Piedmont, AL – Piedmont comes up with two key stops, including two-point conversion try in overtime, edges Fyffe to reach Class 3A semifinals.
Quarterfinal scores
FRIDAY, Nov. 22
CLASS 6A
Oxford 28, Fort Payne 26, FINAL
CLASS 5A
At Faulkner University
Catholic-Montgomery 21, Central-Clay 9, FINAL
CLASS 4A
Cherokee County 21, Brooks 14, FINAL
West Morgan 50, Anniston 20, FINAL
CLASS 3A
Piedmont 30, Fyffe 28, FINAL (OT)
CLASS 1A
Wadley 67, Berry 26, FINAL
Semifinal matchups
CLASS 6A
Oxford at Parker
CLASS 4A
West Morgan at Cherokee County
Class 3A
Piedmont at Mars Hill
CLASS 1A
Hackleburg at Wadley
Piedmont 30, Fyffe 28 (OT)
By Joe Medley
Offensive skill people have headlined Piedmont’s run to this season’s Class 3A semifinals, but two defensive heroes came through Friday.
Bentley Chander’s fourth-down stop late in the fourth quarter and Kale Austin’s stop on Fyffe’s conversion try in overtime keyed Piedmont’s 30-28 victory on the Field of Champions.
The Bulldogs (13-0) earned a shot to play at Mars Hill Bible (12-1) next week, with the winner advancing to the Class 3A title game.
Mars Hill advanced with a 28-13 victory over Winfield.
The semifinal appearance marks Piedmont’s ninth in 10 years, and the Bulldogs seek their sixth title-game appearance in that span.
They’ll make their first semifinal appearance under second-year coach Jonathan Miller, whose 2021 Saks team also beat Fyffe in the quarterfinals. Miller’s teams have handed Fyffe its only two playoff losses in the Red Devils’ last 31 playoff games.
“It’s an honor to coach in a game with Coach (Paul) Benefield again,” said Miller, who became Piedmont’s head coach before the 2023 season. “He’s a legend, and Fyffe’s a great program.
“I have so much respect for him and their program, and just fortunate to wim.”
Piedmont’s offensive standouts had their moments Friday. Quarterback Cole Wilson completed 38 of 54 passes for 388 yards and three touchdowns. Rollie Pinto caught 17 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown, and Ishmael Bethel’s 12 catches covered 141 yards and a touchdown.
Running back Hayes Gunn rushed for 34 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown run in the first overtime possession. His 12-yard catch-and-run touchdown put Piedmont up 8-0 at 3:19 of the second quarter.
Fyffe running back Ryder Gipson rushed 42 times for 233 yards and three touchdowns, and Simon Hicks’ 71 yards rushing included a 3-yard touchdown run to set up the game-ending conversion try.
Piedmont got out to a 22-8 lead, and Fyffe rallied to tie it.
In a game with so much passing for Piedmont and rushing for Fyffe, however, big defensive plays stood out.
Fyffe’s Ryder Smith intercepted a Wilson pass at the Red Devils’ 10-yard line at 1:09 of the third quarter, and Maddox Doss intercepted Wilson’s throw to the back of the end zone on fourth and goal from the 5-yard line with 2:30 left in the fourth.
After Doss’ interception, Fyffe drove from its 20 to Piedmont’s 30. A false-start call turned fourth down and 1 into fourth down and six, and Piedmont’s Bentley Chander stopped Hicks a yard short with 57 seconds left.
“I just saw the guard and tackle pull, and I read and and went and tackled him,” Chander said. “They ran into each other.”
Wilson passed Piedmont into scoring position, but regulation time expired as Wilson completed a pass to Isaiah Young to Fyffe’s 8-yard line.
Piedmont got the ball to start overtime, and Gunn scored on third down from the 1. Expecting Fyffe to go for two if the Red Devils score, Miller opted for the two-point try, and Wilson passed to a wide open Kaden Doyle.
It was Doyle’s lone catch of the game.
Then came Hicks’ touchdown and the pending conversion try to extend the game. Hicks took the direct snap and ran left. Austin hit him and turned him back inside, and the pile picked bones.
Piedmont’s players ran off the field in celebration.
“It all started with the front,” Austin said. “We got a good stop up front, and it allowed us to just wrap in and make the play. …
“They’d been running that play all night, and we got a good push up front. The linebackers fit inside, and they bounced it out, and I just happened to be there.”
Benefield diagnosed the last play simply.
“They just stuffed us and stopped us,” he said. “Some people say they thought we (got in). I don’t know, but they stopped us.”
The loss to Piedmont was a first for Fyffe, which had won their three previous meetings, including a 14-6 victory in the 2020 semifinals.
The Red Devils finished 9-3 with lots of what-ifs to ponder. A snap over quarterback Blake Dobbins’ head resulted in the game’s first points Friday, with Dobbins kicking the ball out of the end zone to limit Piedmont to a safety.
Kicker Jesse Martin missed a 24-yard field goal in the second quarter wide left and missed an extra point wide right in the third quarter.
Then came injuries, most notably the loss of star running back Logan Anderson to a season-ending knee injury in a first-round playoff victory over Ohatchee.
“We had more tough injuries tonight, and we just run out of bullets,” Benefield said.
Benefield called Fyffe’s accomplishments this season amid key injuries “wonderful.”
“These kids are winners,” he said. “Some of these kids have played on three state championships.
“Things caught up with us, when you get so many hurt at a school our size.”
Game updates
–Kickoff, 7 p.m.
–Piedmont wins the toss, defers to seccond half. Fyffe will receive opening kickoff.
FIRST QUARTER
–Snap over the QB’s head, and Fyffe QB Blake Dobbins kicks out of end zone for a safety at 3:57. PIEDMONT 2, FYFFE 0
–Holding penalty wipes out Ryder Gipson’s 84-yard TD run at 2:50.
SECOND QUARTER
–Fyffe’s Jesse Martin misses a 24-yard field goal try at 6:23, wide left.
–Cole Wilson’s middle screen pass to Hayes Gunn on third and 14 goes 17 yards for a TD at 3:19. Wilson’s PAT kick is blocked. PIEDMONT 8, FYFFE 0
–Gipson’s 13-yard run around left end gets Fyffe on the board at 51.2, and he takes an option pitch for the conversion to tie the game. PIEDMONT 8, FYFFE 8
THIRD QUARTER
–Piedmont moves the ball through the air on the quarter’s opening drive, ending in Cole Wilson’s 10-yard TD pass to Ishmael Bethel. Wilson’s PAT kick is good at 10:14. PIEDMONT 15, FYFFE 8
–WIlson finds Pinto over the middle, and Pinto makes a move, takes the turn and finishes off a 23-yard TD connection, Wilson’s PAT is good at 5:11. PIEDMONT 22, FYFFE 8
–A kick return to midfield sets up a TD drive, with Gipson carrying the final two yards for the score at 2:26. Martin’s PAT is wide right. PIEDMONT 22, FYFFE 14
–Pinto returns the ensuing kickoff to the Piedmont 47, but Fyffe’s Ryder Smith intercepts a Wilson pass at the Fyffe 10 at 1:02.
FOURTH QUARTER
–Add a 1-yard TD run for Gipson at 8:51, and he plunges in for the conversion to tie it. PIEDMONT 22, FYFFE 22
–On fourth and goal from the Fyffe 5, Maddox Doss intercepts a Wilson pass in the back of the end zone. Fyffe takes over at its 20-yard line.
–On fourth down and 1 from Piedmont’s 30, Fyffe flagged for false start with 1:06 to play.
–On fourth down and six from Piedmont’s 35, Piedmont’s Bentley Chander stops Gipson one yard short. Piedmont takes over at its 30 with 57 seconds left.
–Wilson completes a pass to Isaiah Young to the Fyffe 8 as regulation time expires.
OVERTIME
–Piedmont will get the ball to start OT.
–Hayes Gunn with a 1-yard TD run. Piedmont calls timeout before the PAT. Wilson passes to Kaden Doyle for the conversion. PIEDMONT 30, FYFFE 22.
—Simon Hicks in with a 3-yard TD run, and Fyffe calls timeout. Piedmont’s Kale Austin leads the pack that stops Hicks. Game over.
