Staff Reports

RAINBOW CITY – Piedmont’s Cole Austin may be a freshman quarterback, but he sure didn’t play like one in his first start on Friday night at Westbrook Christian.

Filling in for injured senior quarterback Cole Wilson, Austin completed 9 of 12 pass attempts for 146 yards and two touchdowns – both to Rollie Pinto. He also ran for 101 yards on 10 carries and another score to lead the Piedmont Bulldogs to a 38-10 victory in Class 3A Region 6 action.

Read Barber gave the Warriors (2-2, 2-2) an early 3-0 lead with a 38-yard field goal, but the Bulldogs (4-0, 3-0) responded by scoring 38 unanswered points.

Austin put Piedmont in front with a 36-yard touchdown connection to Pinto. The 2-point try was no good, keeping the score at 6-3 Bulldogs.

Hayes Gunn extended Piedmont’s lead with his 6-yard run. The 2-point conversion was good, giving the Bulldogs a 14-3 advantage.

Gunn finished with 73 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown.

Pinto scored on an 85-yard touchdown run before halftime. Another 2-point try was successful, providing Piedmont a 22-3 halftime lead.

Following a safety, Austin accounted for another Bulldog touchdown. This one was an 89-yard run, and with another successful 2-point try, Piedmont pushed its lead to 32-3.

Another Austin-to-Pinto touchdown connection went for 52 yards, giving Piedmont a 38-3 edge.

Pinto finished with five catches for 89 yards and a pair of scores. He also had two carries for 106 yards and a touchdown.

The Warriors scored their lone touchdown on Sam Sollie’s 12-yard pass to Bo Kilgo for the final.

Piedmont hosts B.B. Comer on Friday.