LAURINBURG — The Scotland County football team on Friday night proved why each year it is one of the most feared high school programs in the state. Racking up over 500 yards of total offense behind highly-touted Division 1 prospect Zamir White, the Scots handed Hoggard a 49-27 season-ending loss at Pate Stadium.
White, who has multiple offers from schools such as Alabama and Ohio State, rushed for over 200 yards on 13 carries and had two touchdowns, including a 76-yard score midway through the third quarter to put the exclamation point on an outstanding performance.
You will be seeing this guy #34 Zamir White at a big time college football program, but still just a junior! pic.twitter.com/5uZIIq0i6y
— Joe Catenacci (@JoeCats19) December 3, 2016
Trailing 28-0 moving into the third quarter, the Vikings showed life on the offense side of the ball after receiving the kick to start the third period. With just 76 yards during the opening half, junior quarterback Josh Jones engineered Hoggard on a 14-play, 73-yard drive that lasted seven plus minutes to put the boys from Wilmington in the scoring column. Facing a fourth and short early in the possession, Jones scampered on a naked bootleg to keep the possession alive and later punched it in from three yards out off the right tackle.
.@josh12jones extends opening possession of 2nd half w/ naked bootleg on 4th n short for @JTH_Vikings 1st down! pic.twitter.com/qJ5GAukmDR
— Joe Catenacci (@JoeCats19) December 3, 2016
.@JTH_Vikings get a 7+min drive to open. 2nd Half and @josh12jones takes a QB keeper in from 3 yards out! @Scots_Football 28-7 pic.twitter.com/vEF4ajblPa
— Joe Catenacci (@JoeCats19) December 3, 2016
But, on his only carry of the second half, White took the first play of the ensuing drive untouched along the sideline to put the game in check. Scotland County totaled 438 rushing yards in the game.
Hoggard scored on four of six possessions after the break. Jones completed 16-of-27 pass attempts for 213 yards. Collin Hairr, his favorite target, finished with eight receptions for 134 yards and two touchdowns.
.@JTH_Vikings still battling! It's @josh12jones to @collin_hairr for a big gain! pic.twitter.com/zQZk8hX6D2
— Joe Catenacci (@JoeCats19) December 3, 2016
.@collin_hairr snatches one out of the air from @josh12jones for a 36yd TD @JTH_Vikings! pic.twitter.com/klzXYr09Hh
— Joe Catenacci (@JoeCats19) December 3, 2016
The Scots won the coin toss and received the opening kick. Sophomore Syheam Mcqueen had a 14-yard trip to the end zone to get the home team on the board.
.@Scots_Football 8play, 75yds capped on a 14-yd TD by Syheam Mcqueen, 8:45, 1st Qtr 7-0 Scots pic.twitter.com/r1dXTciWuV
— Joe Catenacci (@JoeCats19) December 3, 2016
A pair of three-and-outs by Hoggard on its opening two possessions didn’t help the defense and a wide-open Davon Ratcliffe caught a 38-yard touchdown from Sergio Gibson for the strong start.
It took the Vikings until the first play of the second quarter to get a first down, which came on a seven-yard run by Tony Allen. Patrick Morrison took a reverse screen pass 25 yards for Hoggard’s biggest gain of the game to that paint, but the drive stalled and allowed the Scots to make it a three-score game with 6:35 left in the first half.
After a holding makes it 1st and goal from @JTH_Vikings 18, Sergio Gibson it's Mcqueen for his 2nd score, @Scots_Football up 21-0, 6:35 2ndQ pic.twitter.com/tJEx76HPRR
— Joe Catenacci (@JoeCats19) December 3, 2016
White added to the cushion late in the period to give Scotland a four score advantage at the half, while Mcqueen finished with three touchdown in the game to go along with 11 rushes for 85 yards.
Morrison had a one yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter off a play action pass from Jones.
.@josh12jones hits @patrickmorriso9 on a 1yd TD pass in back of end zone! @JTH_Vikings never gave up.. 49-27, 3:17 4th Qtr pic.twitter.com/JqEeFBx6bK
— Joe Catenacci (@JoeCats19) December 3, 2016
Hoggard saw its six-game winning streak come to an end with the defeat. The Vikings finished the year 8-6 overall after a 1-4 start. Scotland County moved to 14-0 on the year as the top-seed in the 4A bracket.
The Scots play host to unbeaten Cape Fear (14-0) on Friday, Dec. 9 for a chance to represent the eastern part of North Carolina in the 2016 4A state championship.
Box score
Hoggard 0 0 14 13 – 27
Scotland 13 15 7 14 – 49
First Quarter
S – Syheam Mcqueen 14 run (Grant Ciarrocca kick), 8:54
S – Davon Ratliffe 38 pass from Sergio Gibson (kick blocked), 5:26
Second Quarter
S – Mcqueen 19-yard pass from Gibson (Gibson run), 6:35
S – Zamir White 22-yard run (Ciarrocca kick), 0:33
Third Quarter
H – Josh Jones 3-yard run (Will Morton kick), 4:36
S – White 76-yard run (Ciarrocca kick), 4:16
H – Collin Hairr 19-yard pass from Jones (Morton kick), 2:14
Fourth Quarter
S – Mcqueen 6-yard run (Ciarrocca kick), 10:13
H – Hairr 36-yard pass from Jones (kick blocked), 7:08
S – Khalil Smith 8-yard run (Ciarrocca kick), 5:09
H – Patrick Morrison 1-yard pass from Jones (Morton kick), 3:17
Individual Statistics
Rushing – Hoggard: Josh Jones 13-62, Tony Allen 6-26, Rashod Wallace 9-21, Tre Houser 1-1. Scotland: Zamir White 13-202, Sergio Gibson 11-85, Syheam Mcqueen 10-84, Khalil Smith 5-61, Alston Smith 2-8, Markel White 2-1, Mohamed Kaba 1-(-3).
Passing – Hoggard: Josh Jones 16-27-1-213. Scotland: Sergio Gibson 6-8-0-92.
Receiving – Hoggard: Collin Hairr 8-134, Patrick Morrison 2-27, Chet Radack 2-14, Austin Edwards 1-13, CJ Pipkin 1-9, Anthony Schiavone 1-5, Tony Allen 1-3. Scotland: Davon Ratliffe 1-38, Alston Smith 4-35, Syheam Mcqueen 1-19.
