After reaching the North Coast Section championship for the first time in nearly five decades, the Piedmont Highlanders enter the 2026 season with an open starting quarterback position and a different roster from the one that made the program’s historic run a year ago.
Piedmont finished 8-5 overall and 4-1 in West Alameda County Conference play last season, advancing to the NCS Division 7 finals. It was the first NCS title game appearance for the program since 1976. The Highlanders ultimately fell to Middletown in the final, bringing their season to an end.
Now, Piedmont will look to build on last season’s success while adjusting to a new roster.
“I want to carry the momentum over from last year, but these two teams are so different,” head coach Jordan Seiden said. “We had a pretty big senior class last year, and that had a heavy influence on our team.”
Diego Hurwitz runs a route at a Piedmont practice. 
Gus Leonard works his way outside on a drill during a Piedmont boys football practice.
The Highlanders will open the 2026 season under the Witter Field lights at 7 p.m. on Aug. 28 against Napa. The schedule also includes several opponents Piedmont faced last season.
Among them is Arroyo, which defeated Piedmont 40-26 last year. The Highlanders will host Arroyo in their final regular-season home game on Oct. 9.
“We’re a very different team from last year, and so are they, but we definitely have that date marked as one that we want to redeem ourselves,” Seiden said.
Piedmont will also face Aragon, which the Highlanders defeated 39-16 last season. Aragon held a 14-13 lead midway through the second quarter before Piedmont pulled away in the second half. While the schedule will provide some familiar matchups, the biggest change for Piedmont will come at the quarterback position.
Jimmy Lagios, who started at quarterback last season as a sophomore, led the Highlanders with 2,114 passing yards and 24 touchdowns. Lagios transferred to Monte Vista for the 2026-27 school year.
“I don’t really believe in replacing a player. It’s just the next man up,” Seiden said. “Somebody goes down, somebody’s got to step up.”
Seiden has yet to name a starting quarterback between junior Jonah Cha-Foster and sophomore Cyrus Emanuelson. The two quarterbacks each took reps at a scrimmage Aug. 22 at Witter Field.
“Cyrus has done so much, but nobody can deny what kind of an athlete Jonah is. He’s one of the fastest in the program, if not the whole school,” Seiden said.
Piedmont’s Jonah Cha-Foster, seen here during a scrimmage at Witter Field on August 22, is competing for the starting quarterback position. 
Piedmont’s John Bunje (44) and Kayode Zuberi (91) square off during a lineman drill at a Highlanders practice.
One of the two quarterbacks will make his varsity debut in the season opener after both played for the
junior varsity team in 2025.
“It’s more of an adjustment you have to make mentally,” Cha-Foster said. “Just watching more film and being locked in.”
Other players to watch this season include juniors George Saunders and John Bunje, as well as seniors Colby Hong, Rehan Mumtaz and Diego Hurwitz.
“We’re pretty stacked,” Seiden said. “We’re deep in players that are going to make an impact.”
The quarterback battle is just one of the changes Piedmont faces entering the 2026 season. Still, the Highlanders will look to carry the momentum from last year’s run into their opener against Napa.
All photos by Damin Esper