Staff Reports
CENTRE – It wasn’t the 372-yard, six-touchdown outburst he had in last week’s first-round high school football playoff win over Corner, but Cherokee County High School junior running back Jacob Cornejo did have another outstanding outing on Friday night against West Morgan.
Cornejo collected 262 yards on 18 carries and scored four touchdowns in leading the Class 4A, No. 10 Warriors to a 42-28 victory over the Rebels. All four of Cornejo’s touchdowns came in the second half.
Jack Amos accounted for the other two Warrior touchdowns. He finished with 83 yards on 11 totes.
But it was West Morgan (10-2) that got on the scoreboard first. Jalen Fletcher scored on a 67-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. The extra point gave the Rebels a 7-0 lead.
Later in the quarter, Amos scored on a 40-yard run for the Warriors’ first touchdown. Will Frampton’s extra point was blocked, keeping West Morgan out in front 7-6.
It remained 7-6 heading into halftime, but Cornejo got revved up in the third quarter. He scored on runs of 67 and 12 yards to give Cherokee County (10-2) the lead at 21-7.
The Rebels battled back later in the quarter on Braxton Peters’ 25-yard touchdown pass to Fletcher. The point after was no good, keeping the score at 21-13.
Cornejo closed out the third quarter with his third touchdown – a 58-yard run – to extend the Warrior lead to 28-13.
West Morgan countered in the fourth quarter on another Peters-to-Fletcher touchdown pass. This one went for 19 yards. The extra point pulled the Rebels within eight at 28-20.
Cornejo and Amos put the game out of reach with their touchdown runs of 43 and 3 yards respectively, giving Cherokee County a 42-20 edge. Peters ran for a 1-yard touchdown run late in the fourth for the final.
Peters completed 11-of-15 pass attempts for122 yards and two touchdowns. Fletcher gained 159 yards on 26 carries with a touchdown. He also caught three passes for 42 yards and two touchdowns.
Cade Hopper completed 6-of-9 pass attempts for 60 yards for the Warriors.
Cherokee County will travel to Randolph (10-2) in next Friday’s third round. Randolph defeated Dora 47-37 in other second-round action on Friday.