The Scots charge out of the tunnel-and later storm into the endzone for the game-winning touchdown to defeat Dillon, 36-33, in the season opener.
Travis Petty Jr | The Laurinburg Exchange
LAURINBURG — As the saying goes, “They had us in the first half,” was truly on display in the Fighting Scots’ season opener, as they rallied from a 13-point deficit to defeat the Dillon Wildcats. For a team that has its sights on winning a championship, wins like this can’t help but breed confidence into a team.
Freshman running back Michael McLean sealed the game for the Scots in the closing moments, scoring the game-winning touchdown and two-point conversion from sophomore Nazire’ Campbell to give the Scots a 36-33 lead. To cap it off, a sack from junior Jayden Roland stamped the victory.
“We are a good team; I think we can win a championship this year,” freshman Michael McLean said. “I have my teammates here, and they keep me going and I truly love this team.”
“This is a great team; we have the best offense in the state,” senior running back Tyjurian White said. “We never gave up, and we fought until the clock hit zero. When I went down, [Michael] McLean carried the game and that’s all I can ask for.”
After playing a strong first quarter where the Scots offense scored two touchdowns, leading 14-13, the Scots disappeared offensively in the second quarter. The offense struggled due to self-inflicted turnovers and penalties, while starting running back Tyjurian White was sidelined with an injury.
Additionally, the defense failed to force a punt in the first half. As the Wildcats would go on to score 14 unanswered points going into halftime, leading 27-14.
In true Laurinburg fashion, the Scots demonstrated their determination. The defense sparked the turnaround to start the third quarter, forcing two three-and-outs.
“We came together; that’s what sealed the game for us,” junior defensive end Jayden Roland said.
Senior defensive back Shylan Harrell agreed, adding, “We fixed our mistakes, and in the second half we came out and did what we had to do.”
On their first offensive possession, they connected on a touchdown pass to Nazire’ Campbell, narrowing the score to 21-27. From that point, Dillon scored a touchdown, extending their lead to 33-21 late in the fourth quarter.
The Scots countered with a late touchdown, narrowing the score to 33-28 with 2:42 remaining. With two timeouts remaining, the Scots would successfully recover an onside kick.
The Fighting Scots would drive the ball to the 1-yard line, with 10 seconds remaining on third down. A handoff to Michael McLean gave the Scots the lead, and a two-point conversion from Nazire Campbell extended it to 36-33.
McLean, only a freshman, is living the dream of a high school athlete. He was recently offered a scholarship to the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and capped his varsity debut with the game-winning score.
“Michael McLean, despite his size, is a tough kid; there’s a reason the University of North Carolina offered him a scholarship as a freshman,” Bailey said after the emotional comeback.
“Could not be more proud of this football team. It won’t always be close games, but you have to do what you have to do to win.”
With momentum on their side, the Scots (1-0) are set to travel to face their archrival, Richmond, on Aug. 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Travis Petty Jr can be reached at tpetty@cmpapers.com or 910.506.3171 ext 2027. Follow him on X @T_PettySports.