The mid-season player stats for the Scotland varsity football team have been compiled. And if the numbers are any indication, then the 4-1 Scots’ skill-position players have lived up to their pre-season billing as some of the most talented in the state through the first five weeks of the season.

The 2011 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year Kwashaun Quick was a quarterback that gave opposing defenses fits with his ability to both run and pass. And though he is in his first season behind center for the Fighting Scots, sophomore Jaylend Ratliffe has shown all the makings of a dual offensive threat himself.

After leading his team to a winning record through a tough non-conference stretch of games, Ratliffe currently has 760 yards passing with nine touchdowns, two interceptions and a 63% pass-completion rate. On the ground, Ratliffe has 297 yards and two rushing touchdowns as well.

Ratliffe’s top target this season has been senior wide receiver TreShawn Gregory, who has come on strong in the past two weeks as the two have developed a rapport. Six of Gregory’s 14 receptions this season (for 239 yards) have gone for touchdowns, with four of those occurring in games against Jack Britt (3) and Anson (1).

Next to Ratliffe, senior running back Jalen McLean leads the team with seven combined touchdowns thus far. McLean’s playing style rings familiar to anyone who watched Caison Murphy in the backfield last season, as both have proven just as effective at catching passes as they have with gaining yards on the ground.

Between rushing and receiving, McLean has collected nearly 500 yards including a 61-yard touchdown catch that occurred in the first game of the season against Seventy First.

McLean has shared the backfield with Josh McPhatter this season, with the latter leading Scotland with more than 7.1 yards per carry. McPhatter has also netted three rushing touchdowns this season.

On the other side of the ball, the linebacking tandem of Chris Moss and Artemis Robinson have been the anchors for a Scotland defense that has held opponents to just over 10 points per game.

Moss leads all Scotland defenders with 58 total tackles (40 solo, 18 assisted) for an average of 11.6 tackles per game. He has also notched an interception this season, which came against Anson last week.

Robinson isn’t too far behind with 50 total tackles (34 solo, 16 assisted) and one of the Fighting Scots’ two sacks on the season. The other sack was recorded by junior linebacker James Gillis.

The secondary for the Scots has been consistent all season as well, with only one opposing quarterback (Marlboro County’s Xavier Adams, who passed for 140+ yards and two touchdowns) finding any success against Scotland’s corners. Senior Malik Diggs leads the secondary with 39 total tackles (good for third overall on the team), three defended passes and an interception, while sophomore safety Robert McCoy has recorded 26 combined tackles of his own. The speedy Trejon Monley has also had a standout season thus far, recording an interception and tying Diggs and Ryan Leak with the most defended passes on the team with three. Leak has a forced fumble this season as well.

The Fighting Scots will host Purnell Swett next Friday night to begin the second half of their season.