TUSCALOOSA – It will go down as the play that clinched the Cherokee County Warriors their first football state title.

And it was directed by the usual suspect.

With his team trailing by three points and just a little over three minutes remaining in the top-ranked Warriors’ Class 4A state championship battle with Jackson, senior quarterback Coty Blanchard took on a role that so many athletes dream of.

With just over three minutes remaining in the game, Blanchard calmly led his team 53 yards in 10 plays – capped off by his 5-yard touchdown run – to seal a 31-27 victory.

The drive began courtesy of senior linebacker Cole Sterling, who stuffed Jackson standout tailback Damion Bracy for a 3-yard loss on a 4th-and-1 play at the Warrior 44.

Blanchard entered the huddle with the confidence his teammates could get the job done, even though a sack and a holding penalty pushed them farther back from their date with destiny.

“I just told them ‘Let’s just chip away at this,’” Blanchard said. “We had been breaking for big games all year. If we chip away and get a hitch here and a hitch there, it’ll break. I just want to get the ball in my guys’ hands and let them work.”

And get the ball in their hands he did.

On the drive, Blanchard completed 5 of 6 passes for 64 yards in addition to his draw play up the middle for the game-winning score.

Blanchard finished the game by passing for 187 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 100 yards on 20 carries and scored two touchdowns, which helped earn him the game’s MVP honor.

“It’s great,” Blanchard said. “For us to finish it here, the team I grew up watching, it’s magical.”

But the day didn’t start off magical.

On the Warriors’ first offensive play of the game, a Blanchard fumble led to a Jackson touchdown.

Early in the second quarter, Blanchard threw an interception on a promising drive.

Even with the chips down, the senior hung in there. He knew too much was riding on the line.

“Two turnovers on me, I felt like I let my team down at the start of the game,” Blanchard said. “I was going to do whatever it took to get us back in there.”

Exactly what a leader is supposed to do.

And his teammates have come to expect that from him.

“It’s hard to explain Coty,” senior receiver Gabriel Chambers said. “He’s like my brother. I know colleges tell him about his height (6-foot-1), but size don’t matter these days to me. I’ve been with Coty all my life, and he’s just a great player.”

Senior running back/defensive back Desmond Brown echoed Chambers’ feelings.

“He’s just an awesome player,” Brown said. “I believe he should be able to go anywhere in the nation. Maybe after this game, the coaches can really see how good Coty ‘B’ is.”

The folks in Centre and the surrounding areas sure know.

On his way back to the Warrior locker room at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Blanchard was stopped countless times by friends, family and fans. They all wanted to thank him for his part in helping the Cherokee County football program capture its first state championship.

“Our whole team and our whole community looks up to him,” junior defensive back Brett Burgess said. “He deserves it. He works harder than anybody on our team. I know when we get down, he’s going to be the one to step up and not let us lose. He’s going to do anything he can to win.”