There was a moment in the third quarter of Piedmont High School’s boys football game at Salesian on Aug. 30 where it looked like the Highlanders might be climbing out of the hole they dug themselves early on. They were down 11 but had moved the ball deep into Pride territory. On a second-and-1, quarterback Jimmy Lagios dropped back and the play broke down. Lagios got the ball out, but right there was 6-foot-6, 200 pound Jahlil Lindsey picking off the ball.
All of a sudden, Lindsey was sprinting the other way, all by his lonesome. Seventy-three yards later, Lindsey had a touchdown and Salesian was back in control of what would end up a 41-17 season-opening victory.
“We’re relying on somebody to help make a play and he ended up getting in the way,” Piedmont coach Jordan Seiden said. “When you least need them to show up, it happens. It was a tough one.”
Or as Pride coach Chad Nightingale put it, “That was a back-breaker.” Nightingale went on to praise Lagios.
“They have that young sophomore quarterback and he winged it all over the field today. We were ready for them to run a little more. But they just threw it and threw it and threw it. As a consequence, everybody started getting pretty tired. We did obviously, but so did they.”
Carlton Perrilliat (red) and Jack Meyjes (white) go up for a ball 
Carlton Perrilliat (0) defends Dash Waters-Worthen (1)
Lagios finished 14 of 34 for 227 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Izeah Buchanan, also a sophomore, was pretty good for Salesian, completing 12 of 18 for 218 yards and four touchdowns. He did not turn the ball over.
“We were pleased with the play of our little sophomore quarterback,” Nightingale said. “What you saw today was two sophomore kids really throwing the ball very well.”
Jimmy Lagios strikes a classic QB pose
Salesian had the upper hand early. The Pride scored late in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead, then forced a three-and-out. Salesian then went on a 14-play, 76-yard drive to go up 14-0 on a 10-yard pass from Buchanan to Carlton Perrilliat.
Piedmont struck back on a 45-yard touchdown pass from Lagios to Diego Hurwitz, who made a nifty catch along the sideline before racing to the end zone. But the Pride came right back with another Buchanan-to-Perrilliat score and it was 21-7.
Bill Ashton (75) blocks Jahlil Lindsey (8) 
Henry Brennan (6) tries to pull down Tyler Sadler (5) of Salesian
The Highlanders had just one minute, three seconds left in the half, but Lagios led a drive for a field goal on the final play of the half.
Piedmont got the ball first in the third quarter and marched down for a touchdown to make it 21-17. Lagios hit George Saunders from 29 yards out for the score.
But the defense just couldn’t stop the Pride offense. Buchanan again connected with Perrilliat for a 20-yard touchdown. Lindsey’s interception happened on the next possession to all but clinch the game.
Seiden was barking at the offensive line for much of the game. The running game never got going and Lagios was fleeing the pass rush often. But the defense was the bigger issue. Salesian had 368 yards to 217 for Piedmont. Tylder Sadler rushed for 115 yards on 14 carries. Joseph Tarin caught five passes for 101 yards while Perrilliat finished with five catches for 85 yards with the three touchdowns.