Scotland advances to meet top seeded Havelock with win over Terry Sanford

FAYETTEVILE —The Fighting Scots football team will be playing on Thanksgiving weekend after pulling off a 38-35 nail-biting victory over the Terry Sanford Bulldogs on Friday night at Armstrong Stadium in the second round of the 3A NCHSAA playoffs. Scotland’s second victory over Terry Sanford this season gives them a 7-5 overall record for the season while the Bulldogs finish their season at 9-3 with this being their first loss since suffering a 31-7 defeat at the hands of Cape Fear on Sept. 6. Head Coach Richard Bailey was happy to survive and advance, especially after losing in heartbreaking fashion to Terry Sanford in the playoffs just two years ago but also gave some serious praise to the Bulldogs offense after the game.

“Hat goes off to Terry Sanford they got a great coaching staff and Jordan Vann their OC does an incredible job,” Bailey said. “Our head was spinning trying to stop their quarterback because he’s a great player and we didn’t have a lot of answers for him.”

These teams tend to engage in shootouts when they meet, and Friday night was no different. After Scotland received the opening kickoff, it took them all of two plays to find paydirt with Tyjurian White covering 63 yards in two plays, including a 58-yard touchdown run that gave the Scots a 7-0 lead less than a minute into the game. The Bulldogs responded on their first possession, with the biggest plays being a 24-yard reception by Christian Carter and a 23-yard touchdown connection between quarterback Jacob Moore and receiver Gaven Kraut that tied the game at seven with 7:01 still remaining in the opening frame. Scotland didn’t back down, getting timely first down runs from White, a defensive pass interference call against Dajuan Gibson that brought the ball to the Terry Sanford 37-yard line and eventually a 27-yard touchdown run by White that allowed the Scots to regain the lead at 14-7.

The next offensive possession for each team was rather uneventful with the Bulldogs going three and out while Scotland had good starting field position (their own 44-yard line) but eventually turned it over on downs after going for it on 4th & 10 from Terry Sanford’s 29-yard line. The Bulldogs did make good on the defensive stop with Moore running the ball at will while Isaiah Washington also chipped in a 16-yard carry and Kylee Thames had a 12-yard reception before Troy Shannon punched it in the endzone from a yard out that cut Scotland’s lead to one at 14-13 (extra point was blocked). The Scots then went to work starting at their own 39-yard line with 4:43 left in the half as White continued to run the ball with incredible success while Deandre Braddy also found some running lanes with a 3rd & 8 carry that picked up an important first down in Terry Sanford territory. Quarterback Ji’San McPhatter would soon after connect with Gibson on a touchdown pass with just two seconds left in the half to extend Scotland’s advantage up to eight at the break (21-13). Bailey was thrilled to see his team execute offensively and have it happen in multiple ways in the biggest moments.

“We ran the ball well in the first half,” Bailey said. “Our receivers also made big plays when we needed them to and Ji’San did a good job moving the ball down the field in important situations.”

The Scots carried the momentum into the start of the second half by quickly forcing a Bulldogs punt and then marching 68 yards to the endzone with Gibson catching a 35-yard pass from McPhatter while McPhatter and White again contributed with timely runs before Braddy ran it in from five yards out to give Scotland their biggest lead of the game at 28-13 with 4:53 remaining in the third. The Bulldogs were far from done, immediately responding thanks to good field position (their own 46-yard line), Moore connecting with Carter in Scotland territory (31-yard line), then gaining 29 yards on two rushes, including a 14 yarder on 3rd & 8 that cut the Scots’ lead to 28-21 (successful two-point conversion). Josiah Thomas then picked off McPhatter at the Scotland 36-yard line before Moore hit Kraut for 25 yards on the first play of their next possession and connected with Kraut again for a 20-yard touchdown pass that made the score 28-27 (missed extra point).

The fourth quarter was a wild one as is to be expected when these teams face off. Scotland went three and out on their next offensive drive and then seemed like they might be in trouble when Moore scrambled for 13 yards and then hit Carter for another big gain before another first down run put the Bulldogs in Scotland territory. However, the Scots defense came through by forcing them to go for it on 4th & 14, where Shylan Harrell nabbed a timely interception and returned it to Terry Sanford’s 28-yard line. The Scots took advantage in short order with a defensive holding penalty setting up a 15-yard touchdown run by White, his third of the game (score was 35-27 with five minutes left). The Bulldogs weren’t ready to go down without a fight, managing to convert a couple of timely third and fourth downs while heavily relying on Moore’s legs, which is how they would eventually score from 14 yards out to get within two before converting the two-point conversion on a “Philly Special” that tied the game at 35 with 1:13 remaining in regulation. Unfortunately for Terry Sanford, they left too much time for Scotland’s offense to work its magic as they covered 47 yards in that time and allowed Cameron Cole to kick a game winning 37-yard field goal as the clock hit 0:00. Cole like all Scotland supporters was hoping a walk off wouldn’t be necessary but once he knew he had a chance to play hero just trusted his instincts and let everything fall into place.

“I was hoping they didn’t score but when it was tied that’s when I started warming up,” Cole said. “I want to give big thanks to Dakota Quick-Smith and Dylan Tilson because the snaps and hold were perfect.”

After taking down a pair of familiar opponents on the road in the first two rounds, the Scots will get a massive test in the third-round next week as they get set to travel for a battle with top seeded Havelock. The Rams advanced with a 49-6 beatdown of No. 16 Western Alamance on Friday night and will enter the matchup at 11-1 overall on the season. Bailey is happy with how far his team has made it this season and noted that playing football in late November is a sign of a successful season.

“Anytime you’re playing on Thanksgiving you’ve had a great year,” Bailey said. “We’ve worked hard to get us here, it hasn’t been pretty at times but we’re hanging together, and I know we’re coming back on Monday to practice, and we’ll be practicing on Thanksgiving.”