Warriors fall to UMS-Wright in Class 4A title game

By Scott Wright

LEGION FIELD -- The Cherokee County Warriors' offense spent the first 14 weeks of the 2008 high school football season doing pretty much anything it wanted with the competition. And it was a great ride while it lasted. Thursday night in the Class 4A state championship game, however, it was the UMS-Wright offense that was able to run or pass at will.

The Warriors, a team that averaged 38 points in the first four rounds of the playoffs, could only manage a late touchdown against the team from Mobile. The Bulldogs won 41-7 and collected their fifth state title since 1987.

The Warriors (14-1) finished the season with the best record in school history, but had to settle for the runner-up trophy for the second time in three seasons.

The night started poorly for the Warriors. On the first play from scrimmage, quarterback Coty Blanchard attempted a long pass down the sideline. But it was picked off by defensive back Pat Garstecki at the 3-yard line. The Bulldogs trotted onto the field and marched 97 yards for the first touchdown of the game. Robert Bailey's PAT made the score 7-0.

Coach Tripp Curry's team put together an impressive 13-play drive on their next possession, but it stalled at the Bulldogs' 43-yard line when Blanchard was sacked. After a Warrior punt came to rest at the 2-yard line, UMS-Wright mounted another long drive in the second quarter, going ahead 14-0 on a 36-yard pass from Bragg Foshee to Brock Reaves.

The speedy, 5-foot-9 Reaves ended the game with eight catches for 181 yards, a new Class 4A record. He actually broke the record in the first half, with six catches for 161 yards. The previous record for yardage was 126. Reaves was also named the game's Most Valuable Player.

The Bulldogs closed out the first-half scoring on a 6-yard run by Brandon Lee. Robert Hall's PAT made the score 21-0 with 6:18 remaining. After the Warriors turned the ball over on downs at the Bulldog 25-yard line, UMS-Wright marched down the field again. But Bailey's 39-yard field goal attempt fell short as time expired in the second quarter.

The Bulldogs took the second half kickoff and quickly scored again. Christopher Dukes darted through a hole in the middle of the line of scrimmage and sprinted 26 yards for the score.

After the Warrior offense went three-and-out, UMS-Wright scored again with just over eight minutes remaining in the third quarter. Dukes' second rushing TD of the night was a five-yarder that made the score 35-0.

Alex Gilmore scored the Bulldogs' final touchdown early in the fourth quarter to make the score 41-0.

The Warriors got on the scoreboard with just over three minutes remaining when Blanchard scored on a one-yard quarterback sweep.

nother Warrior scoring drive was halted by a UMS-Wright interception in the end zone with under a minute remaining.

The Bulldogs outgained the Warriors on the ground and in the air, rushing for 257 yards to Cherokee County's 135, and passing for 232 to Cherokee County's 77.

WEIS-AM owner Jerry Baker, who attended the game in Birmingham, said the community should be proud of the Warriors for the level of excellence they displayed on the field throughout 2008.

“What a great season, 14-1,” Baker said Friday. “There aren't very many high school football players who can say they had a chance to play at Legion Field.”