Volleyball got back on the winning track, while boy’s soccer went winless in a pair of conference games. Plus, a wild one for the football team on the road to open conference play.
Football
The Bucks lost their conference opener on the road last Friday, suffering their second loss in a row and dropping to 1-4 on the season, 0-1 in the Sandhills. Hoke County fell to Scotland, 45-32. The Bucks were looking for just their second win over the Scots since 2009, but, despite a big day from their offense, they weren’t able to outscore Scotland.
Hoke fell behind, 10-0 early but stormed back. A 28-yard run by Darius Breeden got the Bucks on the board late in the first quarter. After another Scotland touchdown, quarterback Brandon Saunders found Mikequavious Biggers for a touchdown. Favor Anab added two scores, including a 50-yard touchdown run, and Asean Craigmiles ran for one of his own, and the Bucks found themselves up, 32-31, early in the fourth quarter. The Scots found the end zone twice, however, to escape with the win.
The Bucks now look to reverse the recent history of adversity against another conference opponent. Hoke has lost to Lee County each of the last six seasons. The Yellow Jackets come to Hoke on Friday at 7:30. Lee County is 3-2 overall, 0-1 in the Sandhills after losing, 7-6, at Union Pines last Friday. It was the fewest points the Yellow Jacket offense has scored since the 2015 season.
Boys’ soccer
The Bucks’ boys’ soccer team had an 0-1-1 week, with a pair of conference games. Hoke County opened the week with a home game against Southern Lee, falling to the Cavaliers, 6-2. Senior David Hernandez scored both goals, one on an assist from senior Mando Zuniga.
Goalkeeper Bentley Blumer rebounded in the next game, shutting out Union Pines in a 0-0 tie. The sophomore made seven saves in the game to keep the Vikings off the board.
The Bucks are now 7-4-2, 1-2-1 in the Sandhills. They will attempt to get back to .500 in conference this week, with a game at home against Pinehurst—their only game in a nine-day span. The Patriots are 7-2 and unbeaten at 3-0 in the Sandhills.
Volleyball
The volleyball team bounced back from its first back-to-back losses of the season. The Bucks snapped their mini slump, winning both matches this week. Hoke took a 3-2 home win over Scotland to open the week, then swept Seventh-First in a non-conference win at home, 3-0.
The Bucks are now 11-3 on the year but just 4-3 in the Sandhills, which puts them in a four-way tie for second. They’ll get the chance to emerge from the pack this week. Hoke opens the week with a road game at Lee County, one of the other teams bunched up at 4-3 I the conference. The Bucks then return home for a league game against Richmond (6-9, 2-5) before wrapping up action for the week with a non-conference home game against Douglas Byrd.
