Report courtesy of East Alabama Sports Today

PIEDMONT – Every week brings another strong effort from Piedmont quarterback Jack Hayes.

This time, it was the opening-round of the Class 3A playoffs and Hayes didn’t disappoint. He threw for 269 yards and four touchdowns in the first half and the Bulldogs went on to rout Colbert Heights 47-14 in the opening round of the Class 3A playoffs.

The Bulldogs haven’t lost a first-round playoff game since coach Steve Smith’s first season at the helm (2006). They host Plainview (10-1) in their second-round game next week. Piedmont has won their last five second-round games.

Hayes completed 11-of-17 passes to four different receivers for 269 yards in the first half. He threw a pair of touchdown passes to Austin Estes and one each to Jakari Foster and Coleman Reid.

The Bulldogs (10-1) ran only two rushing plays in the first half and didn’t throw it all in the second.

The game was tied 7-7 early in the second quarter, but then it was all Piedmont. Hayes threw three touchdown passes and Max Hanson had a 46-yard punt return for a score to give the Bulldogs a 33-7 halftime lead.

Elijah Johnson and Parker Thornton scored touchdowns for Piedmont in the third quarter.

Reid caught four passes for 91 yards. Estes and Jadon Calhoun each caught three passes and Foster’s touchdown catch was his only reception. Thornton was Piedmont’s leading rusher with 82 yards on four carries.