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Piedmont snapped a 29-game losing streak Friday night, making it look almost easy with a 27-9 win over East Rowan.
The Panthers went up 14-0 at halftime, then held off a third-quarter Mustang rally before putting the game away with a pair of late scores.
“It’s more a relief for the kids than anything,” said Piedmont coach Rusty Jester, who took over the Panthers’ program this year following a 17-year stint at Charlotte Independence. “I know the losing streak’s been on their minds.”
The Panthers (1-3, 1-1 in the South Piedmont 3A Conference) dominated from the outset, driving 51 yards in 11 plays for a score on their first possession. Jason Allen carried four yards to give Piedmont a 6-0 advantage
Piedmont’s second score came in the second quarter as a result of an East miscue. A Panther punt bounced into a Mustang player and Piedmont recovered at East’s 16-yard line.
From there, East (1-4, 0-2) was called for encroachment, then Piedmont’s D.J. Grier carried 11 yards for the game’s second score. A two-point conversion from Courtney Furr to Chris Black staked Piedmont to a 14-0 lead.
“It was like a bunch of sharks feeding on blood,” East coach Tom Eanes said of the Panthers’ attack. “I knew they’d be ready for us. We just didn’t seem ready to play.”
East failed to capitalize on a number of first-half scoring opportunities. The Mustangs’ Cody Merrifield recovered a fumble at Piedmont’s 24 late in the half, but the threat was halted when the Panthers’ Justin Hash intercepted a Drew Davis pass at the 5.
East got the ball back in the final minute of the half when Adam Lambert intercepted a pass by Piedmont’s Furr at the Panthers’ 45.
East drove to the 3 when Davis hit Cal Hayes on a 38-yard strike, but the drive died when Matt Holland was stopped on a third-and-goal at the 2. Time expired before the Mustangs could run another play.
“There were so many little things that didn’t go our way that could have turned the game around,” Eanes said. “A break here or there and the game could have gone the other way.”
Things finally started rolling in the Mustangs’ direction in the second half. East gambled on fourth-and-one at their own 37, faking a punt and hiking to the upback, Drew Eanes, who carried two yards for a first down.
On the next play, Davis rambled 46 yards to the Panthers’ 15. Raymondo Brady capped the drive with a two-yard carry for score and Hunter Kepley’s extra point cut the deficit to 14-7.
East pulled to within 14-9 before the quarter was over when a snap to Panther punter Jason Baucom sailed over his head. With a host of Mustangs racing for the ball, Baucom kicked it out of the end zone, giving up a safety.
East’s last chance to take the lead followed the ensuing kickoff when the Mustangs drove to a fourth-and-two at Piedmont’s 38. But Hayes was dropped for a seven-yard loss on the play and East never recovered.
Piedmont drove 55 yards in 10 for an insurance touchdown, with Furr scoring from five yards out.
The Panthers’ final score came on a 12-yard carry by Justin Hash.
Statistically, the teams appeared evenly matched with East accumulating 213 yards to Piedmont’s 177.
But the Panthers’ controlled the ball with a steady rushing attack and also capitalized on nine encroachment calls against the Mustangs.
Davis finished 6-of-12 for 80 yards and carried for another 45 yards, though he admitted the Mustangs never got into the flow of the game.
“We knew they were a good team,” he said of Piedmont. “There were plenty of times we could have turned the game around. We just didn’t make the big plays.”
But Blake Abernathy, a senior linebacker, said he wasn’t sure the Mustangs took Piedmont as seriously as they should have.
East posted a 49-0 win when the teams played a year ago.
“We’ve waxed these guys the past three years and I think too many of our guys thought that was going to happen again,” Abernathy said. “That’s not always the way it goes.”
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