By Trey Hunter
Sports Editor
ARDMORE – Piedmont’s season came to an end in a 42-13, blowout loss to Ardmore at Noble Stadium Friday night.
From start to finish, it was all Tigers and all on the ground.
Ardmore rushed for 429 yards and six touchdowns while passing just three times. Two players totaled over 100 yards on the ground, including seniors Cameron Petties and Jadrein Monroe who combined for 222 yards and three scores.
Ardmore scored on all six of its possessions in the first half while allowing only one first down on 18 total yards of offense from Piedmont. Altogether the Tigers racked up 365 rushing yards in the first 24 minutes.
Monroe opened the onslaught with a one-yard score, capping Ardmore’s opening drive of 65 yards. The Tigers followed with a 60-yard drive finished off by a 33-yard run by senior Eean Ross. Ross finished with 54 yards rushing on eight carries.
Ardmore scored again after a Piedmont three-and-out. Petties finished off a 56-yard drive, rushing for a four-yard touchdown to close out the first quarter with a 21-0 lead. He finished with 154 yards and two scores.
Piedmont opened the second quarter with a fourth straight three-and-out and Ardmore once again took advantage.
Senior quarterback Tero Roberts capped an 80-yard drive with a 25-yard touchdown run, giving the Tigers a 28-0 lead before the Wildcats cracked the scoreboard for the first time.
Senior Jack Chester muffed the ensuing kickoff, but picked it up and dashed 89 yards for a touchdown. The Tigers blocked the PAT, but Piedmont cut the lead to 28-6.
Ardmore followed with two unanswered scores to finish out the half.
Ross punched in his second touchdown of the game from two yards out to cap a 65-yard drive before ending the second quarter with his third score to give the Tigers a 42-6 advantage heading into the break.
The Wildcats continued to fight in the second half even with the game out of hand.
Piedmont totaled 71 yards in the final 24 minutes while holding Ardmore to 62.
The teams exchanged punts twice on the only four possessions of the third quarter before Piedmont broke the second half stalemate in the fourth.
Junior Davontae Pickard capped a 61-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run. Sophomore Joey Mars took over for an injured Dylan Hampton at quarterback and went three-for-three on the drive for 43 yards while rushing twice for 13 yards.
That was it for Piedmont however as Ardmore used its final drive to drain the clock and clinch the win.
Altogether Ardmore totaled 478 yards of offense while Piedmont totaled 89. Mars led the way for the Cats with 41 yards while Petties led the Tigers with 161.
Ardmore moves on to face the winner of Coweta and Tahlequah in the second round of the playoffs while the Wildcats closed out their campaign with a record of 5-6, reaching the postseason for the second time in three seasons.
