Cougars Beat Brentwood; Play for State Title Friday
The Piedmont Academy football team took everything visiting Brentwood had to offer Friday night but still recorded a 35-7 win in the state semifinals.
As a result, the Cougars will play in the GISA Class AA state championship game for the second year in a row. Piedmont will host the contest since Edmund Burke defeated Valwood 13-0 in the other semifinal matchup. The game will be a rematch of the 2010 state championship, won by the Cougars.
Piedmont (12-0) eliminated Brentwood (5-7) last week despite some offensive miscues, mainly in the areas of turnovers. Coach Rhett Farmer said it would take a flawless effort to win this week against Edmund Burke.
“I was very pleased with how our defense played disciplined football against Brentwood,” Farmer said of his team’s semifinal game.
“Brentwood is a very good Wing-T team and their goal is to get your defensive linemen to go up field so they can trap block you. We did a good job staying in our base defense and playing our assignments.”
The Cougars built a 14-0 halftime lead scoring on their second and third possessions of the game.
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Brentwood took the opening kickoff but was forced to punt after three plays on a fourth and one from its own 31-yard line. Piedmont fumbled the football back to the Eagles, however, on its initial drive. Brentwood started in Cougar territory at the 45-yard line but the scoring opportunity stalled after an unsuccessful fourth and nine from the 29.
Piedmont then marched 72 yards on 13 plays capped by an eight-yard run by Peter Lawson with 10:43 left in the second quarter. Seth Harvey, who was a perfect 5-for-5 on extra-point attempts, then made the score 7-0.
A fumble recovery by Gaven Edge stopped the next offensive series for the Eagles. Taking advantage of a short field, the Cougars moved in front by two scores on a 42-yard halfback pitch from Lawson to Bobby Mitchell with 8:52 remaining before halftime.
Brentwood was forced to punt again on its next series. Piedmont had to punt the football back, however, as two holding calls helped stall the drive. Neither team scored for the remainder of the half.
Looking to give themselves some breathing room in the second half, the Cougars’ saw their initial possession stopped by another turnover. The Eagles once again took over inside Piedmont territory but an unsuccessful fourth and 12 from the Piedmont 31 ended their scoring opportunity.
The Cougars then moved in front by three scores on a 74-yard drive, most of which came on a 66-yard run by Lawson. Harvey’s point after made the score 21-0 with 6:10 left in the third quarter.
Brentwood kept the contest going with a 49-yard touchdown just over two minutes later to pull within 21-7. Piedmont, however, closed the door on the Eagles on a 71-yard touchdown strike from Zach Benjamin to Edge with 1:26 still left in the third quarter.
The Cougars added their fifth score of the night on a 55-yard run from Hunter Clark with 3:09 to play as both teams had their backups on the field.
“I am so proud of our seniors for the way they have been leading this team,” Farmer said. “The coaches have really pushed the players hard this season and they have responded.”
“I think the key to our win tonight was how well our defense played,” said senior Daniel Leinweber. “They do a great job with their offense so to hold them to seven points is an accomplishment.”
Teammate Payden Cantera echoed those comments.
“We take pride in how well our defense plays,” said Cantera.
Piedmont is now one step away from its second state title in as many seasons. Standing in the way, however, will be an opponent which has become one of the top rivals of the Cougars of late. Edmund Burke enters this week’s game at 11-1 with its lone setback coming to Piedmont back on Oct. 7.
“What happened in the regular season is irrelevant,” Farmer said. “This game Friday is all that matters. It’s tough to defeat a good football team like Edmund Burke four times in a row, but that is what we will have to try and do this week.”
Piedmont swept the two games with the Spartans a year ago, winning both in the regular season and state finals.
“Our first game with them this year could have gone either way,” Farmer said. “They turned the football over a lot and we took advantage of having good field position. They are tough. They are the best defense we play. They are a very physical team.”
At this point in the season, Farmer said both teams may throw in a few new wrinkles, but for the most part it will be business as usual.
“Coach Buddy Sorrow is an old-fashioned coach,” Farmer said. “He’s not going to drastically change what he does. For us in practice this week, it will be back to basics. We are an I-formation team and that is what we are going to do.”
“Edmund Burke is a very good team,” said Cougar senior Seth Harvey. “It will be great to be able to play at home. We will have to be ready to play our best game of the year.”
“They are going to be hungry to beat us,” said Lawson, who has been a team leader for Piedmont in all phases of the game. “We have to be prepared. They are well coached. We look forward to having the chance to win it all again but we know it’s not going to be easy.”
NOTES: With both teams being from the same region, Piedmont is the host school since the Cougars are a No. 1 seed and Edmund Burke is a No. 2 seed.
Captains for Friday’s contest against Brentwood were Jakey Dunagan, Seth Harvey, Bobby Mitchell and Tyler Cullum.
Piedmont students are out of school all week for Thanksgiving but head football coach Rhett Farmer wanted the team to stay with as normal of a routine as possible.
Practice sessions for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were all in the afternoon. Practice for today (Thursday) is set for 8-10 a.m. The morning practice allows players and coaches to be with their families on Thanksgiving.
On Friday, the players will arrive at the school in the early afternoon to begin the final countdown for the state championship game.
Brentwood coach Bert Brown made somewhat of an unusual request after the game last Friday. Brown asked Farmer if he could address the Cougars in the locker room. Brown told the Piedmont players that it was an honor for him to coach his team against such a strong opponent.
“This is what coaching is about for me,” Brown said. “It’s not about the games where you win 60-6. It’s about preparing your team to face who you know will be a very tough challenge. Let me tell each of you that I am impressed with your team and how you play each week. You have been able to experience something special the last two seasons.”
Brown is not a stranger to state title glory having reached the top of the mountain himself on more than one occasion with the Brentwood program.
The Cougar players all clapped in appreciation for Brown’s words.
The headsets used by the Piedmont coaches each week did not work in the Brentwood game. That caused defensive coordinator Wes Tanner to coach from the sidelines. Assistant Bubba Nelson remained “up top” to chart the game. Assistants Joel Sauls and Josh Daher typically talk with Tanner and Nelson via headsets during the game as does Farmer. The coaches had to adjust on the go after the headsets did not work.
Scouting Report vs EBA
•THE GAME: Piedmont (12-0), No. 1 seed Region 1-AA; Edmund Burke (11-1), No. 2 seed from Region 1-AA
•AT STAKE: The winner is the GISA Class AA state champion for 2011. The game is a rematch from the state finals in 2010.
•LAST WEEK: Piedmont defeated Brentwood 35-7; Edmund Burke defeated Valwood 13-0.
•LAST MEETING: Piedmont won 35-14 on Oct. 7.
•PIEDMONT 2011 SEASON: Wins: Brookwood School, 49-27; Nathanael Greene, 55-14; Griffin Christian, 68-0; Briarwood Academy, 55-19; Westminster, 44-6; Central Fellowship 54-14; Edmund Burke, 35-14; Robert Toombs, 54-21; Brentwood, 36-8; Gatewood, 49-12; Brookwood School, 48-14; Brentwood, 35-7; Losses: none.
•2011 EDMUND BURKE SEASON: Wins: Briarwood, 41-13; Westfield 19-10; Thomas Jefferson, 51-28; Central Fellowship, 54-0; St. Andrews, 43-0; Robert Toombs, 41-14; Westminster, 42-7; Gatewood, 42-12; Brentwood, 20-3; Heritage, 43-20; Valwood, 13-0; Losses: Piedmont, 35-14.
•ITEM OF INTEREST: Piedmont has now won 25 games in a row.
•GAME NOTES: Edmund Burke’s victory over Valwood last week in Valdosta, allows Piedmont to host the state championship contest this Friday. The Cougars are the higher seed and thereby are the host. Edmund Burke’s only loss in 2011 was to Piedmont in October. The Cougars have outscored their two playoff opponents this fall 83-21.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME vs. BRENTWOOD:
•Austin Corley, Jakey Dunagan, Justin Wilson, Daniel Leinweber and Seth Harvey.
STATS vs BRENTWOOD
Offensive
•Peter Lawson: 21 carries for 202 yards and 2 TDs rushing, 1-of-1 passing for a 42-yard TD
•Zach Benjamin: 9 carries for 34 yards, 2-of-6 passing for 88 yards and 1 TD (71-yard TD pass to Gaven Edge)
•Nick Dimsdale: 6 carries for 34 yards, 1 reception for 17 yards
•Gaven Edge: 1 reception for 71 yard TD
•Bobby Mitchell: 1 reception for 42-yard TD
•Hunter Clark: 2 carries for 65 yards and 1 TD
•Hunter Knox: 2 carries for 23 yards
•Seth Harvey: 5-of-5 on point-after kicks
Defensive
•Peter Lawson: 2 solo and 4 assists
•Hunter Clark: 2 solo and 1 assist
•Hank Strickland: 1 solo and 3 assists
•Britton Bailey: 1 solo and 1 forced fumble
•Nick Dimsdale: 3 solo and 1 pass break up
•Mills Smith: 1 solo
•Evan Harvey: 1 solo
•Zach Benjamin: 3 solo and 1 pass break up
•Bobby Mitchell: 1 solo
•Hunter Knox: 2 assists
•Gaven Edge: 2 assists and 1 fumble recovery
•Tyler Cullum: 1 solo, 1 assist and 2 pass break ups
•Payden Cantera: 2 solo (1 for loss) and 4 assists
•Daniel Leinweber: 1 solo and 1 assist
•Andrew Wilzman: 1 assist and a fumble recovery
•Jakey Dunagan: 4 solo (1 for loss) and 4 assists
•Austin Corley: 3 solo and 3 assists
•Seth Harvey: 4 solo (1 for loss, QB sack) and 2 assists
•Justin Wilson: 2 solo (1 for loss) – and 3 assists
•Josh Hempel: 1 assist
•Seth Harvey: punting average of 37 yards (net)