Rockmart breaks the Piedmont winning streak in Border Battle
Rockmart wins against Piedmont to snap the Bulldogs’ 25-game winning streak.
The Rockmart Yellow Jackets got two touchdowns late to gain the lead and get their first win of the season in their second week of play over the Piedmont Bulldogs in a 36-22 finish on Friday night.
Rockmart’s offense put up 482 yards in the first of two games between Alabama t eams at Cedartown High School in the second annual Battle of the Borders jamboree and took over the game late in the fourth quarter for the lead and then the win.
“We’ve got to quit being these heartbreakers who wait until the fourth quarter to play football,” said head coach Biff Parson after the game. “My heart can’t take it. But I’m so proud of how well our guys did.”
The Yellow Jackets were lead on the field on the ground by Markus Smith, who had 19 carries for 122 yards.
Smith gave up a fumble and scored two touchdowns on the night for Rockmart.
Quarterback Dylan Bailey gave up an interception and made an extra point in a day where he went 7 for 11 on passing with 53 yards of his own, and ran for 9 yards on two carries.
Smith was joined in scoring by Ant Lester, who went in for a fourth quarter score, and Zabrion Whatley, who took in both a 53-yard and a 22-yard touchdown on the ground.
The trio of offensive leaders finally got a needed boost when Rockmart’s Tyler Abram came up with a fumble recovery that gave the Jackets position over the Bulldogs for a big score by Whatley on the next play.
Rockmart goes for a third week on the road at the start of the season with a 1- 1 record — all non- conference games thus far — after losing to rival Cedartown and picking up the win over Piedmont.
The Jackets’ win ended a 25-game winning streak for the Piedmont Bulldogs, who were back- to- back state champions in 2015 and 2016, and had been undefeated since Oct. 2, 2015.
“It’s a big notch in our belt, and it’s a good non-region win, and we hope to get another one next week,” Parson said.
They’ll head to Woodland High School in Bartow County to take on the Wildcats on Sept. 1 in their final non-conference game of the season. The Jackets get a break the following week before starting with Region 7-AA play at Armuchee on Sept. 15.