By Blake Colston
Sports Editor
After COVID-19 problems within the El Reno program forced the Wildcats season opener last week to be canceled, PHS will try again to open its season Friday night at F&M Bank Stadium versus Putnam City North. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Piedmont head coach Jeff Hall said he was completely caught off guard last Thursday when he found out El Reno couldn’t play.
“My first thought was, we have to find another game,” he said.
Piedmont tried up until noon last Friday to find a replacement game. They found a team seven hours away in Arkansas that had an open date, but there were too many logistical hoops to jump through to make a game happen.
The frustration of having to wait another week to play – which will make PHS one of the last teams in the state to kickoff its 2021 season – has faded and turned to anticipation.
“This is the best week of practice we’ve had,” Hall said. “Our kids are chomping at the bit.”
The Wildcats have a chance to upend a playoff-caliber team from 6A-II to open the season. Though neither team is ranked in this week’s Associated Press Poll, Piedmont would likely vault into the Top 10 with a win.
The last time these teams met, PC North hammered Piedmont 39-3 in Week 2 last season. The Wildcats got on the board with a 25-yard field goal in the second half, but were stymied otherwise.
Turnovers were a problem then and holding onto the ball will remain a key tonight.
“We can’t turn the ball over. We control the clock with the kind of offense we run, but if we’re putting the ball on the ground or throwing it away, we can’t do that,” Hall said.
Last week, the Panthers lost a double overtime thriller to rival Putnam City, 36-35.
“They’re really good. They have a lot of team speed,” Hall said of PC North. “In some positions we matchup well and in others they have an advantage.”
Piedmont had an extra week to prepare and scout for PC North, but is now a week or two behind most teams in terms of game shape, which head coach Jeff Hall said is a detriment.
Whether or not that plays a factor in Friday’s game remains to be seen.
“As coaches, we have a plan to play a lot of guys,” Hall said.
About The Panthers: Former Piedmont star Collin Bricker serves as North’s offensive coordinator…Defensive end Jaleel Johnson is ranked as one of the Top 15 players in the state by rivals.com. Johnson is committed to Oklahoma State…Putnam North junior quarterback Carson Laverty was having a solid performance before suffering a game-ending injury on a run last week. He finished 14-of-19 passing for 206 yards and two scores. His status for this week’s game is unclear.
