Team prepares for league
The Piedmont High School boys football team took a 31-17 loss at Moreau Catholic on September 25, falling to 1-4 on the season. Now, the Highlanders have an off week before opening their West Alameda County Conference Mission League season on October 9 against Arroyo at Witter Field.
“It’s like I told the team, it’s 0-0 now,” Piedmont coach Jordan Seiden said. “We’ve got a good bye week this week. We’re planning on pushing them.
“We’re going to be healthy for the first time all year. Were going to get three more players back. We’re in good position, we’re feeling pretty good. The bye week came at a good time. See what needs to be worked on.”
The Highlanders had a lot of positives in the game against the Mariners. Rehan Mumtaz rushed for 104 yards on 18 carries. He was joined by Vaha Mafi, in his first game returning from a knee injury suffered last year on the junior varsity. Mafi rushed for 106 yards on 10 carries including a 58-yard touchdown run.
“He’s finally fully back and recovered,” Seiden said.
Cyrus Emanuelson completed 14 of 28 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown. Diego Hurwitz caught five passes for 92 yards.
The offense looked strong from the start but a couple of missed plays and penalties cut off some of the drives. Piedmont reached the Moreau Catholic 4, 9, 15 and 17 on its four first half drives but ended up with only three points in the half.
“We’re showing signs of a young team,” Seiden said. “We’re playing in spurts. Just the inconsistency of growing up. Learning how to finish plays, learning how to finish quarters. To only put up 17 points, that’s not enough. Three or four times, we’re down inside the 15 yard line and we couldn’t come away with points.”
The defense was good enough in the first half, holding the Mariners (4-1) to just a 7-3 lead. Two things hurt the Highlanders in the second half: Zion Dysart ran for three touchdowns en route to a 26-159 yard night. And Moreau Catholic recovered two onside kicks off of the foot of Juan Navarro which led to touchdown drives of 40 and 51 yards.
Kimoni Brown was 15 of 22 for 214 yards and a touchdown for the Mariners. Elijah Dysart caught eight passes for 108 yards and the touchdown.
Moreau Catholic built a 31-3 lead early in the fourth quarter, but Piedmont fought back. Mafi broke loose for his long touchdown run and Emanuelson hit Mason Gray for an 18-yard touchdown. Unfortunately for the Highlanders, Emanuelson’s two onside kick attempts failed.
George Saunders had a strong game on defense for Piedmont, recording four solo tackles and five assisted tackles, including 2 ½ tackles for loss and a sack and forced fumble.
Kalil Lillard led the Mariners with seven solo and three assisted tackles.