Cougars Lose to Powerful John Milledge
Piedmont Academy’s varsity football team not only faced its third Class AAA opponent in as many weeks last Friday, but also may have lined up against the best team in the state in powerful John Milledge Academy.
The Cougars fell last week 42-6 at home and hope to take some lessons from the contest to help them down the road in 2016. Piedmont (1-2) will play its first Class AA foe this Friday when it travels to Warrenton to battle Briarwood Academy.
“John Milledge will be the best competition we will see all year,” said Piedmont coach Wes Tanner. “I mean that very respectively to everyone else we play. John Milledge is definitely the most athletic team we will see. They are well coached and do everything right. It’s a credit to their players and coaches.”
JMA built a 42-0 lead before Piedmont managed a touchdown on a five-yard pass from Mack Brady to Wyatt Galloway in the fourth quarter.
J.T. Webb had more than 80 receiving yards on three receptions. Michael Edwards hauled in five passes.
Despite the loss to the Class AAA Trojans, Tanner said his team could definitely take lessons from the experience.
“We kept them off the scoreboard in the second half and offensively we put together a good drive while they had some of their starters still on the field,” the coach said.
In moving forward to this week, the Cougars will actually face their first AA opponent of 2016 four games into the season. Bethlehem Christian Academy, Loganville Christian Academy and John Milledge Academy are each AAA schools.
Briarwood Academy enters this week’s contest 2-0 overall and is coming off a bye. The Buccaneers have recorded a 41-13 win against Westminster-Augusta and a 26-0 victory against Edmund Burke this season.
“Briarwood, like always, will play you tough,” Tanner said. “They are going to try and pound you. If you don’t respond and fight back, it will be a long night.”
Each of the early-season games for Piedmont is being used to prepare for the upcoming region schedule. Tanner said it is vital for his team to learn each week and to continue to improve.
“To get to where we want to be, we have to learn to play the game as fast and hard as we can,” the coach said. “Everyone on the field for us — be it a defensive snap, a special teams snap or an offensive snap — has to play hard. Briarwood is going to be a very solid team. It is going to be a challenge.”
Kickoff in Warrenton is set for 7:30 p.m.
Player Of The Week
Tyler Mills
Stats vs. John Milledge
•Mack Brady: 12-of-23 passing, 140 yards, 1 TD; 8 rushes for 41 yards
•Wyatt Galloway: 12 carries for 47 yards; 1 catch for 5 yards
•J.T. Webb: 3 catches for 83 yards
•Tyler Mills: 3 catches for 32 yards and 2 tackles
•Michael Edwards: 5 catches for 20 yards
•Logan Conner: 3 tackles, two assists
•Parker Clark: 3 tackles
•Michael Edwards: 3 tackles, 1 assist
•Ben Smith: 2 tackles, 3 assists