By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director
CENTRE – A year ago, Piedmont quarterback Cole Wilson had a shaky start to the high school football season. He was intercepted three times in a 19-point setback at home to rival Cherokee County.
On Friday night the Bulldogs’ senior signal caller earned redemption.
Wilson completed 32 of 40 pass attempts for 343 yards and four touchdowns, including a last-second 11-yard scoring toss to senior receiver Ishmael Bethel near the back corner of the end zone to give Piedmont a thrilling 34-27 victory over back-to-back Class 4A state runner-up Cherokee County.
The win tied the all-time series at 39-39-3.
“I had a rough start last year. Everyone saw it,” Wilson said. “We came out and we all had a really good game today. We had a great week of practice. Everybody executed everything really well. We came out here and our hard work paid off.”
Speaking of hard work, it also paid off for Piedmont senior all-purpose threat Rollie Pinto. Pinto, playing in his first game since suffering a season-ending knee injury against Ohatchee last season, was Wilson’s top receiver. He caught 20 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns.
“When everybody speaks of me, they should speak of Cole Wilson and Ishmael Bethel,” Pinto said. “Without them I’m nothing. I’ve played with them since junior high. Without them I wouldn’t be able to have this kind of night.”
“Rollie is just a freak of nature,” Wilson said. “You know Rollie is going to be the guy who can make any play. You can put him anywhere and he’s going to do his job. I couldn’t be more proud of him. He’s the strongest kid I’ve ever met. To come back from an injury like that and do as well as he does, that’s insane.
“He’s going to be one of the guys this year. He’s going to help us hopefully make it to a state championship and win.”
Wilson and Pinto got Piedmont (1-0) going. Their 5-yard touchdown connection on a fourth-and-goal with 7:53 to go in the opening quarter capped a 13-play, 95-yard drive. Wilson’s extra point gave Piedmont a 7-0 advantage.
Following a Wilson interception, the Warriors (0-1) tied the game at 7 before the first quarter ended on a 3-yard touchdown run by Keyshawn Woods.
Another Piedmont miscue – this time a fumble by Hayes Gunn – led to a quick Warrior touchdown. Woods scored again from six yards on the final play of the first quarter. Ben Frampton’s point after gave Cherokee County at 14-7 advantage.
Woods ran for 81 yards on 11 carries and scored three touchdowns for the Warriors. Tae Diamond led Cherokee County’s ground game with 104 yards on 18 totes.
Piedmont began the second quarter backed up deep in its own territory, but quickly escaped when Wilson hit Pinto for a big gain past midfield. Pinto fumbled on the play, but it bounced into the arms of Isaiah Young, who dashed down the sideline for a touchdown. Wilson’s point after was blocked, keeping the Warriors in front 14-13.
It didn’t stay that way for long. Frampton took the ensuing kickoff 74 yards for a score, but his PAT was no good. With just 38 seconds elapsed in the second quarter, Cherokee County led 20-13.
Piedmont pulled back within a point with 4:16 remaining in the first half on another Wilson-to-Pinto touchdown. This one covered seven yards. Wilson’s point after was blocked by the Warriors’ Tripp Davis, keeping the score at 20-19 in Cherokee County’s favor at halftime.
After receiving the second-half kickoff, the Warriors extended their lead to 27-19 on a 34-yard touchdown run by Woods.
But Piedmont bounced back. Wilson and Pinto marched the Bulldogs down the field and capped a 9-play, 69-yard drive with a 30-yard touchdown connection. Wilson’s pass for the 2-point conversion to Bethel tied the game at 27 at the end of the third quarter.
Both teams traded punts the majority of the fourth quarter until the Warriors – behind their heavy package – marched down to the Piedmont 17-yard line. The drive then stalled with a penalty, forcing Cherokee County to attempt a 39-yard field goal with 1:54 remaining. Frampton’s kick was short, which turned the ball back over to Piedmont for what turned out to be the game-winning drive.
Wilson guided the Bulldogs 80 yards in 10 plays, which included a crucial 19-yard reception by Bethel at the 11 that was tipped by the Warriors’ Davis. Two plays later, Bethel caught the game-winning touchdown pass with just 0.3 seconds remaining.
“I had been waiting for that all game honestly, to help my team out,” said Bethel, who caught nine passes for 82 yards. “Coach (Jonathan Miller) gave me the chance and I executed like I should.”
Cherokee County head coach Jacob Kelley said he preached to his team all week “do not let 22 (Pinto) and 9 (Bethel)” beat them.
“It’s really, really disappointing when they did. It makes you question what you’re doing,” Kelley said. “We’ve got to do a better job with our guys, making sure they’re ready to go.
“We had way too many penalties, way too many mental errors, way too many busted plays. It was sickening to watch the plays that we practiced for weeks and weeks and weeks, and to go out there and look like that.”
Miller called Friday’s game “a signature win.”
“There’s no doubt we needed this,” Miller said. “I think our team felt like we were that same old Piedmont, but to get a signature win like this against a great football team, it just proves everything we thought.”
