The Daily Sentinel

Scottsboro's last encounter with a No. 1-ranked team in Class 4A prior to Thursday, Week 1 of 2007 season, ended with the 5A Wildcats upsetting Guntersville.

But no such upset was in the cards this time.

Class 4A No. 1 Cherokee County built a 20-0 halftime lead en route to a 34-0 victory over Scottsboro at Bobby Joe Johnston Field in Centre Thursday night.

The top-ranked Warriors (10-0) capped their second consecutive perfect regular season with a year-ending win over the Wildcats.

Scottsboro finished a disappointing season at 1-9.

"The kids fought hard," said Scottsboro coach Freddie Tidmore. "We've played hard all year. We had six or seven freshman playing, and they've had to grow up hard. I wish they weren't in this situation."

Cherokee County, last season's 4A state runner-up, struck quickly.

On the first play from scrimmage, Gabriel Chambers took a short pass from quarterback Coty Blanchard and raced 67 yards to give the Warriors a 7-0 lead 19 seconds into the game.

Blanchard's 15-yard touchdown run pushed the Warriors' advantage to 13-0 with 13 seconds left in the first quarter, a lead the future Mississippi State baseball player helped increase before halftime.

With 5:36 in the second quarter, Blanchard connected with Chambers on a 4-yard touchdown pass for a 20-0 Warriors' advantage.

Blanchard hit D.J. Fife for 47-yard touchdown pass with 3:55 left in the third quarter to up the Warriors' lead to 27-0, and Blanchard's 7-yard TD strike to Clemson commitment Desmond Brown early in the fourth period capped Cherokee County's scoring and its perfect season.

Blanchard had a stellar game, completing 19 of 27 passes for 301 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran nine times for 73 yards.

Meanwhile, the Cherokee County defense put the clamps down on Scottsboro's offense. The Wildcats had just 106 total yards (all rushing) and seven first downs. Senior Zach Mardis, a four-year starter playing in his final game, finished with 57 yards on 15 carries. Khaleem Jones added 42 yards on 13 carries.

The Wildcats' best drive came on their first possession of the third quarter. A 15-yard run by Mardis and a 27-yard run by Jones helped Scottsboro reach the Cherokee County 8, but the drive came up empty when a 26-yard field goal sailed wide right.

Scottsboro's other scoring opportunity came in the closing seconds after Phillip Peavy's 30-plus yard fumble return to the Warriors' 4. But three plays lost seven yards and Caleb Crane blocked Scottsboro's 24-yard field goal attempt with 40 seconds to play. It was the game's third blocked kick, as Scottsboro senior Trey Brizendine blocked both a field goal and extra point attempt.

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