By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

CENTER – A year ago, Piedmont quarterback Cole Wilson got off to a rocky start to the high school football season, being intercepted three times in a 19-point deficit at home against rival Cherokee County.

On Friday night, the Bulldogs’ most experienced signal-caller made amends.

Wilson completed 31 of 40 pass attempts for 391 yards and five touchdowns, including a last-second 11-yard touchdown throw to senior receiver Ishmael Bethel near the back corner of the end zone, to give Piedmont a thrilling 34-27 victory over two-time Class 4A runner-up Cherokee County.

The win equalized the overall score at 39-39-3.

“I had a rough start last year. Everyone saw that,” Wilson said. “We came out and we all played a really good game today. We had a great week of practice. Everyone executed everything really well. We came out here and our hard work paid off.”

Speaking of hard work, it also paid off for Piedmont’s veteran all-purpose player Rollie Pinto. Pinto, playing in his first game since suffering a season-ending knee injury against Ohatchee last season, was Wilson’s best receiver, catching 20 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns.

“When everyone talks about me, they should be talking about Cole Wilson and Ishmael Bethel,” Pinto said. “I would be nothing without them. I’ve played with them since junior high. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to have a night like this.”

“Rollie is just a natural,” Wilson said. “You know Rollie is going to be the guy that can make any play. You can put him anywhere and he’ll 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 did, it’s crazy.”

“He’s going to be one of the guys this year. Hopefully he’ll help us get to the state championship and win it.”

Wilson and Pinto put Piedmont (1-0) ahead. Their 5-yard touchdown on a fourth down and goal with 7:53 left in the first quarter capped a 13-play, 95-yard run. Wilson’s extra point gave Piedmont a 7-0 lead.

After a Wilson interception, the Warriors (0-1) tied the game at 7-7 before the first quarter ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by Keyshawn Woods.

Another Piedmont error – this time a fumble by Hayes Gunn – led to a quick Warrior touchdown. Woods scored again from six yards out on the last play of the first quarter. Ben Frampton’s point gave Cherokee County a 14-7 lead.

Woods rushed for 81 yards on 11 carries and scored three touchdowns for the Warriors. Tae Diamond led Cherokee County’s running game with 104 yards on 18 carries.

Piedmont began the second quarter backed up deep in its own territory, but quickly broke free when Wilson hit Pinto, who had a big lead over the halfway line. Pinto dropped the ball on the play, but the ball bounced into the arms of Aliandre Wright, who ran down the sideline and scored a touchdown. Wilson’s point afterward was blocked, keeping the Warriors ahead 14-13.

That didn’t last long, however. Frampton returned the ensuing kickoff 74 yards for a touchdown, but his PAT was useless. Just 38 seconds into the second quarter, Cherokee County led 20-13.

Piedmont got within one point with 4:16 left in the first half on another touchdown from Wilson to Pinto. This touchdown was seven yards. Wilson’s point was then blocked by the Warriors’ Tripp Davis, making the halftime score 20-19 in Cherokee County’s favor.

After the second half kickoff, the Warriors extended their lead to 27-19 with a 34-yard touchdown run by Woods.

But Piedmont came back. Wilson and Pinto drove the Bulldogs down the field and capped a 9-play, 69-yard run with a 30-yard touchdown. Wilson’s pass to Bethel for the 2-point conversion tied the game 27-27 at the end of the third quarter.

Both teams traded punts for most of the fourth quarter until the Warriors — with their heavy pack — marched to the Piedmont 17-yard line. The drive was then halted by a penalty, forcing Cherokee County to attempt a 39-yard field goal with 1:54 left. Frampton’s kick was short, giving the ball back to Piedmont in what proved to be the game-winning drive.

Wilson led the Bulldogs 80 yards in 10 plays, including a crucial 19-yard pass from Bethel at the 11 that was deflected by the Warriors’ Davis. Two plays later, Bethel caught the game-winning touchdown pass with just 0.3 seconds left on the clock.

“Honestly, I waited the whole game to help my team,” said Bethel, who caught nine passes for 82 yards. “Coach (Jonathan Miller) gave me the opportunity and I did as he was supposed to.”

Cherokee County head coach Jacob Kelley said he preached to his team all week: “Don’t let 22 (Pinto) and 9 (Bethel) beat you.”

“It’s really, really disappointing when they do that. It makes you wonder what you’re doing,” Kelley said. “We need to do a better job of checking on our guys and making sure they’re ready.”

“We took way too many penalties, made way too many mental errors, made way too many botched plays. It was disgusting to see the plays we had practiced for weeks and then 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 the old Piedmont, but to get a win as important as this against a great football team just validates everything we thought.”