Dillon Maples kicked off for Pinecrest in Friday night's football game against Scotland County, sending the ball beyond the end zone. There were few highlights after that for the Patriots as the Scots handed them a humbling 34-3 home loss.

The visitors went 80 yards for a touchdown in 15 plays on that first series of the game. The second time the Patriots had the ball, the Scots scored on a fumble return to take a 14-0 lead.

A one-dimensional and turnover-prone Patriot offense, nagged by injuries to its backfield and receiver corps, was unable counter the firepower of the Scot attack. Its only points came on a a 49-yard field goal by Maples.

The Patriots dropped to 6-2 overall and 0-2 in the Southeastern Conference while the Scots improved to 6-2 and 2-0.

This one was nothing like the last two years when the Patriots handed the Scots 31-7 (2008) and 31-13 (2009) losses. Quarterback Kwashawn Quick played in both of those games for the Scots. A big night for the junior included Friday night's first touchdown on a fourth down quarterback sneak.

The pitch option play that has misfired throughout the season cost the Patriots dearly late in the first period. The ball delivered by quarterback Kyle Ocheltree got away from running back Bryan Vancleave. The Scots' Red Covington picked it up and returned it 16 yards for the score that gave his team a two-touchdown lead.

After the kickoff, a 55-yard run by Damion Pride gave the home team a first down at the Scot 28. But a play later, the pitch play bit the Pats again. Pride had to go backwards to retrieve the ball and was saddled with an 8-yard loss. On fourth down, the Patriots settled for the 49-yard field goal by Maples that split the uprights with plenty to spare.

Quick threw the first of his two touchdown passes to Caison Murphy on the next Scot possession. The visitors led 20-3 at the half, boasting a whopping 14-1 advantage in first downs, and a 222 to 58 edge in total yards.

Fumbles ended four of the Patriots' five second half possessions with one of them coming on a field goal attempt. The Scots turned the first two miscues into a pair of third quarter touchdowns.

The balanced Scots finished with 211 yards on the ground and 131 through the air. The Patriots did not complete their first pass for positive yardage until Ocheltree connected with Dannie Monroe for an 8-yard gain on the second play of the fourth period.

Patriot coach Chris Metzger gave a lot of the credit for his team's struggles to the resurgent Scots.

"I've got a ton of respect for Coach Williams (Chip)," he said of the third-year coach of the Scots. "We just played a really, really good football team. We've got to look at the film, but from A to Z and from top to bottom we've got to get better."

In other conference games Friday night, Lumberton (7-1, 2-0) defeated Hoke County (2-5, 0-2) 21-17, and Richmond Senior (7-1, 2-0) beat Purnell Swett (5-3, 0-2) 34-14. The Patriots' next game is at Purnell Swett on Friday.

"This is as good as it gets, coaches, players, the whole deal," Metzger said of the league. "We've got to bring it home for our community and the school. It's a challenge, but we're going to do it

Scotland 14 6 14 0 34

Pinecrest 0 3 0 0 3

Scoring - (S) Quick 1-run (Krout kick); (S) Covington 16-fumble return; (P) Maples 49-field goal; (S) Murphy 4-pass from Quick (kick failed); (S) Murphy 9-pass from Quick (Krout kick ); (S) McRae 3-run (Krout kick).

Team stats - First downs - (S) 21 (P) 7; Rushing - (S) 44-211 (P) 27-116; Passing - (S) 8-16, 131 yds. 2 tds. (P) 3-9, 18; Penalties - (S) 7-60 (P) 5-25; Fumbles - (S) 3-0 (P) 7-4; Punts - (S) 2-25.7 (P) 3-43.0.

Individual stat leaders - Rushing - (S) McRae 16-102, Quick 12-51, Wall 7-50 (P) Pride 8-68, Ocheltree 14-37, Vancleave 3-13; Passing - (S) Quick 8-15, 131 yds. 2 tds. (P) K. Ocheltree 3-9, 23 yds.; Receiving - (S) Murphy 3-31, McRae 2-22 (P) Monroe 2-23