LAURINBURG — The losses just keep piling up for the Scotland High football team. Senior defensive lineman RJ Bethea signed his letter of intent to attend Averett University on Friday.
Bethea becomes the third player from the Scots defensive side to commit to a university; linebacker Kymani Atiles signed with Louisburg College, and safety Marlin Moore signed with The University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
“RJ is someone who really deserves the opportunity to be successful,” head coach Richard Bailey said. “He works extremely hard; since his freshman year, on junior varsity, no one has put in more hours; he never missed a workout or practice.”
Bethea was an integral part of Scotland’s defense, which allowed 24.8 points per game, down from last season’s 31.3 per game. He finished his senior season with 75 total tackles, one sack, a fumble recovery and three tackles for a loss and was awarded the Farm Bureau Defensive Player of the Game honors in Weeks 9 and 10. He will be reunited with former Scotland offensive coordinator Matt Quinn in Averett, who is now the head coach of the program.
“It’s a blessing to play at the next level,” Bethea said. “When Coach Quinn was introduced to me, I loved his energy. He is a great coach, and when he offered me back in December, I was excited. This has always been a dream of mine to play college football. I’m ready to play football and write my path.”
Defensive coordinator Chris Metzger praised Bethea’s dedication and leadership throughout the season.
“RJ is such a selfless kid; he committed to accepting a role, we made him play between linebacker and defensive line, and he made plays while being a complete team player,” Metzger said. “He came to work every day and was an inspiration to our football team.”
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