By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

For the second straight football season, the Cherokee County Warriors finished as Class 4A state runner-up. And, for the second straight year, the Warriors have two finalists for the Alabama Sports Writers Association Back and Linemen of the Year in senior running back Jacob Cornejo and junior defensive lineman Tae Diamond.

This year’s finalists were announced early Wednesday morning.

Cornejo, a 6-foot, 210-pound 4A Back of the Year finalist last year, had an even better senior season in 2023 for the state runner-up Warriors (13-2). He ran for 3,003 yards and 36 touchdowns, both school records.

Joining Cornejo as finalists for 4A Back of the Year are Oneonta’s Fluff Bothwell and Catholic-Montgomery’s Caleb McCreary.

Bothwell won last year’s 4A Back of the Year. In 2023, he ran for 2,031 yards on 208 carries with 32 touchdowns. The 6-0, 218-pound senior also caught 20 passes for 395 yards and an additional seven scores for the Redskins (7-3).

McCreary, a 5-11, 185-pound Troy commitment, guided the Knights (15-0) to their first state title. He completed 70-of-112 pass attempts for 1,274 yards and 15 touchdowns. The senior also ran for an additional 727 yards on 67 carries with 16 touchdowns.

In the 4A Lineman category, Diamond (5-10, 225 pounds) delivered 130 total tackles including 33 for loss with 22 sacks and forced four fumbles. He was a finalist for the award last season.

Joining Diamond as 4A Lineman finalists are Booker T. Washington’s Joseph Phillips and Sipsey Valley’s Jon Welch.

Phillips, a 6-3, 235-pound senior linebacker, posted 121 total tackles, including 31 for loss and eight sacks for the Golden Eagles (9-5). Welch, a 6-2, 220-pound senior linebacker, tallied 203 total stops, including 21 for loss with four sacks for the Bears (6-5).

The winners, Super All-State and Mr. Football will be named Tuesday, Jan. 16 at a luncheon banquet at the Montgomery Renaissance.

The finalists in each class and category are listed below.

7A Back
Cam Coleman, Central-Phenix City
Anquon Fegans, Thompson
Perry Thompson, Foley

7A Lineman
Isiai Faga, Central-Phenix City
Jordan Ross, Vestavia Hills
Bradley Shaw, Hoover

6A Back
KJ Lacey, Saraland
Jaylen Mbakwe, Clay-Chalkville
Ryan Williams, Saraland

6A Lineman
DJ Barber, Clay-Chalkville
Malik Blocton, Pike Road
Sterling Dixon, Spanish Fort

5A Back
Cam Phinizee, Russellville
Ronnie Royal, Gulf Shores
Clarence Taylor, Pleasant Grove

5A Lineman
Zion Grady, Charles Henderson
Brandon Purifoy, Vigor
QB Reese, Ramsay

4A Back
Fluff Bothwell, Oneonta
Jacob Cornejo, Cherokee Co.
Caleb McCreary, Catholic-Montgomery

4A Lineman
Tae Diamond, Cherokee Co.
Joseph Phillips, BTW-Tuskegee
Jon Welch, Sipsey Valley

3A Back
Ken Cherry, Madison Academy
KJ Jackson, St. James
Ethan Wilder, Gordo

3A Lineman
Reese Baker, Madison Academy
Jaxon Colvin, Geraldine
Kentonio Kelly Jr., Mobile Christian

2A Back
Logan Anderson, Fyffe
Kamore Harris, B.B. Comer
Preston Lancaster, Tuscaloosa Academy

2A Lineman
JJ Boatright, Locust Fork
JJ Faulk, Highland Home
Tucker Wilks, Fyffe

1A Back
Alvin Henderson, Elba
Brayden Huebner, Leroy
Cale Tittle, Lynn

1A Lineman
Clete O’Bryant, Coosa Christian
Tim Parnell, Leroy
Korbit Sommerville, Pickens Co.

AISA Back
Dallas Crow, Glenwood
Clayton Hussey, Lowndes Academy
Luke Tarver, Chambers Academy

AISA Lineman
Jon Nolan Lawrence, Fort Dale Academy
Jay Lindsey, Patrician
Ryan Smith, Chambers Academy