Highlanders lose league opener
Lamont McDonald returned a kickoff 73 yards for a touchdown to give the Hayward High School Farmers the lead for good in a 63-7 domination over Piedmont in a boys football game at Witter Field on October 10.
The Highlanders had just taken a 7-6 lead on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Jimmy Lagios to Dash Waters-Worthen with two minutes, 10 seconds to go in the first quarter. But McDonald then took the kickoff from Matias Seelenberger, cut to the right sideline and ran away from every purple jersey for the score.
“Really, it was trusting my teammates,” McDonald said. “Trusting them when I get the ball and just working with what they’re giving me. I scan the field and see where my best blockers are and just follow the blocks.”
Hayward coach Virgil Hart said his team studied the film during the week, knowing that Piedmont never kicks off deep.
“We actually changed our kickoff return formation to try to get ready for that,” Hart said. “We practiced that exact return and it paid off.”
McDonald had a huge game, returning a punt for 46 yards to set up a touchdown, intercepting a pass late in the game and catching seven passes for 135 yards and two more touchdowns. Farmers quarterback Jaydyn Irving, who busted out a sweet pair of sparkly shoes for the game, completed 13 of 20 passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns.
Meantime, Piedmont’s offense couldn’t do anything against the Hayward defense. Following the lone touchdown, the Highlander got only one first down the rest of the game and that came on an offsides penalty called on the Farmers.
Henry Brennan (6) and Fischer Veltri (42) pressure Jaydyn Irving (12) 
Rehan Mumtaz (12) takes a handoff while quarterback Jimmy Lagios (4) blocks Tywan Melrose (white) 
Lamont McDonald (5) breaks away from Jason Shum (3) 
Piedmont running back Colby Hong (0) is tackled by Hayward’s Sir Gabourel (9) and Josiah Hillman (20). The Highlanders lost to the Farmers, 63-7.
“We couldn’t block well, we weren’t sustaining blocks when we were,” Piedmont coach Jordan Seiden said. “The one drive we strung together, we got a touchdown. We ran the ball well, we finished, we hit a couple of throws, hit a nice bootleg for a touchdown. That’s how it’s supposed to look. But when you think that’s it, that’s not it. Just five minutes in the first quarter.”
The Highlanders were also missing standout linebacker and running back Xavier Henderson, who suffered a concussion in a loss to Arroyo two weeks prior. Seiden said Henderson was cleared to play, but still wasn’t feeling right and was scratched shortly before gametime.
Bill Ashton also missed the game with a knee injury.
“We had to piece things together on the line,” Seiden said. “We had to piece things together at receiver, we had to piece things together on the defensive line, running back. Pretty much everywhere. A lot of 2022 feels this year.”
Piedmont had to abandon its varsity season in 2022 after injuries decimated its already thin roster.
Colby Hong led the Highlanders offense with 38 yards rushing on 16 carries. Lagios completed six of 19 passes for 55 yards with the touchdown along with two interceptions. Waters-Worthen caught two passes for 30 yards on three targets.
Maurice Hall ran for 90 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries for Hayward. Tywan Melrose led the Farmers defense with four solo and one assisted tackle including 1 ½ tackles for loss and a sack.