Cherokee Co. Warriors headed to Class 4A title game

STAFF REPORTS — The Cherokee County Warriors overcame an 18-point first quarter deficit to win their playoff game against No. 1-ranked Deshler Friday night by a final score of 39-36.

The Warriors (14-0) will battle UMS-Wright (12-2) for the Class 4A state championship Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Legion Field in Birmingham.

Deshler began the scoring on a sloppy field that got worse during the game due to rain. Quarterback Patrick Blackburn passed 40 yards to Deion Blue to make the score 7-0 after the PAT.

Less than a minute later, the Tigers picked off Warrior quarterback Coty Blanchard and returned the ball for 30 yards and a 14-0 lead with over nine minutes remaining in the opening quarter.

After the Warriors kicked a 28-yard field goal to cut the lead to 14-3, Deshler scored on a 49-yard run by Jimerez Owens to go up by 18 points.
The Tigers held the Warriors to less than 70 yards of offense in the first half, but Blanchard was able to cut the score to 21-10 before the half with a touchdown pass to Jacob Morgan on 4th down and 9.

The Warriors took a third quarter lead, 25-21, after scoring consecutive touchdowns, the second coming after the defense recovered a bad snap in the Tigers' end zone.

Deshler got within a field goal of the Warriors with just under five minutes to play after a Tiger defender returned an interception 24 yards for a touchdown.