The Scotland County freshmen didn’t even get a whiff of the Pinecrest end zone for the first three-and-a-half quarters of Thursday’s football game at the John Williams Athletic Complex.

Heading into the final period, the only points of the game had come on a 26-yard field goal by the Patriots’ Joe Lewis with 24.7 seconds remaining in the first half. But the Scots (2-1) won it 6-3 when Quadrin Williams scored from the two with 2:49 remaining in the game, knocking the Patriots (4-1) from the undefeated ranks.

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PHS Freshman Football vs Scotland

The Pinecrest freshman football team dropped its first game of the season, falling 6-3 to Scotland County, Thursday afternoon at the John Williams Athletic Complex. With the loss the Patriots are now 4-1 on the year. Photos By Donna Taylor.

“We didn’t come with our minds right and we didn’t come ready to play,” Patriot coach Ronshau Cole said afterward. “We weren’t focused and by the time we got focused it was too late.”

Oh, the opportunities the Patriots squandered while both teams were handling the ball like a hot potato in the first half.

On the game’s second play from scrimmage, the Patriots’ Erik McKaskill recovered a high snap by the Scot center at the visitors’ 37. Moments later, Patriot quarterback Michael Jacobs had to chase an errant snap all the way back to his own 47.

The Patriots were still in the driver’s seat when a towering punt by Chance Castillo was blown dead at the Scot 3. They got the ball back at the Scot 41 after another punt, but then lost 10 yards while recovering a fumbled pitch.

Opportunity kept knocking, but the Patriots continued failing to capitalize until the second of two fumble recoveries by Bailey Benton set them up at the Scot 48 with 3:37 remaining in the half.

Runs of 19 and five yards by Bradley Black, now in at quarterback, put the Patriots deep into Scot territory. When the drive stalled at the eight, Lewis split the uprights from 26 yards away for what turned out to be the only Patriot points of the game.

The 3-0 lead almost held up. A 27-yard touchdown run in the third period by Castillo was called back by a holding penalty. On the possession before their scoring drive, the Scots turned the ball over after a fourth-down sack by the Pats’ Tim Morphin.

The Patriots got to the Scot 41 before turning the ball over on downs. A 34-yard gain on a running play took the ball to the Patriot 25. Five carries in a row by Williams put the ball in the end zone.

After the run for a two-point conversion failed, the Patriots took over at their own 35 on a 15-yard kickoff return by Jaylen Taylor. Later, on fourth and seven, Jacobs scrambled for a first down at the 46. A pass interference penalty moved the ball to the Scot 39, but an interception on fourth down doused Patriot hopes.

“It was a tough loss,” Cole said. “You can’t turn it on and turn it off. You’ve got to have it all the time. We’ll work hard and come out of this a better team.”