LAURINBURG — North Rowan’s big surprise for Scotland County was usurped by an even bigger surprise from the Fighting Scots.
Cavalier quarterback Graham Hosch threw 45 passes for 336 yards and ran 15 times for 107 yards in a new-look offense, but Scotland’s “inexperienced” defensive backs were up for the test. Five interceptions and a forced fumble in the secondary made a world of difference for the Cavs in a 41-21 defeat.
Hosch walked onto the field for his first series and stood alone in the backfield. North’s three running backs got one carry each for the entire night, as Hosch ran the show from the “empty set.” That move had worked well for Southview last week in Scotland’s second loss of the season, but it came unexpectedly from North.
“The empty set we weren’t prepared for,” Scots head coach Mark Barnes said. “We were coaching on the run and did a good job at halftime making some adjustments. When a team’s willing to do that to you, they’re going to get some yards, but hopefully you’re going to make them make some mistakes in there, too.”
That proved to be a successful game plan.
On Hosch’s second pass out of the empty backfield, he fired high to Alfonzo Miller, who jumped and had the ball glance off his hands. It went right into the waiting arms of Garrett Peterkin, who went 90 yards for a 6-0 lead.
Another tip on North’s second possession led to a second INT, and the Scots needed just five plays to cash in for 14-0 lead.
“I felt I played a bad game,” said Hosch. “All those interceptions, a lot of big turnovers. I don’t know what the problem was.”
Cavalier head coach Roger Secreast chalked it up to nerves — more than 2,000 people turned out in 4A Scotland County’s huge stadium to watch their team trample — they hoped — the smaller 2A Cavs.
“At the beginning of the game he made some mistakes, and then he worked through them,” Secreast said.
Hosch really got his big night going on the next drive, when he hit four different receivers to get the Scots thinking too much. On first down, he saw the defense scrambling to cover all the receivers on the right side of the field. He took the snap and darted 31 yards in the other direction for a score.
“We were trying to exploit a young secondary,” Secreast said. “That’s why we went with the empty set.”
What the empty set really did was start a track meet, and it was one North didn’t stand a good chance of winning. Scotland County needed just three plays after the ensuing kickoff to regain its two TD lead. North answered again, this time on a quick pass to Miller that he took 43 yards down the left sideline.
Kevin Rutherford’s extra point made it 20-14 — with 1:08 to play in the first quarter.
But while both offenses moved the ball in the second quarter, the score remained the same at halftime. Two more interceptions cost the Cavs, and a fumble and missed field goal left Scotland sweating a little more than expected.
Despite the interceptions, the Scots still hadn’t found a real answer for Hosch. He accounted for every single yard the Cavaliers gained until the one-minute mark of the first half, throwing 21 passes for 167 yards and running for 72 more.
The magic touch continued into the third quarter. The Cavs took the opening kickoff on a 10-play, 80-yard drive that ended in Miller’s wide-open pattern over the middle. Hosch hit him in stride, and Miller raced 36 yards, with Rutherford’s PAT putting North up 21-20.
“We had the momentum up,” Hosch said. “When the defense let them score again, we got down again.”
Actually, the defense didn’t “let” 6-foot-2, 235-pound Kennie Covington do anything. The big back, bound for N.C. State next season for a linebacker slot, dragged the Cavs kicking and screaming all the way down the field. North defenders grabbed at anything they could just to slow Covington, but the jersey tackles weren’t going to cut it, and he scored with 3:16 remaining to put his squad up for good.
After a North fumble on a completion deep in Scotland territory, Covington took a handoff on the first play of the fourth quarter and waited for his blockers, then exploded for a 50-yard back-breaker and a 34-21 lead.
“We didn’t stop him last year, and he’s bigger and stronger this year,” Secreast said. “I was worried about containment and us outscoring them. It wasn’t that we were going to stop them.”
With the big lead secured, Scotland’s defense re-loaded and started making life tougher on Hosch, who went 13-for-24 in the second half with one interception on the second-to-last play of the game.
“When we got two touchdowns ahead, our defensive mentality changed a little bit,” Barnes said. “Don’t give up the big plays, make them march it down the field and they’ll make a mistake somewhere down the field — hopefully.”
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