By Blake Colston
Sports Editor
McALESTER – As McAlester’s Chaz Bradley hauled in the game-clinching interception and sprinted 90 yards the other way, Piedmont’s fate was sealed, but their fight was not extinguished.
The Wildcats dragged down Bradley from behind to prevent a late score as the seventh-ranked Buffaloes outlasted a gritty Piedmont squad 60-42 Friday night at Hook Eales Stadium.
Piedmont finished the season 7-5 while McAlester improved to 10-2 and will face Bishop McGuinness in the Class 5A semifinals next week.
“I feel like our kids never gave up. We’re fighting there at the end to make it a 10-point game,” Piedmont head coach Jeff Hall said. “I can’t say how proud I am of these kids and how much I love them.”
In the end, McAlester’s balanced offensive attack overcame 120 yards rushing and two touchdowns from PHS senior Kolten Luschen and 73 rushing yards and two touchdowns from quarterback Josh Mars.
Running backs Brayden Bumpus and Dakota Moton and quarterback Caden Lesnau each accounted for two touchdowns for McAlester, which totaled 312 yards rushing.
“They did some things scheme-wise that gave us some trouble, but at the end of the day, there were times we were in position to make plays and didn’t,” Hall said. “Sometimes, that stuff happens. That being said, that’s a good football team we played. There are only eight teams left.”
University of Oklahoma commitment Erik McCarty was injured midway through the second quarter and did not return to the game. McAlester’s versatile two-way star stayed down on the turf after a tackle. He later left the field on a cart with ice on his left knee.
He finished with 51 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns in less than two quarters as the Buffaloes built a 21-0 lead less than six minutes into the game.
Piedmont absorbed the Buffaloes’ early haymaker and countered with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Mars to Cale Coffman on the opening play of the second quarter. After another McAlester score, Luschen broke free for a 63-yard touchdown run to make it 28-14.
PHS trailed 42-21 at half, but rallied to within 42-34 on Mars’ 1-yard sneak with 5:58 remaining in the third quarter. Piedmont’s Brogan Hardy recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff to give the ‘Cats the ball back again, but McAlester forced a fumble to swing momentum back the Buffs’ direction.
“Ultimately, at the end of the day, he’s trying to get as many yards as he can possibly get, and sometimes that happens,” Hall said of the turnover.
McAlester extended its lead to 52-34 following the fumble, but Piedmont responded with an Israel Robles touchdown run at the 4:25 mark of the fourth quarter to pull within 10. That was the Wildcats’ final salvo of the evening, though.
Piedmont loses some key pieces from this team, like Luschen and Jacob Anglin, but Mars, Robles, Cannon Wood, Jayden Fuston, Hardy and Lane Whitworth all return, among several others.
“It doesn’t make it feel any better tonight,” Hall said.
QUICK HITS
This was Piedmont’s program-record fifth straight appearance in the postseason.
Friday’s game was the first-ever meeting between the Buffaloes and Wildcats.
This was the seventh time the Wildcats scored of 40 or more points this season.
