Fighting Bucks Find Their Footing With Impressive Road Victory
The Hoke County High School Fighting Bucks gave their fans plenty to celebrate Friday night as they traveled to Hope Mills and earned a hard-fought 28–23 victory over the South View Tigers, producing the kind of early-season performance that could become an important building block for a football program entering a new chapter under head coach Duran McLaurin. After opening the 2026 season with a difficult 28–6 loss against Monroe, Hoke County responded exactly the way a developing team hopes to respond, showing resilience, physicality and enough composure to withstand a determined second-half comeback by South View before leaving the field with its first victory of the season. The win improved Hoke County to 1–1 and, perhaps even more importantly, gave McLaurin his first victory since taking over the Fighting Bucks program, creating an early milestone for a team looking to establish a new identity this fall.
Friday night’s game did not begin according to Hoke County’s preferred script, because South View controlled much of the opening portion of the first quarter and eventually scored first when senior running back Cristian Simmons powered into the end zone from approximately one yard away. The touchdown gave the Tigers an early 6–0 advantage, but instead of allowing the opening score to dictate the direction of the game, Hoke County quickly answered with the type of response that demonstrated the team’s ability to remain focused when playing from behind. After recovering an onside kick near midfield, the Fighting Bucks took advantage of the opportunity and put together a scoring drive that ended with running back Darrell Baria breaking through for a 13-yard touchdown, while the successful extra point moved Hoke County in front 7–6 and shifted momentum toward the visiting sideline.
That touchdown was only the beginning of an impressive stretch for the Fighting Bucks, because Hoke County went on to score three unanswered touchdowns and entered halftime holding a commanding 21–6 advantage. Baria found the end zone for a second time during the first-half surge, establishing himself as an important part of a Hoke County rushing attack that repeatedly challenged South View’s defense and helped the Bucks control crucial stretches of the contest. Hoke County’s ability to create opportunities also became evident late in the second quarter when the Bucks recovered a South View fumble at the Tigers’ 35-yard line with just over two minutes remaining before halftime, giving the offense another chance to extend its advantage before the teams headed to the locker room.
Sophomore wide receiver Amin Davis helped make that opportunity count when he hauled in a deep pass along the sideline that resulted in another Hoke County touchdown and pushed the Fighting Bucks’ lead to 21–6. For a Hoke County football team that had managed only six points in its season-opening loss against Monroe, producing three first-half touchdowns against South View represented an encouraging offensive turnaround and demonstrated the potential of a unit that is still developing within McLaurin’s system. The Bucks entered halftime with momentum, confidence and a two-score advantage, but South View made certain that the second half would become a much different challenge.
The Tigers responded aggressively after halftime and immediately began applying pressure to the Hoke County defense, recovering a Fighting Bucks fumble at the 23-yard line before Simmons scored on a 17-yard rushing touchdown just two plays later. South View successfully completed a conversion pass that narrowed Hoke County’s advantage to 21–14, and the Tigers continued their comeback attempt when Joshua Madej connected on a 43-yard field goal to make the score 21–17. South View quarterback Miles McCallop also began finding success through the air, including a 36-yard completion to Christian Bacon during the Tigers’ second-half surge, while McCallop ultimately finished the night with 219 passing yards.
With South View closing the gap and momentum beginning to swing toward the home team, Hoke County faced one of its most important tests of the young season, because protecting a lead on the road requires discipline, confidence and the ability to respond when an opponent begins creating opportunities. Instead of allowing the Tigers to complete the comeback, the Fighting Bucks found the end zone once again during the fourth quarter, providing the additional points that ultimately became the difference in the contest. South View refused to disappear and later scored when McCallop connected with Kayvon Evans on a 31-yard touchdown pass, but Hoke County’s defense and overall team effort were strong enough to preserve the advantage and secure the 28–23 victory.
The significance of Friday night’s victory extends beyond simply placing a number in the win column, because Hoke County High School football is beginning a new era under McLaurin, whose arrival in Raeford brought considerable attention to the Fighting Bucks program. McLaurin previously built an impressive record at Seventy-First High School, where his teams reached multiple regional championship games and competed at the highest levels of North Carolina high school football, creating understandable excitement about what his experience and leadership could eventually bring to Hoke County. Turning around any football program requires patience and consistency, but victories such as Friday night’s road win can provide young players with evidence that the work being done during practices, meetings and offseason preparation is beginning to produce meaningful results.
The performance of players such as Baria and Davis also offers reasons for Hoke County supporters to remain optimistic as the season continues, because successful high school football programs are often built when experienced players and emerging young talent begin contributing together. Davis making an important touchdown reception as a sophomore represents exactly the kind of development that can benefit the Fighting Bucks beyond one Friday night, while Baria’s ability to find the end zone multiple times demonstrated the value of maintaining a physical rushing attack capable of keeping opposing defenses under pressure.
High school football in Hoke County has always represented something larger than the final numbers appearing on a scoreboard, because Friday nights provide an opportunity for students, parents, educators, alumni and community members throughout Raeford and the surrounding area to gather around young athletes representing their school and community. Every successful drive, defensive stand and touchdown becomes part of a shared experience, while victories can generate enthusiasm that extends throughout the school and into the larger Hoke County community. A 28–23 road victory during the second week of the season does not determine everything that will happen during the months ahead, but it can create confidence and momentum for a team that is learning what it takes to finish close football games.
The Fighting Bucks will now have an opportunity to build upon their first victory as they prepare for their next scheduled matchup against Seventy-First High School on September 11 at Hoke County, a game that should carry additional interest because McLaurin will be facing the program he previously led. That matchup provides Hoke County with another opportunity to measure its progress while giving the Raeford community a chance to support the Fighting Bucks at home during what promises to be one of the more intriguing early-season games on the schedule.
For Hoke County High School football, Friday night’s 28–23 victory over South View was more than an exciting finish to another high school football game, because it represented perseverance following an opening-week defeat, offensive improvement, timely defensive plays and the first victory of a new coaching era. The season remains young and plenty of challenges remain ahead, but the Fighting Bucks demonstrated in Hope Mills that they are capable of responding to adversity, protecting a lead under pressure and finding a way to finish when the outcome remains uncertain late in the game. For players, coaches, students and supporters throughout Hoke County, that makes Friday night’s victory something worth celebrating while also providing another reason to watch closely as the Fighting Bucks continue building their 2026 season.
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