The 2019 high school football season has taught us two things: Richmond is definitely one of the best teams in the state, and Scotland is also among the best teams when they’re not tripping on their own feet.
We already know a lot about those two teams. Now it’s time to decide who will take home the Sandhills Athletic Conference title — or at least a share of the title. Richmond will take sole possession of the league trophy if the Raiders beat Scotland this week. But if Scotland beats Richmond, the teams will share the title. Pinecrest and Scotland are currently tied for second place, so victories by the Scots and Patriots would create a three-way tie for the conference crown.
What does Scotland have to do to grab a share of the conference championship?
Well, we know what they shouldn’t do. Just take a look back at Scotland’s loss to Pinecrest two weeks ago, when the Scots racked up almost 180 penalty yards. Scotland’s defense made some big plays, including a pick-six by defensive back Kris McLean early in the second half. Pinecrest made some big plays defensively as well, but they were assisted by several unforced errors on Scotland’s side. Holding calls, false starts and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties all came back to haunt Scotland in the end.
Hopefully the Scots learned a thing or two from that game.
It’s going to be tough to neutralize Richmond’s offense. Richmond quarterback Caleb Hood is an all-around playmaker, one who can punish a defense for the smallest of mistakes. Because of his impressive versatility, Hood is bound to do some damage. But Scotland is excellent at not giving quarterbacks enough time to think. With an experienced and talented defensive line that is accompanied by a hard-hitting linebacker corps, Scotland has enough talent to put consistent pressure on Hood and put him in tough situations.
But it’s not enough to count on Hood to make mistakes. He won’t make very many. The Scots will need to focus on their own discipline, and they’ll need to make sure they aren’t giving Richmond’s offense free yards to work with.
On offense, Scotland has been looking more versatile as the season has progressed. Bruce Wall’s mobility has helped the Scots move the ball and salvage some broken plays. Wall is also comfortable throwing the ball, and the aerial attack paid off for the Scots last week at Lumberton. The Scots had to rely heavily on running back Syheam McQueen during last year’s rivalry game, but they have more weapons to use this time around. When the Scots play with discipline, their offensive unit can be tough to contain.
If the Scots play a clean football game, they’ll have a good chance to take down their rival — and bring a share of the conference title back to Laurinburg.
