By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director
CENTRE – Cherokee County High School football coach Jacob Kelley was curious to see how the Warriors handled themselves following a disappointing outing at Piedmont last week.
Last year’s Warrior team also lost their opener to Piedmont and responded with a third straight Class 4A state championship game appearance.
While it remains to be seen what this year’s Warrior team does the remainder of the season, it’s so far so good.
Keyshawn Woods ran for 164 yards on 19 carries with two touchdowns. Jayshawn Stroup added 95 yards and two scores on seven totes, and Jayquan Diamond had a pair of interceptions on defense in the fourth-ranked Warriors’ 25-0 victory over Class 5A Arab on Friday.
“Our biggest test was what do we have about us to come back from getting beat last week and how we got beat. The kids responded in the way that you needed to respond to be headed in the right direction,” Kelley said. “It’s good to get the taste of last week out of here.”
Kelley said he was most pleased with how the Warriors finished the game.
“We were able to eat up the clock in the second half and do the things we didn’t do last week. That’s the biggest thing,” he said.
The Warrior defense set the tone on the Knights’ first drive of the game. Keshawn Thomas recovered a fumble that set Cherokee County’s offense up in Arab territory at the 38-yard line.
However, the offense sputtered early, going three plays and out with a punt.
After the Warrior ‘D’ forced a punt of its own, this time Cherokee County’s offense responded. Woods scored his first touchdown on a 25-yard run to put the Warriors up 7-0 with 5:25 remaining in the first quarter.
Diamond picked off his first pass of the game on Arab’s ensuing drive, but the Warriors handed it back over when quarterback Adam Griffith was intercepted by Landon Ertl.
Following the interception, the Knights appeared as if they would get on the scoreboard with a substantial drive down to the Warrior 5, but Ty Kirkland’s 22-yard field goal attempt was no good.
The Warriors responded with Woods’ second touchdown. This one went for 6 yards and it gave Cherokee County a 13-0 advantage at halftime.
Stroup opened the third quarter by dashing 54 yards for a score to put the Warriors up 19-0. Diamond then gave the offense the ball back by picking off a tipped Nicholas Stephens pass and returning it to the Arab 40.
But once again, a Warrior drive stalled and Arab turned the ball over on downs.
Cherokee County’s defense came up big again by forcing the Knights to turn the ball over on downs to begin the fourth quarter. This time, the Warrior offense cashed it in on Stroup’s 16-yard touchdown run for the final.
“Our running back crew was unselfish, and I thought the O-line played extremely well,” Kelley said. “I feel like the front seven on defense bowed their necks when they needed to, and I feel like they did a good job forcing turnovers and just getting after it.”
Mason Ingram led the Knights (1-1) with 93 yards on 26 carries.
Cherokee County host Oneonta to open Class 4A, Region 6 play this coming Friday.
