Staff Reports

MONTGOMERY – Due to weather concerns, the Alabama Sports Writers Association Football Player of the Year banquet has been postponed.

The event was originally scheduled for tomorrow at the Montgomery Renaissance. The new date is Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 11:30 a.m.

Cherokee County High School has two athletes who are among the Class 4A Back/Lineman finalists in senior running back Jacob Cornejo and junior defensive lineman Tae Diamond.

Cornejo, a 6-foot, 210-pound 4A Back of the Year finalist, ran for 3,003 yards and 36 touchdowns last season for the Warriors (13-2). Both numbers are school records. He was a finalist for the award last season.

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).