Staff Reports
KILLEN – The Cherokee County Warriors are headed back to the Class 4A state football semifinals for the third straight year after holding on for a 21-14 victory at Brooks on Friday night.
Keyshawn Woods accounted for two scores for the Warriors (12-1) with 3:01 remaining in the first quarter and 3:34 in the third. Tristan Brown put Cherokee County up 14-0 at halftime with a 1-yard run with 40.7 seconds remaining in the second.
Brown led the Warriors with 165 yards on 19 carries. Woods gained 135 yards on 27 totes.
After the Warriors went up 21-0, Brooks (10-3) battled back to make it a game. Quarterback Garrett Burrough connected with Cash Crumpton for a 60-yard touchdown in the third quarter and a 2-yard score to Symarien Coffey on fourth-and-goal with 3 ½ minutes left in the fourth.
Cherokee County recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock to advance.
Burrough led the Lions by completing 14 of 26 pass attempts for 180 yards. Crumpton caught a pair of passes for 70 yards.
The Warriors will host West Morgan (13-0) this Friday with another state championship trip on the line. The two teams played last season in the third round, with the Warriors escaping with a 28-27 victory at Trinity. West Morgan defeated Anniston 50-20 in other quarterfinal action on Friday.
