Preview: Hoke County Bucks vs. Pinecrest Patriots
Hoke County is 1-8 against Pinecrest since November of 2014 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Hoke County Bucks will head out on the road to face off against the Pinecrest Patriots at 7:30 p.m. Both teams come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Hoke County had to endure a five-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They walked away with a 28-21 win over Union Pines on Friday.
Hoke County got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Brandon Saunders out in front who threw for 185 yards and three touchdowns. Jairo Ortiz and his 100 yards on the ground were also a key factor in Hoke County's victory.
Meanwhile, Pinecrest put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their undefeated season alive. They came out on top against Scotland by a score of 27-17. That's two games straight that Pinecrest has won by exactly ten points.
Zymire Spencer was his usual excellent self, rushing for 104 yards and a touchdown, while also picking up 56 receiving yards. Spencer was no stranger to the big play, turning on the jets for a run that went for 64 yards.
Hoke County's win on Friday bumped their record up to 3-6. As for Pinecrest, their win was their seventh straight on the road (dating back to last season), which bumped their overall record up to 8-0.
Hoke County might still be hurting after the 35-12 defeat they got from Pinecrest in their previous matchup back in October of 2022. Thankfully for Hoke County, Hunter Neifert (who picked up 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and also threw for 59 yards and a touchdown while completing 100% of his passes) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
