Players from the Sandhills Athletic Conference come together at SAC football media day on Sunday.
                                 Photos| Brandon Hodge/ Daily Journal & Laurinburg Exchange

Players from the Sandhills Athletic Conference come together at SAC football media day on Sunday.

Photos| Brandon Hodge/ Daily Journal & Laurinburg Exchange

<p>Richmond football players Jeffery Linton (left) and Emerson Wall (right) at SAC football media day on Sunday.</p>
                                 <p>Photos| Brandon Hodge/ Daily Journal & Laurinburg Exchange</p>

Richmond football players Jeffery Linton (left) and Emerson Wall (right) at SAC football media day on Sunday.

Photos| Brandon Hodge/ Daily Journal & Laurinburg Exchange

<p>Scotland football players Cadyn Graves (11) and Jahari Brown (8) at SAC football media day on Sunday.</p>
                                 <p>Photos| Brandon Hodge/ Daily Journal & Laurinburg Exchange</p>

Scotland football players Cadyn Graves (11) and Jahari Brown (8) at SAC football media day on Sunday.

Photos| Brandon Hodge/ Daily Journal & Laurinburg Exchange

<p>Left-to-right: Lee County head coach Steve Burdeau, Scotland head coach Richard Bailey, Hoke County head coach George Small, Richmond head coach Bryan Till, Pinecrest head coach Nick Eddins, and Union Pines head coach Jason Trousdale at SAC football media day on Sunday.</p>

Left-to-right: Lee County head coach Steve Burdeau, Scotland head coach Richard Bailey, Hoke County head coach George Small, Richmond head coach Bryan Till, Pinecrest head coach Nick Eddins, and Union Pines head coach Jason Trousdale at SAC football media day on Sunday.

RAEFORD – The sun was out Sunday at Raz Autry Stadium, but so were the stars, as players and coaches from the Sandhills Athletic Conference gathered for photos, interviews, and the announcement of the preseason coaches and media polls at SAC football media day.

In both the preseason coaches and media polls, Richmond was voted as the favorite to win the SAC, with the Raiders receiving four out of six first-place votes in the coaches poll and three out of eight first-place votes in the media poll.

Scotland was picked to finish third in the SAC for the coaches poll and voted to finish second for the media poll despite receiving four out of eight first-place votes. The Scots didn’t receive any first-place votes in the coaches’ poll.

Pinecrest picked up the last two first-place votes in the coaches’ poll to come in second, while they picked up a lone first-place vote in the media poll to come in at third.

Lee County, Hoke County, Union Pines, and Southern Lee rounded out spots four through seven in both polls.

Pastor Paul Lemmond provided dinner to all those in attendance and talked about the importance of appreciating high school referees, noting the referee shortage in high school sports.

An initiative named “Bibles for Referees” will go into action by all seven SAC schools this season. Bibles for Referees will provide clean towels, a snack, and a bible to all referees working SAC sporting events.

The 2022-23 high school football season will begin on Aug. 19 for Richmond and Scotland. The Raiders will host Mount Tabor while the Scots will host Northern Durham. Both games will begin at 7 p.m.

The SAC preseason coaches and media polls are listed below.

SAC Preseason Coaches Poll (first-place votes are in parentheses)

1. Richmond (4)

2. Pinecrest (2)

3. Scotland

4. Lee County

5. Hoke County

6. Union Pines

7. Southern Lee

SAC Preseason Media Poll (first-place votes are in parentheses)

1. Richmond (3)

2. Scotland (4)

3. Pinecrest (1)

4. Lee County

5. Hoke County

6. Union Pines

7. Southern Lee

Reach Brandon Hodge at [email protected]