Staff Reports

PIEDMONT – Piedmont sophomore quarterback Jack Hayes accounted for four touchdowns, leading the second-ranked Bulldogs to a 46-7 victory over visiting Plainview in the second round of the Class 3A state football playoffs on Friday night.

Hayes completed 14-of-26 pass attempts for 172 yards and three touchdowns for Piedmont (11-1). He also ran for 75 yards on 10 carries with a 6-yard score, the Bulldogs’ first of the night with 6:51 to go in the first quarter.

Hayes hit Jadon Calhoun for the next Bulldog touchdown on a 20-yard pass with 3:46 remaining in the opening quarter, pushing Piedmont’s lead to 14-0.

Sloan Smith added the first of two field goals with 3:54 remaining in the first half. This one went for 23 yards to give the Bulldogs a 17-0 edge.

Hayes capped the first-half scoring with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Coleman Reid with nine seconds remaining. Piedmont led 24-0 at halftime.

Calhoun opened the third-quarter scoring with his 3-yard touchdown run. A Hayes-to-Austin Estes 11-yard touchdown connection put Piedmont out in front 37-0 after three quarters.

Smith connected on a 20-yard field goal at the 10:02 mark of the fourth quarter.

The Bears avoided the shutout on Brody McCurdy’s 30-yard touchdown run with 6:51 remaining in the game. McCurdy led Plainview (10-2) with 39 yards on seven carries with the score.

Jakari Foster capped the scoring for Piedmont with his 81-yard kickoff return for a touchdown for the final.

Estes and Calhoun both caught four passes for 75 yards and a touchdown apiece for Piedmont, which accumulated almost 400 total yards of offense.

The Bulldogs advance to next Friday’s third round where they will host Region 5 rival Saks, a 49-14 winner over J.B. Pennington in other second round action on Friday. Piedmont defeated Saks 35-6 in regular-season action back on Sept. 4.