higher seeded team prevailed with the No. 2 Yellow team taking home the BCS Championship trophy and bragging rights.

The Fighting Scots will begin tryouts and their first official practice of the 2016 season on Monday, Aug. 1 at 8 a.m.

Amber Hatten can be reached at 910-506-3170.

Chris Williams, right, wrestles to get a tire away from Tony Smith, left, during Wednesday’s BCS Championship. The Scotland High School football team took a break from their routine practices for some friendly inter-squad competition. Players were divided, by colored T-shirts, into eight teams were they competed head-to-head in various speed and skills drills.

https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_078.jpgChris Williams, right, wrestles to get a tire away from Tony Smith, left, during Wednesday’s BCS Championship. The Scotland High School football team took a break from their routine practices for some friendly inter-squad competition. Players were divided, by colored T-shirts, into eight teams were they competed head-to-head in various speed and skills drills.

Members of the Light Blue team and the Orange team toe the line, during Wednesday’s BCS Championship, before starting a footwork drill.

https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_037.jpgMembers of the Light Blue team and the Orange team toe the line, during Wednesday’s BCS Championship, before starting a footwork drill.

Scotland players were given T-shirts with their team colors — yellow, black, red, blue, orange, light blue, purple and green — as they competed in Wednesday’s BCS Championship.

https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_019.jpgScotland players were given T-shirts with their team colors — yellow, black, red, blue, orange, light blue, purple and green — as they competed in Wednesday’s BCS Championship.

Scotland players were pitted against someone from the other team, who was a similar size and skill level during Wednesday’s BCS Championship. Coaches kept score through each head-to-head event, which included tire pulls, sled races, cone drills and speed drills.

https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_045.jpgScotland players were pitted against someone from the other team, who was a similar size and skill level during Wednesday’s BCS Championship. Coaches kept score through each head-to-head event, which included tire pulls, sled races, cone drills and speed drills.

The Scotland High School football team took a break from their routine practices for some friendly inter-squad competition. Players were divided, by colored T-shirts, into eight teams were they competed head-to-head in various speed and skills drills.

https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_090.jpgThe Scotland High School football team took a break from their routine practices for some friendly inter-squad competition. Players were divided, by colored T-shirts, into eight teams were they competed head-to-head in various speed and skills drills.

Scotland linebacker Javon Ratliffe, middle, celebrates with his teammates after beating running back Zamir White in the tire pull during Wednesday’s BCS Championship.

https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/web1_Ratliffe.jpgScotland linebacker Javon Ratliffe, middle, celebrates with his teammates after beating running back Zamir White in the tire pull during Wednesday’s BCS Championship.