October 13th, 2007
Re: Piedmont wins 4th game in a row with rough defense and power offense.
At Witter Field in Piedmont, CA on Friday night October 12th, the host Piedmont Highlanders football team left no doubt about the where their focus is for the second half of the season by destroying the Albany Cougars 40 – 7 in BSAL play.
The Highlanders 4-2 overall and (2-0) in league used a stifling defense and punishing ground game combined with their A-11 Offense to dismantle Albany.
Piedmont’s offense spent the first half of the season developing their new A-11 Offensive system (featuring eleven potentially eligible receivers & two quarterbacks in shotgun) and getting the kinks worked out en route to an overall record of 3-2 entering Friday night’s contest vs. Albany. However, the Highlanders sent a message to their upcoming opponents – they can pound the ball on the ground as well.
Seven different ball carriers combined for 170 yards rushing on 38 carries, as Piedmont rushed from their base A-11 Offensive spread sets and their traditional “Highlander” formations as well. Piedmont threw only 9 passes on the night, completing 6 of them, for 26 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions.
“It is important for our team to be balanced and flexible,” explained head football coach, Kurt Bryan, “we need to take what the defense gives us to a certain degree. We like to run and we like to throw, either way…it does not matter to us.”
Primary Piedmont quarterback, Jeremy George drove Piedmont down the field on the opening drive, and began the scoring by hitting WR Elliot Wainess in the end zone for a six-yard touchdown pass. On Piedmont’s second drive of the game, George found the end zone on a four-yard run and a 14 – 0 lead. Piedmont’s defense was relentless all night, forcing Albany into eight turnovers, the highlight of the evening was Safety Rory Bonnin’s 51 – yard interception return for a touchdown and a 20 – 0 Highlander lead to end the first half scoring.
The Highlanders running game paid huge dividends in the second half. Running Backs Keith Reid and Chris McHenry scored on punishing touchdown runs respectively.
“Each week we need to mature and get better,” said Bryan, “So far, so good.”
Piedmont travels to JFK – Richmond to take on the Eagles on Friday the 19th @ 3:15PM.
