PIEDMONT >> When quarterback Hokulani Wickard and wide receiver Ethan Watson hooked up on a 17-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter, the Lower Lake Trojans appeared to be in business against the Piedmont Highlanders.
Unfortunately business suffered after that.
Piedmont scored 28 unanswered points in the second quarter to open up a 31-6 halftime lead and went on to beat Lower Lake 53-14 in the opening round of the North Coast Section Division IV football playoffs on Friday night in Piedmont.
The loss of standout wide receiver/defensive back Marlon Jones on the third play of the game, numerous penalties, and a costly interception reversed the early momentum Lower Lake had built, capped by the Wickard-to-Watson touchdown pass on a fourth-and-nine play with 10:33 left in the first half, capping an impressive 80-yard drive. “We had control, momentum in the game and then it got away,” Lower Lake coach Justin Gaddy said of the Highlanders’ 28-point second quarter.
Injuries to starters, especially those in Lower Lake’s secondary, left the Trojans vulnerable to Piedmont’s passing attack and the Highlanders took advantage time and time again. Four of their first five touchdowns came through the air.
Piedmont continued to add to its lead in the second half, scoring on a 28-yard touchdown pass on its first possession of the third quarter and again on a 1-yard run a few minutes later to open up a 46-6 advantage.
The Trojans scored in the fourth quarter on a Sani 1-yard run and then added the two-point conversion on a pass from Elijah Hernandez to Wickard.
Piedmont answered with a late touchdown to round out the scoring.
Breaking down the game, Gaddy said that while Lower Lake matched up well with Piedmont at the skill positions, the Highlanders’ offensive and defensive lines simply outplayed the Trojans and allowed Piedmont to control the line of scrimmage both ways.
“They were much stronger than any of the teams we’ve played this season,” Gaddy said. “They were physical and tough.”
Sani, who re-aggravated an injury during the game but managed to stick it out, finished with 66 yards on 17 carries, giving him 1,081 for the year. Watson took a foot to the throat late in the fourth quarter quarter while making a touchdown-saving tackle but finished the game with six catches for 45 yards and a touchdown on offense and an interception on defense.
Wickard and late-game replacement Elijah Hernandez combined to complete 14 of 27 passes for 124 yards.
Lower Lake closes the season at 6-5. It’s the second time in the last three seasons Gaddy has led the Trojans to a postseason berth.
“At the end of the day I’m still very proud of my guys,” Gaddy said. “They fought all the way through.”
Even with football now over, Gaddy said he’s not done mentoring his players, especially his seniors.
“Our next goal is graduation,” he said. “We’ll continue to get better every day.”
The Highlanders (7-4) will play the winner of today’s first-round game between Kennedy and El Molino in the quarterfinal-round next weekend at a day, site and time to be determined.
