LAURINBURG — And then there were four.
The Fighting Scots are the only remaining team out of the Sandhills Athletic Conference in the NCHSAA playoffs. No. 6 Pinecrest fell on Friday by 10 to No. 3 Garner Magnet, 31-21 to end the Patriots season. Scotland eliminated Seventy-First from the 4A playoff picture with a dominate 63-26 win. The three other teams from the SAC-8 — Richmond, Purnell Swett, and Jack Britt — that made it into the playoffs were eliminated in the first round.
As the sole SAC-8 survivor, the Fighting Scots will host No. 4 South Central a team that is 10-2 overall and was 5-1 in the Eastern Carolina 3A/4A Conference finishing second behind D.H. Conley — who lost on Friday in the 3AA playoffs to Eastern Guilford.
After Friday’s game, Scots head coach Richard Bailey said the goal at the beginning of every season is to be playing football when Thanksgiving rolls around.
“Scotland football we’re going to be playing on Thanksgiving,” Bailey said. “I would love to go see my family in Texas and Florida but I have a commitment to this program and this team. We’ll practice early Thursday morning then get the kids to their families for Thanksgiving afternoon.”
Reserve tickets for Friday’s game can be purchased at the high school until the end of school on Tuesday because Scotland High School will be closed the rest of the week for Thanksgiving break.
The third round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association takes place Friday, Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m.
4A
East
No. 1 Scotland County (10-1) vs. No. 4 South Central (10-2)
No. 2 Hoggard (12-0) vs. No. 6 Heritage (12-1)
West
No. 1 Harding University (11-1) vs. No. 5 East Forsyth (9-4)
No. 6 Vance (10-3) vs. No. 7 Hickory Ridge (11-2)
4AA
East
No. 1 Wake Forest (12-0) vs. No. 4 Sanderson (9-3)
No. 3 Garner (8-4) vs. No. 2 Green Hope (10-2)
West
No. 1 Mallard Creek (12-0) vs. No. 4 Page (11-1)
No. 6 Myers Park (12-1) vs. No. 7 Hough (10-3)
3A
East
No. 1 Western Alamance (13-0) vs. 5 Jacksonville (11-2)
No. 3 Southern Nash (12-1) vs. No. 2 Havelock (12-1)
West
No. 1 Charlotte Catholic (13-0) vs. No. 5 Weddington (10-3)
No. 2 Kings Mountain (11-1) vs. No. 3 Jay M. Robinson (11-2)
3AA
East
No. 1 Clayton (13-0) vs. No. 4 Eastern Guilford (11-2)
No. 2 New Hanover (12-1) vs. No. 11 Cape Fear (10-3)
West
No. 1 Mount Tabor (11-2) vs. No. 12 Sun Valley (10-3)
No. 2 A.C. Reynolds (12-1) vs. No. 3 South Iredell (11-2)
2A
East
No. 1 Northeastern (13-0) vs. No. 5 Wallace-Rose Hill (11-1)
No. 3 Southwest Onslow (10-3) vs. No. 2 East Bladen (12-1)
West
No. 1 Reidsville (13-0) vs. No. 4 South Columbus (12-1)
No. 2 Mountain Heritage (12-0) vs. No. 3 Hendersonville (10-3)
2AA
East
No. 1 East Duplin (13-0) vs. No. 4 Randleman (11-1)
No. 2 North Davidson (12-1) vs. No. 3 South Granville (13-0)
West
No. 4 Mount Pleasant (10-2) vs. No. 8 Shelby (11-2)
No. 2 Hibriten (13-0) vs. No. 3 Franklin (13-0)
1A
East
No. 1 North Duplin (12-0) vs. No. 5 Pamlico County (9-4)
No. 2 Northampton County (11-1) vs. No. 6 Plymouth (8-5)
West
No. 1 Mitchell (11-1) vs. No. 5 Robbinsville (9-4)
No. 2 Cherokee (11-1) vs. No. 3 Thomas Jefferson (11-1)
1AA
East
No. 1 Tarboro (12-0) vs. No. 5 West Montgomery (11-2)
No. 2 John A. Holmes (11-1) vs. No. 6 Lakewood (11-2)
West
No. 1 Mount Airy (12-0) vs. No. 4 Bessemer City (11-1)
No. 6 Murphy (11-2) vs. No. 7 East Surry (9-4)
Amber Hatten can be reached at 910-506-3170.