Playoff Preview: Scots vs. Terry Sanford

LAURINBURG — Playoff atmosphere is alive and well in Scotland County. In the most anticipated game of the week, the Scotland Fighting Scots will host conference rival the Terry Sanford Bulldogs in the second round of the playoffs at Pate Stadium on Friday.

The Bulldogs enter this game having won three consecutive games and defeated E.E. Smith in the first round. Scotland is playing its first game in over a week after receiving a first-round bye and losing their regular-season finale against Cape Fear.

This will be a rematch of their Week 7 meeting, when Scotland amassed 384 total yards of offense and held the Bulldogs to their lowest point total of the season, defeating them 33-27.

Since that meeting, both teams went on to win two of their final three regular-season games. Each team is driven by its offense, the Scots’ being more of a ground attack, while the Bulldogs pride themselves on maintaining a balanced approach. Statistically, both offenses produce impressive numbers, with Terry Sanford averaging 423.0 yards per game and Scotland 314.7 per game.

We should be in for an offensive shootout Friday night.

“If we want to keep advancing, we’re going to need to play as hard as we can,” head coach Richard Bailey said.

Players to watch for Scotland

Junior quarterback Bryson Powell

Powell will be on many teams’ radar in the playoffs. Defenses will key on stopping the Scots’ ground game, hoping to make Powell beat them through the air. Bailey emphasized this, noting his quarterback will have to hit on those big play opportunities.

“To go very far in the playoffs, we’re going to need to hit on those big plays; we can’t just run the ball against very good football teams. Last week, we did not play well; we missed too many assignments and left too many points on the board. We should have scored at least 28 points.”

Freshman running back Michael McLean

Since the injury to senior running back Tyjurian White back in Week 8, McLean has become the lead horse for the Scots in their final two regular-season games. During this stretch, he has rushed for 182 yards and three touchdowns on 33 carries. He will be a key component of Scotland’s offensive attack.

“Our ability to run the ball will carry us, and teams that win state championships can run the football,” Bailey said.

Senior linebacker Kymani Atiles

Atiles leads the Scots’ linebacker core and is a tackling machine whose play style will be crucial against a Terry Sanford offense featuring a quarterback who can both run and pass and a strong rushing attack. In their Week 7 matchup, he had his best overall performance of the season, recording 21 total tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack and one forced fumble.

“Our focus is everyone doing their job, having elite eyes, being violent at the point of attack and relying on the fundamentals,” defensive coordinator Chris Metzger said. “We’re going to need everyone to take that next step. Terry Sanford is a well-coached team, so we have to play our best.”

Senior defensive end RJ Bethea

Winning in the trenches will be key. Bethea is one of the team’s top sack leaders, alongside junior Rasheme Wilkerson and senior Jesse Clifton. In their previous meeting, Scotland held the Bulldogs to only seven points in the first half, Bethea registered 10 total tackles, and both Clifton and Atiles registered sacks.

“It will be important for us to generate pressure and have a great balance. When you get to this point of the season, everyone is banged up, but we have to prevent the big play and keep our eyes in the right direction,” Metzger said.

Prediction: Scotland defeats Terry Sanford in an offensive shootout, winning 28-20, with the Scots’ defense forcing critical turnovers and making key stops on downs. Unlike their previous game against Cape Fear, where they missed big play opportunities, Scotland will able to capitalize this time, advancing to the next round.