GAME 6 v. ALBANY

PIEDMONT POWERS TO 4TH STRAIGHT WIN













By David Schoen, STAFF WRITER
Article Last Updated: 10/15/2007 02:33:11 AM PDT

PIEDMONT — The smell of skunk filled the air at Witter Field on Friday night. One thing that did not stink, however, was the host Piedmont High football team.

The Highlanders forced eight turnovers and showed off a power running game to go along with their A-11 offense in a 40-7 Bay Shore Athletic League victory over Albany.

It was the fourth straight win for Piedmont (4-2 overall, 2-0 BSAL), which scored the first 26 points of the game before tacking on two late touchdowns.

"At this point in the season, good gets better and bad gets worse," Piedmont coach Kurt Bryan said. "We had to decide what kind of team we want to be. Our slogan all week was good gets better."

Albany (2-4, 0-2) managed a mere 27 total yards in the first half and had five turnovers. Highlanders safety Rory Bonnin had three interceptions, the last of which he returned 51 yards for a touchdown and a 20-0 halftime lead. "Every game, except for our first game, our defense has been lighting people up," Bonnin said.

Even the Cougars' only touchdown came on a fumble as Albany running back Nana Yiadom (42 yards) was drilled at the 2-yard line on a fourth-and-goal. The ball then rolled into the end zone where it was recovered by Albany's Phil Peterson to make it 26-7 with 7:19 remaining. Albany finished with 29 yards rushing and 164 in all. Piedmont put the game away as Chris McHenry scored on a 2-yard run with 1:40 left, and Elliot Wainess returned a fumble 28 yardS for a touchdown on the ensuing kickoff.

Wainess opened the scoring by hauling in a 6-yard pass from quarterback Jeremy George on Piedmont first drive. George then capped a 12-play, 70-yard drive with a 4-yard scamper on a naked bootleg for a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.
George, who ranked in the top 10 in the East Bay in passing yards heading into the contest, threw just six times, and the Highlanders attempted just nine passes compared to 38 rushes.

Keith Reid led Piedmont with 53 of their 170 yards, including a bruising 12-yard TD that saw him barrell over one defender to give the Highlanders a 26-0 lead.

"In the first half, we were clicking," Bryan said. "We want to be a more balanced team in everything we do."