LAURINBURG — The fog had set into Pate Stadium by the time the Fighting Scots and the Glenn Bobcats met at mid-field to shake hands and the stands were basically empty.
The Scots final non-conference game seemed to drag on forever — due in part to penalties, on both teams, and Glenn’s lack of a run game — as they pulled off another blow-out win 51-22.
It didn’t take long for the Scots to find and exploit the weakness in the Bobcats defense — run blocking. On the Scots first possession of the game, junior running back Zamir White was off to the races on a 25-yard touchdown run. The extra point put the Scots up 7-0 early.
The Bobcats kept the game close, responding with a touchdown off a quarterback keeper by Glenn’s Stephon Brown Jr. The touchdown was set up by a fumble at the eight yard line by Scots quarterback Sergio Gibson. The Bobcats took advantage of the field position to score. The point after was blocked by the Scots Amir McNeill to keep Scotland on top, 7-6.
White would increase the Fighting Scots lead to 14-6 off a 45-yard burst to the end zone. The Scots started the second quarter off with a long pass from Gibson to wide receiver Alston Smith. A personal foul moved the Scots back and forced them to kick a field goal. The 35-yard attempt by Grant Ciarroca was good to give the Scots a 17-6 lead.
Glenn attempted a field goal on their next possession to close the gap, but it missed to the left. The Scots took over on downs at their own 23-yard line. White again broke through the Bobcats secondary and took the ball to the house to put the Scots up, 24-6 after a successful PAT.
Just three minutes later the Scots found the end zone again. This time on a long pass from Gibson to Smith to put the Scots up 31-6 with the extra point heading into halftime.
“I thought Zamir White looked phenomenal running the football,” said head coach Richard Bailey. “We threw the ball, Alston Smith made some great catches, very proud of him. I thought our line blocked a lot better. We’re concerned about Barry Campbell the prognosis isn’t very good. We’ll say your prayers and hope he’ll be okay.”
Campbell had to come out early in the first quarter with what appeared to be a shoulder or collarbone injury. The senior has been the Scots leading receiver this season with 16 catches for 287 yards and four touchdowns.
After halftime the game was all Scots.
The Bobcats got the ball to start the second half — but Brown Jr. fumbled at the 28-yard line and it was recovered by the Scots Chris Williams. One play later White found the end zone to put the Scots up 38-6 after a successful PAT. The Bobcats responded with a long pass from Brown Jr. to wide receiver Dysaun Razzak for a touchdown.
Glenn’s PAT was good, but they still trailed 38-13 — until the Scots got the ball back.
This time it was running back Khalil Smith who found the end zone to put the Scots up 45-13 after yet another successful PAT. The Scots final touchdown of the game came on their next possession on a quarterback keeper by Gibson.
The point after was blocked, but the Scots still led Glenn 51-13. The Bobcats kicked a field goal on their ensuing possession to make it a 51-16 game — with the entire fourth quarter still to play.
Glenn found the end zone one more time — on the Scots second-string players — on a pass from Brown Jr. to wide receiver Chris Goolsby Jr. The extra point was no good, which saw Glenn trailing the Scots 51-22.
The only good thing about the blow-out win for the Scots was Bailey was able to get almost every player some time on the field.
“It got ugly there late, but that’s the way these types of games turn out,” he said. “It’s good that some kids got to play, we pretty much cleared the roster. We’ve got some different players in new positions and we have to get everyone up to speed. We’ll come back next week, get healthy and get ready for Purnell Swett.”
The Scots have a bye week next Friday before they open their SEC schedule with a home game against Purnell Swett on Oct. 7.
Amber Hatten can be reached at 910-506-3170.