Scotland High football fans are preparing for a bout of withdrawals this week as the Fighting Scots are on a bye week after four straight non-conference games — a stretch that resulted in an impressive 4-0 mark against some strong competition.
Oh, what a difference a year makes.
At this point last season, Scotland High was looking at a 1-2 record on the eve of its Sandhills Athletic Conference schedule and would go on to slip into the playoffs with a 5-5 mark.
We all know what happened next.
The miraculous run to another Class 4A state championship game did much more than thrill Scotland County fans, it set a positive tone for the 2019 season. Following a year that saw the departure of more than 30 seniors, the Fighting Scots bid farewell to just nine seniors in June, giving coach Richard Bailey a returning group that played a big part in last season’s late success.
If there is an answer to the question of how Scotland High was able to pull off what it did in the 2018 playoffs — after a regular season of mediocrity — it could be that the Scots came together as a team. And that’s what is evident this season so far.
Thus far, Bailey knows he has no overwhelming stud horse to ride. But he also knows he’s got something that might be even better: a team.
More than playing for themselves, as teenagers are likely to do, the Fighting Scots are also playing for each other. Last season’s days of “next man up” to fill the vacancies from injuries are gone. Now there is a sense of pulling together among these players with the lone goal of chasing a “W.”
Bailey surely keeps his team focused solely on the next game on the schedule — in this case, it’s Jack Britt in next week’s SAC opener on the road.
But as fans, it’s easy to look ahead … and aside from the challenges that teams like Pinecrest, Hoke County and Seventy-First will present, we all know it’s that clash on Nov. 8 at Pate Stadium that we are already anticipating against Richmond Senior. Currently the two teams, in some state polls, are ranked 1-2. But few teams, much less Richmond High, have played the non-conference schedule with the strength Scotland has. Even fewer would consider a nearly four-hour bus ride to face a strong team as the Fighting Sc0ts did last week against D.H. Conley.
Suffice it to say that the next several Fright nights will be fun to watch.
Despite the fact there is no local high-school football here on Friday, we will still urge you to visit Pate Stadium to support the annual Relay For Life event between 6 p.m. and midnight. Take a walk around the track with the family, watch the numerous events going on, visit the booths and support a worthwhile cause. It will help the gridiron withdrawals subside.
Then get ready to resume supporting the Fighting Scots as they chase down 5-0 next Friday.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Take joy in sharing positive energy with others.” (Brendon Burchard)