His team isn’t either.
With Piedmont’s newly acquired top ranking in the Class 3A football poll this week, and a showdown with No. 2 Leeds looming on Thursday night at the Field of Champions, there was still a Region 5 game to be won at Cleveland on Friday before the Bulldogs’ focus could turn entirely to the Green Wave.
Much like they’ve done all season, Piedmont won convincingly, shutting out the Panthers 35-0 on the road to improve to 4-0 (3-0 Region 5). The Panthers dropped to 1-3 overall and 0-3 in Region 5.
With Leeds’ 40-7 thrashing of Thorsby on Friday, both Piedmont and Leeds should maintain their respective spots in the poll when they clash in Piedmont on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Piedmont built a 14-0 lead against Cleveland at halftime. The Bulldogs’ first score came on a 1-yard touchdown run by senior running back Sarandon Dunbar with 8:56 remaining in the first quarter. Senior quarterback Cade Bradley’s 15-yard touchdown pass to freshman running back Darnell Jackson accounted for Piedmont’s second score at the 3:34 mark of the second quarter.
Denard Spears increased Piedmont’s lead to 21-0 on a 48-yard touchdown run with 4:08 left in the third quarter.
Piedmont posted a pair of fourth-quarter scores for the final. The first came on Jaret Prater’s 3-yard run with 10:01 remaining in the game. Spears scored the Bulldogs’ final touchdown on a 71-yard punt return at the 6:35 mark of the fourth.
Spears also had a 55-yard punt return for a touchdown nullified on a Piedmont penalty.
Dunbar led the Bulldog rushing attack with 67 yards on just eight carries with a touchdown.
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