The Cherokee Warriors are one of the most exciting and promising teams in Cherokee County heading into the 2020 season. They are coming off a 7-3 regular season with a postseason win against Westlake before being eliminated by Archer in the second round of the 2019 playoffs. Head Coach Josh Shaw will lead the Warriors for another year as the Warriors move into a new region (region 5-7A) and face a strenuous schedule.
Players to watch:
Jr. QB A.J. Swann: AJ threw for over 2300 yards last season and 20 Touchdowns as a Sophomore. He already has an offer from Troy and will certainly pick up more offers as he progresses though this season. We expect him to only get better as he gets older and progresses as a player and leader for the Warriors.
Jr. RB Keith Adams Jr.: Keith is coming off a Sophomore year where he rushed for over 1100 yards and 10 Touchdowns. One of his most impressive games came against Westlake in the first round of the playoffs last season, where he tallied over 100 yards and a touchdown against the Lions. He has picked up an offer from Middle Tennessee State, and will also likely be receiving power 5 offers sometime in the next year.
Jr. WR Adarrius Harshaw: Adarrius was one of the top targets for AJ Swann last season and will undoubtably help keep the Warriors passing game a threat. He posted 45 receptions with over 600 yards and 7 Touchdowns. His speed makes him a threat on special teams as well.
Sr. OL Nason Simmons: Nason will be the leader of the Cherokee offensive line after Justin Blalock and TJ Parks graduated last season. Nason played left tackle for most of the season last year and earned 3 college offers in the process. His offers are from Liberty, South Alabama, and South Florida. Nason will most likely earn more offers as he works his way through this season.
Sr. LB Braesen Parker: Braesen set the school record and led the county with 155 tackles last season. Braesen has a reputation as a hard hitter and sure tackler. He will be the leader of the defense this season as he hopes to build off his historic Junior year and control the middle of the field for the Warriors defense.
Sr. DB Austin Trimble: Austin is coming off a 3 Interception season in 2019. He will be the leader of the secondary with the loss of Pat Dahlen this season. He proved himself in the playoffs last year after returning an interception for a touchdown against Westlake and their high-powered athletes.
Games to watch: *- denotes games that will be featured on WLJA 101.1 FM as the Cherokee County game of the Week
*September 2nd: Cherokee vs Carver (Corky Kell @ West Forsyth) *- Cherokee was invited to the Corky Kell classic and will play in the first High School football game in Georgia for 2020. The most interesting story going into this game is how the Warriors will handle the pressure and attention that comes with playing in the Corky Kell. Cherokee will also go toe to toe with some of the best athletes in Georgia when the Panthers travel to Forsyth County.
*September 11th: Sequoyah @ Cherokee* - The Warriors and Chiefs are familiar foes since they have played each other for the past 4 seasons. Sequoyah has historically been a run first team, and with the return of Coach Teter, we expect that to remain the same. This game will test the Warriors run defense early in the season.
September 18th: Rome @ Cherokee – Rome has historically been a powerhouse program, and with QB Caleb Ellard returning for his Senior year, The Wolves expect to keep their high-powered offense rolling in 2020. Rome only allowed 13 points per game last season, the Warriors will have to prove themselves on offense and defense in this one.
*September 25th: Cherokee @ Creekview* - Creekview is one of the most balanced teams in the state. The Grizzlies feature Senior QB Brody Rhodes to lead the offense and lots of depth on the defensive side. Cherokee will matchup incredibly well with Creekview and this game will be one of the most exciting games in the county this year.
*October 2nd: Cartersville @ Cherokee* - Cartersville is another powerhouse program with lots of recent success. The Canes beat Cherokee last season 28-7, and the Warriors will have to do better on offense this season to pull off the upset. Cartersville has plenty of returning talent this year, however they will have to find a new QB to replace Tee Webb. This game will be the biggest test for the Cherokee offense thus far.
October 16th: Woodstock @ Cherokee - This game features one of the lesser known rivalries in Cherokee County. This will be the first game for Cherokee in their new region. Woodstock is coming off a down year, winning only 2 wins last season. The Wolverines did keep the Warriors in check last season, only allowing Cherokee to score 13 points. Woodstock has lots of returning talent with QB Walker Ormsby, RB V’ontae Hampton, WR Wes Bruno, and S David Daniel all for their Senior seasons. That experience should help the Wolverines in this rivalry game
*October 30th: Cherokee @ Etowah* - This game was one of the best matchups all season last year. Etowah was able to pull out an overtime win over the Warriors last season that pushed them down to the 3 seed in the region, Cherokee will be looking for revenge in 2020. The Eagles have former Roswell head coach Matt Kemper taking over this season and will have to replace QB Dalton Miller. Etowah will look very different this season, but still have the talent and pedigree to put together a strong effort against the Warriors.
