PIEDMONT – Piedmont sophomore quarterback Jack Hayes tossed four touchdown passes, including two each to Jaden Calhoun and Austin Estes, to lead the defending Class 3A state champion Bulldogs to a 34-14 football jamboree victory over Geraldine on Friday.

Hayes connected with Calhoun for a 9-yard score with 3:50 remaining in the first quarter. Sloan Smith’s extra point made it 7-0. The drive began after Jakari Foster forced a Geraldine fumble which was recovered by Rusty Escamilla.

Hayes found Estes for a 65-yard score at the 10:26 mark of the second quarter. Smith’s extra point made it 14-0 Piedmont.
Hayes then hooked up with Estes for a 57-yard touchdown with 6:51 to go in the first half, giving the home team a 21-0 advantage.

A 15-yard Hayes-to-Calhoun connection with 3:06 left before halftime. The touchdown capped the varsity scoring, with Piedmont in front 28-0.

In the second half, Calhoun was quarterback of the Piedmont B-team and ran for an 18-yard score with 4:42 left in the third to give Piedmont a 34-0 edge.

Geraldine finally got on the scoreboard with 30.8 seconds left in the third. The visiting Bulldogs scored the game’s final touchdown with 4:24 remaining in the fourth.

Piedmont opens the 2020 regular season Friday at Cherokee County.