The season came to a close for the Leeds Green Wave Friday as they were upended 13-7 in the semi-finals of the AHSAA 3A playoffs by the Bulldogs from Piedmont.

Earlier in the season, 13 points by Piedmont were not enough to beat Leeds as the Green Wave won that game 14-13 in overtime. The Bulldogs will face Cordova in the 3A finals on Thursday at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

Piedmont quarterback Chase Childers accounted for both Bulldog touchdowns and they came the first and last times they had the football.

In the first quarter, Childers ran 12 yards for a touchdown and with the PAT, the score was 7-0. That was the score for most of the game as Leeds tied it with 7:37 remaining in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard plunge by Ladarius Rodgers.

Childers’ winning run was from 52 yards out with 2:12 remaining in the game. The PAT was blocked and the score was 13-7.

Leeds kept the ball for 11 plays and moved the ball from its own 24 to the Bulldog 30, but a fourth down pass fell incomplete as time expired on the game and the season for Leeds.

“We panicked on the last drive,” said Leeds coach Keith Etheredge. “We didn’t run the play that was called and it cost us.”

Amid the tears and heartbreak of losing the game, Etheredge told his players they had nothing to hang their heads about.

“We had guys that couldn’t even walk hardly out here playing,” he said. “Guys, you did everything you could do. We shot ourselves in the foot too many times in a big game like this.

“We beat ourselves. I told you coming into the playoffs that the only team that could beat us was ourselves. Hats off to Piedmont but we beat ourselves tonight.”

“Jubilation,” said Piedmont coach Steve Smith. “This is a great day for our school and the entire community. I am so proud of our kids and words cannot express what I’m feeling right now. Our defense played awesome all night long.

“Chase Childers is a gamer. He is not what everyone wants in a quarterback because they say he is not tall enough and he’s not this or he’s not that. But I would not trade him for an quarterback in the state.”

Leeds took the opening kickoff and lost 3 yards in 3 plays and forced to punt.

Piedmont started its initial possession at its own 45 and they wasted very little time in getting on the scoreboard.

Childers was the key player in the drive. He picked up 6 yards on first down followed by another 6-yard run for a first down by Christian Cantrell. Childers then took off for a 14-yard pickup. After an incomplete pass, Luke Smith gained 17 yards and Childers scored the touchdown on the next play on a 12-yard run around left end. Christopher Strott added the PAT and with 8:25 remaining in the opening stanza, the Bulldogs were on top 7-0.

Leeds started its second possession at the 15 and drove all the way to the Bulldog 25. The drive was 11 plays and the key play in the drive was a 30-yard pass from Perkins to Jermaine Smith. It turned out to be the longest play of the game for the Green Wave.

Facing a third down and 1 at the Bulldog 25, Perkins was sacked for a 4-yard loss. On fourth down and 5, his pass to Bradley Chasteen fell incomplete and they turned the ball over on downs.

At this point in the game, both defenses took over as the teams exchanged punts throughout the second quarter. After picking up 57 yards in the first quarter, Piedmont was held to negative 14 yards in the second stanza.

The longest run of the game for Leeds came in the second quarter by Rodgers, who picked up 25 yards on a first down play that moved the ball from the Bulldog 44 to the 19-yard line.

Leeds, however, was unable to punch the ball into the end zone as the next three plays gained only 4 yards. On fourth down and 6, Leeds was flagged for a false start, backing them up 5 yards to the 20. On fourth down and 11, Perkins’ pass to Jonathan Rose fell incomplete in the end zone.

Leeds moved the ball deep into Piedmont territory again in the second stanza but walked away scoreless.

Following a Piedmont punt, Leeds was in business at the Bulldog 36 and drove to the 12. With seconds remaining before halftime, Keaton Glass missed a 35-yard field goal.

The two teams traded punts to start the second half. Leeds got a break as Piedmont attempted a second punt in the third quarter as the snap from center sailed over the punter’s head and Leeds was in business at the Bulldog 30. Three plays later, and with a first down at the 15, Leeds fumbled the ball and Piedmont recovered at the 25.

The Leeds defense forced another punt as the third quarter came to a close.

The only score of the night for Leeds came on this possession as they drove 45 yards in 8 plays, all on the ground. Most of the yards came from Dedrick Forsythe from the wildcat formation. Forsythe, who finished with 51 yards on 14 carries, had most of his yards on this series as he had gains of 6, 4, 6 and 16 yards. Rodgers scored the touchdown on a 1-yard burst up the middle and with the PAT by Glass, the game was tied 7-7 with 7:37 remaining.

With the score, the momentum was indeed in favor of the Green Wave and the defense held Piedmont to a three-and-out and a punt. Rose fielded the punt and returned it some 50 yards before being tackled deep in Piedmont territory, much to the delight of the home crowd. However, Leeds was flagged for a block in the back and they had to start the possession at their own 19.

The Green Wave was unable to move the ball and forced to punt. Piedmont took over at its own 48.

On the very next play, Childers raced 52 yards right up the middle for what turned out to be the winning score with 2:12 remaining in the game. The PAT was blocked and the score was 13-7.

Leeds had its chance with one last possession as they moved the ball from their own 24 to the Piedmont 30. A fourth down pass from Perkins fell incomplete to end the game.

“We just didn’t execute and mental mistakes killed us,” Etheredge said. “But the guys played their hearts out every single Friday night. We gave up one long run tonight. Everyone made mistakes tonight but this loss is my responsibility and my fault. We should have won this game tonight. We had 11 wins this season and everyone doubted us all year long. I am very proud of the seniors.”

The Green Wave finished the season 11-3.