Cougars Defeat Dawson Street

Piedmont Academy’s football team took a big step toward being a No. 1 seed for the upcoming state playoffs with a 62-12 win against region foe Dawson Street Friday night.

It was another big performance for Hunter Knox, who was recognized with his fellow classmates on Senior Night.

Piedmont took a 14-0 lead after the first quarter and was never seriously threatened by an overmatched Dawson Street squad.

“We set a good tone early,” said coach Wes Tanner. “Our boys were able to take control and that helped us in the long run. We went through a lull and had to fight through that. We just had to realize what we needed to do.”

Helping clear the way offensively for Piedmont were linemen Clay Kirkpatrick, Payden Cantera, Nolan Cleary, Hunter Burson and Chris Cain.

“Our line did a great job run blocking,” Tanner said.

Knox finished with 163 yards and three scores Friday and now has 1,443 yards and 20 touchdowns for the season.

In the third quarter, Strickland caught his second touchdown pass, this time on an 18-yard hookup from Beggs. Ben Davis capped the night with a 20-yard run for a score in the fourth quarter as the Cougars improved to 7-1 overall and will travel to Flint River Academy this week in a game which will determine the Region 1-AA champion and who will be a No. 1 seed for state.

The No. 1 seed is important, perhaps more so this season, since that team will receive an opening round bye.

The Wildcats stepped up in classification last Friday and fell to Westfield 55-13. Flint River is 5-4 overall, but more importantly undefeated in the region, just as Piedmont is.

Josh Daher, a former Cougar assistant coach, is directing the Flint River program. After starting the 2014 season 3-0, the Wildcats had close losses to Briarwood and Gatewood before bouncing back to defeat Dawson Street and Crisp Academy. The team has lost its last two games to Southwest Georgia and Westfield.

“Flint River does a good job of getting people where they need to be in order to be successful,” Tanner said. “They run their scheme well. They game plan effectively and stick to that. If they see a weakness they will target it.”

With so much on the line this Friday, the Piedmont coaches will stress to their players to simply do their assignments.

“If we play up to our capability, we should have a chance in the end,” Tanner said.

Kickoff in Woodbury is set for 7:30 p.m.

Players of the Week:

•Offense—Payden Cantera

•Defense—Jeremiah Dave

•Special Teams—Seth Wiles

•Overall—Gaven Edge

Stats vs. Dawson Street

•Hunter Knox: 14 carries for 163 yards, 3 TDS and 3 catches for 8 yards

•Hank Strickland: 5 carries for 35 yards and 2 catches for 44 yards, 2 TDs

•Ben Davis: 2 carries for 21 yards, 1 TD

•Zach Beggs: 5-of-10 passing, 2 TD

•G. Edge: 1 solo tackle, 4 assists

•Chris Cain: 4 solo tackles, 2 assists, 3 tackles for loss

•S. Wiles: 4 solo tackles, 5 assists, 2 tackles for loss

•J. Dave: 4 solo tackles, 5 assists, 2 tackles for loss

•Noah Quick: 1 solo tackles, 2 assists

•Wyatt Galloway: 4 assists

•Zach Wilson: 2 assists, 1 solo tackle, 1 tackle for loss