Varsity Cougars Fall at Southwest

The Piedmont Academy football team faced another quality opponent last Friday falling to traditionally powerful Southwest Georgia 44-7 on the road.

The setback was the second in as many weeks for the Cougars who reach a much-needed bye week from competition. Coach Mike Parris’ team is now 2-2-1 halfway through the regular season.

“We are still in the building process,” said Parris. “It’s a process and it is going to take us a little time to get to where we want to be.”

Despite the loss last Friday to Southwest Georgia, the Cougars played better in the second half, according to their coach.

“I was very proud of our effort in the second half,” Parris said. “We kept battling and playing hard. That’s something you can’t coach. While we still have some growing up to do in some areas we are giving effort. It will all work out.”

With no game this week the Piedmont planned three days of practice this week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. With no game Friday night Parris said it will give his team an opportunity to heal.

“We have three opponents coming up who are equal to us in size,” Parris said. “We believe we have a chance to get back on track. Right now we aren’t looking to our next opponent though. We will concentrate on ourselves .

Two areas of work coaches will stress are blocking and tackling.

“Those are two areas for us we have to get better at,” Parris said. “In reality, that is what football comes down to. Those two things will definitely be a focus for us before we play another game.”

The Cougars will have their next game Oct. 5 against Crisp Academy in Cordele on the road. Piedmont remains on the road the following week as it travels to Flint River Academy in Woodbury.

Parris’s team has yet to begin region play for 2018 and the coach noted plenty of goals remain reachable for the Cougars this fall.