SAN MATEO — Piedmont High’s entire varsity football roster fits on one page. And only four players crack 200 pounds.
But there’s a mentality among the Highlanders that makes up for shortcomings, at least that’s what appeared to be the case in Piedmont’s 36-16 nonleague victory at Aragon in San Mateo on Friday night.
“I like to see our team as underdogs,” sophomore quarterback Jimmy Lagios said. “We don’t have the most guys, but we’ll fight – we’ll fight to the end. We won’t stop.”
Wearing the No. 4 jersey that his older brother Markos wore as the Piedmont quarterback last season, Jimmy Lagios passed for 188 yards and two touchdowns. He even called some of his own plays.
Piedmont High’s Cash Panico (18) catches a pass before running the ball in for a 68-yard touchdown in the second quarter of their football game in San Mateo, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
Five of his passes went to senior Cash Panico, including a 68-yarder on a crossing route with no safety in coverage to draw the Highlanders within 14-13 late in the second quarter. With a cast protecting his broken left thumb, Panico made his season debut and gained 148 yards.
Piedmont coach Jordan Seiden said he predicted something like this would happen.
“It was killing him the past few weeks watching us play and watching us struggling in areas where he could really help us out,” Seiden said of Panico. “I texted him this week and said, ‘You’re going to blow up. You’re going to have a huge game.’ And he did. He showed up, believed in himself and made it happen.”
Intersectional games can be hard to predict without common opponents, but Seiden felt his team could make a statement with a tone-setting opening play.
Feeling that Aragon would overplay because of the adrenaline, and excitement from a home game, Seiden exploited that energy with a reverse. The Piedmont line went right and Rehan Mumtaz went left, breaking loose for a 60-yard score on a reverse.
On the first play of the game for Piedmont High, Rehan Mumtaz (12) runs the ball in for a touchdown in the first quarter of their football game against Aragon High in San Mateo, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
One of the blockers in front was Willie Richardson, thrown in at right tackle, a position he never even practiced, when the starter called in sick with COVID on Friday afternoon. But Seiden knew his team would be challenged by inexperience. Piedmont, after all, lost 16 seniors and returned only three starters – receiver Dash Waters-Worthen, offensive lineman Adrian Kondakav, and linebacker Xavier Henderson.
“My first thought when we got these together was, we’re young,” Seiden said. “We’re going to do a lot of teaching this year.”
The Highlanders trailed 14-7, but Matias Seelenberger kicked a 41-yard field goal with 2:59 to play in the second quarter to put them ahead for good.
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A pair of short touchdown runs by Mumtaz and two fourth-quarter interceptions by sophomore Mo Mittone, including one at the goal line, helped Piedmont on a 20-2 second-half run that put the game away.
For Aragon (2-2), sophomore quarterback Gabe Wilcox made his first start and completed 18 of 39 passes for 267 yards and a touchdown. His brother, senior Charlie Wilcox, caught eight passes for 165 yards and connected with Gabe for a 32-yard score on a second-quarter deep post.
Gabe Wilcox first caught coach Ash Parham’s eye with his strength in the squats during weight training and was brought on to the varsity as a linebacker. But he first saw action at quarterback in Week 2 in relief as an emergency replacement and has impressed ever since.
“I still believe in this team,” Parham said. “There’s so much there. If we can get out of our own way, the potential is limitless. There’s so much in front of us.”
Head Coach Jordan Seiden talks to the team after winning their football game 35-16 against Aragon High in San Mateo, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
The Piedmont High football team celebrates after winning their game 35-16 against Aragon High in San Mateo, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
Aragon High’s Nick Castroviejo (10) makes the reception in the fourth quarter of their football game against Piedmont High in San Mateo, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
After making a reception, Aragon High’s Jaxson Sullivan (7) breaks free from a tackle by Piedmont High’s Mateo Long (21) as Sullivan runs the ball for a first down in the first quarter of their football game in San Mateo, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
On fourth down, Aragon High quarterback Gabe Wilcox (16) gets past Piedmont High defenders before being tackled short of the endzone in the fourth quarter of their football game in San Mateo, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
