Staff Reports
TARRANT – Cherokee County High School senior quarterback Cade Hopper accounted for four touchdowns (3 passing, 1 rushing) in leading the Class 4A, No. 9 Warriors to a 60-0 thrashing of Region 6 opponent Fultondale at Tarrant High School on Friday night.
The 60 points scored were the most scored by the Warriors since the 2010 season, a 63-52 win over Butler. The record for points scored by the Warriors is 92 scored back in 1928 in a 92-0 victory over Jacksonville.
It’s the second straight game and third time this season the Warriors have scored 50 or more points. They defeated Good Hope 50-7 back on Sept. 2 and Munford 56-26 two weeks ago. The Warriors also scored 49 points in a 49-15 win at Hanceville on Sept. 16.
It’s also the second shutout the Warriors have posted this season. They defeated Model High School of Rome, Ga. 20-0 in their season-opener.
Jacob Cornejo got the Warriors rolling with 6:19 remaining in the first quarter on a 4-yard touchdown run. Will Frampton’s extra point made the score 7-0.
Hopper threw his first touchdown pass of the game a little over four minutes later on a rollout pass to Jack Amos. The Warriors led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Hopper hooked up with Malachi Horton on a 45-yard score with 9:18 left in the first half. Cornejo added a 2-yard touchdown run at the 5:47 mark of the second quarter to push the Warrior lead to 27-0.
Amos returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown, and following an Alex Johnson interception, Tae Diamond scored on a 7-yard run with less than a minute remaining to give the Warriors a 39-0 advantage at halftime.
Hopper opened the third-quarter scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run set up by his 40-yard pass to Horton. Hopper later hit Jaden Wilson for a 5-yard score, giving the Warriors a 53-0 lead after three quarters.
Freshman running back Keyshawn Woods accounted for the Warriors’ final touchdown with a minute remaining in the game.
Next up for Cherokee County is a showdown at home with No. 10 Etowah on Friday.