Cougars Fall on the Road To George Walton Academy

For Piedmont Academy and George Walton Academy, it was an old rivalry made new again last week in Monroe.

In the end, the host Bulldogs rolled to a 47-6 win against the Cougars.

GWA (5-3, 4-1) led 27-6 at halftime after taking control in the second quarter.

The Bulldogs returned for the second half with an 11-play drive that covered 78 yards in 4:29 capped by a 9-yard run by A.J. Dillard.

On the first defensive play of the second half, Jackson Wells returned an interception 54 yards all the way to the Piedmont one. Laji Taylor then did the honors for the final yard to bust the game wide open with 6:55 still left in the third.

Carter Rivers added to the scoring on a 32-yard run 56 seconds into the final quarter.

Piedmont (5-2, 2-2) took the game’s opening series and gained one first down before being forced to punt.

GWA began its first offensive possession of the game at its own 27. The Bulldogs needed just three plays to find pay dirt on a run by Taylor. Will Vaughn added the PAT for a 7-0 lead with 8:46 left in the opening quarter.

The Cougars moved into GWA territory on the following possession and capped an 11-play drive that covered 69 yards on a 1-yard run by Mason Tumlin with 5:04 left in the first. The PAT failed leaving George Walton up 7-6.

“It was a tough night,” Piedmont coach Clint Satterfield said. “We had a solid drive in the first quarter but then had a few turnovers and got beat deep.”

The Bulldogs stalled at the Piedmont 45 and punted the football back to the Cougars late in the opening quarter. GWA’s Beckett Lacour then forced a fumble which was recovered by River Morrow at the Piedmont 21.

Four plays later Dillard fought in from a yard out on the final play of the first quarter. Vaughn’s kick moved the lead to 14-6.

The Bulldog defense stepped up with a sack by Preston Evans after Piedmont crossed midfield.

The GWA offense then gained a little breathing room on a 50-yard pass from Dillard to Wells. The PAT was blocked to leave the score at 20-6.

The Bulldogs found the end zone again on a 3-yard run by Taylor with 1:15 before halftime. Dillard had a long run on the drive and also connected with Sam Elvington on a 43-yard pass.

The first half was plagued and slowed by multiple penalties on both teams.

Hunter Cleveland was 12-of-18 passing for 74 yards. Hunter Thomason was the leading rusher for the Cougars with 48 yards on eight carries. Mason Tumlin scored the team’s lone touchdown with 10 carries and 29 yards.

Ethan Barman had four catches for 31 yards with Camden Moss making three receptions for 15 yards. Jack Adams, Tumlin and Thomason each had catches.

Defensively, Silas Cowan continued his standout season with six solo tackles, five assists and one tackle for a loss. Daniel Joseph made four stops with an assist while Thomason made three solo tackles and four assists.

Corbett Crews finished with three solo stops and an assist. Bryson Dudley (two solo tackles), Ty McVey (two solo, one assist), Moss (two solo, three assists), Owen Piedra (three solo, one assist), Dylan Brimberry (one solo, two assists), Gabe Moore (one solo) and Mason Carrol (one assist) also contributed defensively. Tumlin had two assists.

Piedmont returns to action this Friday when it hosts Riverside Military Academy for homecoming.

“We need to have a good week of practice and get back on track,” Satterfield said.

On paper, the Cougars are favored as the RMA Eagles enter the game 0-7 overall and 0-4 in region play.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.