CENTRE — Ever since their 2009 state championship, the Cherokee County Warriors have tried to return to their winning ways. They took a step forward Friday night by clinching a Region 7 playoff berth with a 25-0 victory over Douglas.  

“You’ve got to get that hunger back to win,” head coach Tripp Curry said. “We lost a class like 2009. Last year we had six seniors. This year we have seven. They have to start carrying the load.” 

The path to the 2011 postseason went through the Douglas Eagles and their workhorse senior tailback Dillon Lawrence. Lawrence pounds opposing defenses with the persistence and subtlety of a wrecking ball.  

“It’s three yards and a cloud of dust – three yards, three yards, four yards – and then they run a guy by you,” Curry said.       

The first quarter was highlighted by a short pass that turned into a long play.  

Warriors senior Micheal Burleson snared a screen pass near the line of scrimmage and sprinted 85 yards for the first score. Sophomore Eric Burgess’s successful point-after try put the home team up 7-0.  

In the second quarter junior Trae Rooks’s interception gave Cherokee County a short field. The offense took advantage as Burgess booted a 33-yard field goal to put the Warriors up10-0. 

In the third quarter, fireworks from the Centre Fire Department fireworks another Warrior score. On Cherokee County’s first possession of the half, junior back D.J. McAllister darted 29 yards up the middle for the touchdown. McAllister’s two-point conversion pushed the Warrior lead to 18-0. 

A strange CCHS fourth-and-38 play led to Cherokee County’s final score. 

On a long Eagle punt return, a Douglas coach found himself too far out on the field, even becoming entangled in the action. After a penalty flag cancelled the long run and the Eagle possession, Douglas coaches were beside themselves, resulting in more penalty flags.  

At least one Douglas coach was ejected, and Cherokee County was awarded a first down on the Douglas 25-yard line. Six plays later junior quarterback Tanner Young’s 6-yard dash and Burgess’s PAT stretched the margin to the game’s final score, 25-0.  

Lawrence gained 128 rushing yards, and Burleson tallied121 receiving yards. The game was marred by 23 penalties for over 200 yards. 

“Douglas is a good football team. They are big, and they block,” said Curry. 

The 11th-year Cherokee County skipper had praise for his own team, too. 

“Our outside linebackers, Josh Higgins and Patrick Lowe – they are playing so good,” Curry said. “Our defensive backs were in position. Our kids really picked it up tonight. The kids are really excited.”