CENTRE — For many, Guntersville conjures images of floating on a tranquil lake and landing largemouth bass in mats of mill foil.

Thoughts of Guntersville High School's offense aren't quite as inspirational. The Wildcats are not fancy. But they are very effective. The Wildcats used 295 rushing yards to down Cherokee County 26-13 Friday night.

Under a cloudless and cold October sky, Cherokee County took the game's opening possession, but failed to advance. Guntersville began their first offensive series on their own 9-yard line. Almost before the hot chocolate could hit the Styrofoam, the Wildcats were in the end zone. Guntersville sophomore quarterback Clayton Daniel capped the four-play drive, scampering 39 yards up the middle for the score.

Senior Patrick Lowe blocked the extra point to hold Guntersville's lead to 6-0.

After the ensuing Warrior drive stalled just out of field goal range, Guntersville took over on downs. On the first play of the second quarter senior Guntersville receiver Will Looney snared Daniel's 8-yard scoring pass in the right flat. After Owen Gilbert blocked another point-after kick, the Wildcats led 12-0.

A Warrior highlight arrived on the next play from scrimmage. Sophomore D.J. McAllister sprinted under junior quarterback Tanner Young's long pass for a 77-yard score. Sophomore Eric Burgess added the extra point to trim Guntersville's lead to 12-7.

Guntersville then tallied their third score in as many possessions. Aided by 20 yards of Warrior penalties, Guntersville concluded a six-minute, 60-yard drive. Daniel's five-yard run up the middle and another missed PAT increased Guntersville's lead to 18-7, a score they would take into halftime.

“We just shot ourselves in the foot,” Warriors head coach Tripp Curry said. “We got penalty after penalty after penalty. I just felt that if we were going to capitalize, every single play had to be positive for us. If not, then we just get put behind the eight ball.”

On Guntersville's first possession of the third quarter, the Wildcats wasted little time in keeping scoreboard-operator Kimball Parker busy. Looney nabbed Daniel's third-down pass for a 65-yard touchdown scamper. Nick McAnally's two-point play put Guntersville up 26-7.

Coach Curry said how a pre-game incident may have led to the Wildcat score.
“Right before the ball game our tight end pulled a hamstring,” he said. “When he gets hurt, then we have a tenth grader going both ways. He did a pretty good job, but he still is going both ways. That third-down scoring pass was his guy right there. Maybe he was tired from playing both ways.”

After an unsuccessful Warriors possession, Guntersville embarked on a time-killing drive that kept Cherokee County's offense off the field for ten minutes. It ended when kicker Hunter Kennamer missed a 28-yard field goal. The heralded senior, whose streak of 56 extra points in a row ended last week, endured a miserable night. He failed on two field goal tries and all three extra point attempts.

With under five minutes left in the game the Warriors connected on a nine-play, 80-yard scoring drive. Young's pass to sophomore Ty Green inched the Warriors closer at 26-13.

After two more brief possessions, Guntersville ran out the clock. The victory clinched second place in the region and a home playoff berth.

Guntersville (8-1, 6-1) hosts non-region foe Albertville this week. Cherokee County (5-4, 4-3) will enter the playoffs as the fourth seed. This week, the No. 1-ranked Class 3A Piedmont Bulldogs travel up Highway 9 to tackle the Warriors in the regular season finale for both teams.