LAURINBURG — After fighting through muddy conditions in a first-round win over Durham Jordan last week, the No. 10 Scotland football team faces an even bigger test when they travel to Raleigh to face No. 2 Cardinal Gibbons this week.
This time, it has less to do with the field.
The two teams have been on entirely different paths this season. After being hampered by injuries and inexperience throughout the year, Scotland improved its overall record to 6-5 with their win last week.
Cardinal Gibbons had a bye last week after taking the No. 2 seed in the 4A East bracket. The Crusaders have an overall record of 10-1, and four of their victories have been shutouts.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Cardinal Gibbons on Friday.
Players to watch
— Syheam McQueen, RB, Scotland
McQueen is the heartbeat of Scotland’s offense. As Jordan found out last week, it often takes several players to bring him down, and McQueen rarely gets caught behind the line of scrimmage.
The senior managed to run for 119 yards and a touchdown last week on a muddy field that head coach Richard Bailey called ‘unplayable.’ The future Shrine Bowl participant has shown signs of wear and tear at times this year due to his heavy workload, but he appeared to be in good shape against the Falcons last week.
Scotland’s receivers have stepped up at times late in the season, but passing isn’t a significant part of the team’s offensive scheme. McQueen, along with backup running backs Darrius Dockery and Joseph McKoy, will need to turn in impressive performances as the Scots look to add another week to their season.
— Nick Frey, QB, Cardinal Gibbons
Frey’s stats speak for themselves. He’s thrown for 35 touchdowns and just five interceptions this season. The Colgate commit has racked up just over 2,900 passing yards, and he averages around 265 yards per game.
Frey, a senior, has connected with a talented group of receivers that includes Jacob Gill, who has racked up 66 receptions for 1,089 yards and 18 touchdowns this season.
Jordan quarterback Ben Miller threw for 388 yards and four touchdowns against Scotland’s secondary last week. Miller threw 42 passes, and Scotland wasn’t used to facing such a heavy aerial attack.
The Crusaders aren’t a one-dimensional team. Sophomore running back Ethan Hebb is averaging 51 rushing yards per game this season, and he also has six touchdowns. Frey has rushed for eight touchdowns this season and carriers the ball for an average of 34 yards per game.
No mud, no problem
Cardinal Gibbons plays its home games on AstroTurf, an artificial grass surface. That will be a welcome change for the Scots after they struggled to keep their footing on Jordan’s’ muddy field last week.
Those murky conditions affected everyone on the field, including McQueen, who said he couldn’t get comfortable running the football because he kept slipping.
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