By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

CENTRE – Following a 28-7 loss to Andalusia in last year’s Class 4A state championship game at Auburn, it didn’t take the Cherokee County Warriors long to turn their attention to the 2023 high school football season.

Head coach Jacob Kelley said the returning Warriors “were in stretching lines at 1:30 on Monday” following the championship game. The title game was the previous Thursday.

“I’m not talking about just a few. I’m talking about everybody,” Kelley said. “We started the offseason Dec. 5. It wasn’t January. It’s been really good.

“I think we’ve got a long way to go and a lot of questions to be answered, so to speak, but as far as the offseason, it’s been by far one of our best ones coming out of that (championship game). I think the guys are hungry and ready to roll.”

But if the Warriors are to make a return trip to this year’s state championship game, they won’t sneak up on anyone like they did last season.

The Warriors, who went 12-3 last season, weren’t on many folks’ radar to begin last fall. It wasn’t until Week 2 of the regular season where they were ranked in the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s top 10. They only managed to creep up to No. 8 and finished the regular season back at No. 10 before going on their postseason tear, which included avenging an early-season loss to Region 6 rival Oneonta in the state semifinals.

Cherokee County begins 2023 ranked at No. 2 behind Andalusia.

“We’ve got a target on our back,” senior receiver/defensive back Haden Wheeler said. “We’ve talked about that, but the thing is it’s more of not trying to be hunted. We’re still going to hunt you.”

And the Warriors have hunters to do it.

They have 13 seniors on this year’s squad, Kelley’s largest senior class of his five years in Centre. Kelley said depending on what week, there are nine returning on both sides of the ball, including ASWA Class 4A Back and Lineman of the Year finalists Jacob Cornejo and Tae Diamond respectively.

Cornejo, now a senior, collected 2,580 yards on 287 carries with 33 touchdowns for the Warriors last season. Diamond, a junior, delivered 98 tackles, including 27 for loss, with 20 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two passes batted down.

As far as Cornejo is concerned, last year is last year.

“Last year’s accomplishments don’t come up this year,” he said. “We know what it takes (to get back to the championship game). Us as a team, we’re working harder and communicating better, creating friendships with everybody on our team. We shocked a lot of people last year, and I know we’ve got a target on our back, but we’re still coming.”

One of the only few positions the Warriors don’t have a returning starter is at quarterback. The two Carsons, juniors Tittle and Sand Rock transfer Chesnut, have battled throughout the summer for the starting role after the departure of Cade Hopper.

“Carson Tittle was kind of our backup quarterback, our B-team quarterback last year coming from Ohatchee. He comes to Cherokee County and the offense is a little bit different. He’s done a really good job in the off-season. I wish I could get my hands on a picture before he moved over to Centre to now. He has done a real good job of getting bigger, faster, stronger. We had a 7-on-7 this summer and I think he was at 80-percent completion (at Pepperell). He did a really good job.

“Carson Chesnut is another kid competing for the job. Carson has tremendous throwing ability and tremendous upside. The kid can absolutely fly. Those two are really battling it out right now to see who’s going to lead the team under center.”

Cornejo could also see time at quarterback in certain situations.

Wheeler and fellow seniors Alex Johnson and Cooper Rodgers are expected to see time at both receiver and in the Warrior defensive backfield. Senior transfer Jace Turner has impressed the Warrior coaches at safety.

Seniors Zach Gaylor and Cooper Martin, and junior Landon Ransum will help anchor the line and block for the Warrior playmakers. Diamond, junior Caleb Harbour, and senior Blake Butts are among those who will line up along the defensive front.

Cornejo, senior Alex Loyd and junior Tristan Brown return as linebackers.

Once again this season, the Warriors compete in Region 6 along with Etowah, Oneonta, Ashville, Fultondale, Good Hope and Hanceville. The hunt for another chance to play for a title begins at home on Friday against Class 5A Alexandria, then the Warriors travel to longtime rival Piedmont on Sept. 1.

“I definitely feel like making the state championship game last year really opened our eyes with what we could do,” Gaylor said. “I think coming back this year we know what our goal is and what we’ve got to work toward. We got a taste of it last year but we came up short. This year we really know what we’re working for, starting with Week 0 all the way to December.”

“I think we’re all really hungry to get back to the state championship game,” Johnson said. “Last year we came up short. This offseason we’ve been putting in a lot of work. Hopefully that’s going to translate into this year and we’ll go all the way.”

“To get back (to the championship game) remains to be seen,” Kelley said. “We’ve had to kind of check ourselves here and there a few times. I go off the kids and I can kind of use my judgment because I’m around them every day in the weight room, in the stretching lines and in practices, but I think our work matches where it needs to be.”

2023 Cherokee County Football Schedule
Aug. 25               Alexandria
Sept. 1                 at Piedmont
Sept. 8                at Good Hope
Sept. 15               Oneonta
Sept. 22              Hanceville
Sept. 29              at Munford
Oct. 13                 Fultondale
Oct. 20                at Etowah
Oct. 27                 at Ashville
Nov. 3                  Fort Payne