By Blake Colston
Sports Editor
DUNCAN – Piedmont put it all together Friday night.
The Wildcats defense pitched a shutout, quarterback Josh Mars passed for two touchdowns in a span of 16 seconds and Israel Robles ran for another as PHS hammered Duncan 51-0.
Piedmont (3-1) exploded for 30 points in the third quarter – including 14 points in 16 seconds – as quarterback Josh Mars connected with Lane Whitworth on a pair of 30-yard touchdown passes. Mars also ran for a score in the first half.
“All we talked about at halftime was, we’re not making any adjustments other than you have to play like you want to be here,” Piedmont head coach Jeff Hall said. “They came out and they did. They played like we’re capable of playing with energy and enthusiasm and good things happened.”
Piedmont got its initial second half spark on Robles’ 54-yard touchdown run with only 1:52 gone by in the third quarter. After a safety gave PHS the ball again, Mars found Whitworth wide open behind the Duncan defense. After Will Musick recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, the Mars-Whitworth combination struck again.
Robles totaled 111 yards on 10 carries in three quarters of action and junior Cannon Wood added 102 yards on 12 carries, while also resting during the fourth quarter. Mars had his best night passing this season, finishing 4 of 6 for 76 yards and two touchdowns.
“When everybody gets open, it’s easy to throw to them,” Mars said.
Piedmont’s defense, meanwhile, held the Demons offense to just one trip inside the red zone and has now limited four opponents to a total of 33 points this season, an average of 8.2 points per game.
“I think they’re the best defense in 5A football. You can’t run on them, you can’t pass on them,” Mars said. “You’re in trouble.”
Piedmont heads into its District 5A-2 schedule – that includes games against Carl Albert, Guthrie and Bishop McGuinness – having outscored their first four opponents 127-33.
“When we pay attention to detail and everyone does what they’re supposed to do assignment-wise, we play well,” Hall said.
The Wildcats’ special teams started the game off with a big play Friday night. Kicker Tate Cardwell’s opening boot was high and short, but no Duncan player was able to corral the ball off a bounce before Piedmont recovered at the Demons 49-yard line. PHS didn’t capitalize on the extra possession, though. Duncan held Piedmont on downs.
Duncan (0-3) had its own missed opportunity trailing 14-0 in the final minute of the first half. After Jackson Poage recovered a fumble inside the Piedmont 20-yard line, the Demons drove to the PHS two-yard line before facing a third-&-goal with 0:07.
After a timeout, Duncan opted for a run between the tackles with running back Bryson Brookshier, but Piedmont’s defense was ready. The Wildcats stopped Brookshier short of the end zone and the clock expired before Duncan could run another play.
“I don’t know how many, but we’ve had a bunch of goal line stands this year,” Hall said. “That was huge. Our kids just don’t quit.”
Linebacker Brogan Hardy made his first interception of the season late in the second half that set up a 14-yard touchdown run by Will Geiger that put the finishing touches on Piedmont’s third straight victory.
Sophomore Jayden Fuston got Piedmont on the board first with a 10-yard touchdown run with 1:42 in the first quarter.
Piedmont next Friday hosts Oklahoma City Southeast to open district play. The Spartans improved to 3-0 Friday night with an 80-7 win over U.S. Grant.
“I’m very confident,” Mars said. “We’ve got to fix some things, obviously, but we’re just going to keep getting better.”
“If we can continue to get better each week, I feel good,” Hall said.
