The Leeds Green Wave and the Piedmont Bulldogs locked horns in another epic matchup, with the Bulldogs throwing the winning blow, and finally defeat the Green Wave to play for the 3A title today at Bryant Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

The scores between Leeds and Piedmont in the last three games, all in favor of Leeds, have been: 35 – 0, 26 – 7 and 14 – 13. These two teams have met three times in two years, but number four was not to belong to the Green Wave as a very injured riddled Leeds team limped into the game.

Piedmont only had two good drives throughout the game. The first drive came on their first possession of the game. Starting from their own forty-five yard line, the man of the night for the Bulldogs Chase Childers had runs of six, six, and fifteen yards to start the drive. Two plays later he ended the drive with a seventeen-yard sprint to the endzone. The extra point was good, and with 8:25 left to go in the first quarter Leeds trailed 7 – 0.

Leeds put together a twelve-play drive that started at their fifteen-yard line. Facing third and twenty one from their own eighteen yard line six plays into the drive, Rush Perkins throws a strike to Jermain Smith who fights off tacklers for a thirty yard gain and a first down. Leeds drove the ball to the Bulldog thirty-one yard line and had to turn the ball over on downs. The first quarter came to an end with the Bulldogs up 7-0.

Leeds had two drives in the second quarter that started inside Bulldog territory, and came away with no points. Both defenses where alive in the quarter. No points where scored and the score remained 7-0 Piedmont at half time.

Leeds finally got a drive going at the end of the third quarter going into the forth quarter. Facing second and seven from their own forty-six yard line Dedrick Forsythe from the wild wave formation plowed through the Bulldog defense for a gain of ten yards giving Leeds a first down. Jonathon Rose followed with a six-yard run. Five plays later Forsythe struck the Bulldogs defense with a fifteen yard run to the Bulldog three-yard line, setting up first and goal. Two plays later Ladarius Rogers plowed through the Bulldog defense for the touchdown. Keeton Glass extra point was good, and with 7:37 left in the forth, the game was tied at seven.

After each team traded possessions Piedmont got the football at their own forty-eight yard line with 2:23 left in the game. Childers took the snap, and stepped through the line and found open space and raced fifty-two yards to the endzone for the touchdown. Kendarrius Abernathy blocked the extra point, but with 2:12 left in the ball game. Piedmont led 13-7.

The Leeds season came down to one final drive. With 2:05 left, Leeds took over from there own twenty four-yard line. On the drive’s second play, Perkins threw a strike to Jermain smith for fourteen yards. He followed up with completions to Jesse Turner for three yards, and Vic Watts for fifteen yards to the Dogs thirty-yard line. The drive came down to a fourth and long. Perkins’s pass fell to the ground as the seconds ticked off, and Piedmont celebrated a hard fought 13-7 win. The defending State Champions reign came to an end in a hard fought fashion.

The Leeds defense held the Bulldogs to eighty-seven total yards of offense. Leeds had 212 yards of total offense, but had too many missed opportunities. “We beat ourselves tonight,” said Leeds coach Keith Etheredge. “Hats off to them, but we beat ourselves. We shot ourselves in the foot too many times.” Leeds had four drives start in Piedmont territory, and came away empty. Chase Childers had seventy-two yards on twelve carries and two touchdowns to lead the Bulldogs. Dedrick Forsythe led the Green Wave with 63 yards on the ground. The Green Wave finished the season 11-3 (7-0) and region five champions for the second season in a row. This team joins last season’s team as the only Leeds football teams to advance to the fourth round of the playoffs. The Green Wave will return 19 juniors, 18 sophomores and 13 freshmen to next season’s team. The road to Auburn begins now. Auburn University’s Jordan-Hare Stadium is the sight of next season’s Super Six.