The Piedmont Wildcats football season came to an end Friday night when the team ran into a powerful Sand Springs team Friday night and lost 44-14.
Piedmont’s quarterback Grayson May was picked off late and the Wildcats fell at Charles Page High School Memorial Stadium in Sand Springs.
The Sandites, in their home uniforms of black tops and yellow pants with black helmets, received the opening kickoff. Piedmont wore their all-white road uniforms.
On the first play, a deep pass from Sandites’ quarterback Easton Webb was broken up by Mikah Rocco. The Wildcats jumped offsides early twice, and Webb was able to pick up a first down on the ground.
A pass for 20-yards to Jordan Reider put the ball in the red zone for the Sandites. Sand Springs took the lead on a field goal, 3-0.
A 12-yard touchdown from Sand Springs on a misdirection play put Sand Springs up 10-0 with the extra point at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter the Piedmont offense came alive and marched into the opponent’s territory. From the Sandites’ 36-yard line, Jayden Fuston took the ball on a handoff over the left side of the line to the 12-yard line. Fuston had another run to the 2-yard line for a first and goal to go. Fuston would then score the first touchdown of the night for the Wildcats, and the extra point from Noah Ward made it 10-7.
With 3:52 to go in the second quarter Sand Springs’ quarterback Webb threw a pass to Reiner to the Piedmont 22-yard line. But an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the play put the ball back to the 38-yard line. The next play was a TD pass to the Sandites’Dominic Forbes. And the Sandites were up 17-7.
The Sandites mounted another drive in the last two minutes of the half returned to the Piedmont red zone. Piedmont’s defense stiffened, but Brogan Dietz and Tatym Stahlman collided during end zone coverage. On the next play Webb found Forbes for another TD pass, a 28-yarder.
Piedmont got the ball to open the third quarter, but the offense punted after three plays, with DreAndre Bruton taking a loss on third down. Sand Springs had the ball at the Piedmont 31 to start the half for their offense.
The Sandites used the run, pass option to drive to the next score, and the game appeared to get out of hand. Alex Dudley caught a 19-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. The score was 31-7. Then a slant pass for a 12-yard touchdown caught by Dominic Forbes. That made it 38-7. Dudley would catch another TD pass, and the score was 44-7.
Piedmont’s Carter Hainrihar caught a pass late in the game, and the Wildcats advanced the ball to the 2-yard line of the Sandites. Jayden Fuston scored from there, and Piedmont was not done for the season yet. The score was 44-14. Grayson May was picked off late and the sand ran out of the Wildcat’s hourglass for the season.
The Piedmont Wildcats, 7-5 overall, with a 6-3 record in their district, won their first round of the playoffs against Ponca City Nov. 15.
The Sandites improved to 8-3 record (7-1 6A-II D2). Two of their losses came in the first two weeks of the season at the hands of Bixby and Owasso and the third was against the Roughers of Muskogee. They average nearly 37 points per game while giving up just over 20 per game. They are ranked the #4 team in 6A-II. The Sandites will play the winner of the Choctaw/Sapulpa game in the state semifinals.
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