The Cherokee County Warriors and Piedmont Bulldogs demonstrated their explosiveness during last Friday’s football state quarterfinals. Both teams’ eye-popping numbers were too much for the Alabama Sportswriters Association to ignore.

Against North Jackson, Cherokee County senior quarterback Coty Blanchard completed 17 of 21 passes for 299 yards with three touchdowns (21, 74, 11 yards). He also rushed for 85 yards on 18 carries and two more scores (9, 12 yards) to lead the top-ranked Warriors to a 56-32 victory.

Blanchard finished third in this week’s ASWA Offensive Player of the week honor, behind Loachapoka’s Patrick Moore and Luverne’s Ryan McGhee.

Meanwhile, Piedmont clinched its first state semifinal berth in 16 years with a 63-35 victory over Hamilton. Bulldog senior tailback Christian Cantrell rushed for 202 yards on 21 carries and scored three touchdowns to lead Piedmont.

Senior quarterback Chase Childers also had a stellar night, rushing for 191 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown (56 yards) and completing 4 of 9 passes for 102 yards and two scores (20, 51 yards).

On defense, Piedmont junior free safety Jamaal Johnson had a pair of interceptions in the last 1:45 of the second quarter in the Bulldogs’ win.

Cantrell, Childers and Johnson all garnered recognition from the ASWA for their efforts.

In other statewide performances last Friday, the last time three-time defending Class 1A state champion Sweet Water lost to another 1A school, Loachapoka’s Moore was in eighth grade.

Thanks to what Moore did as a senior, the Bulldogs won’t have the opportunity to make it four straight.

Moore was 22 of 31 passing for 282 yards with one touchdown and added 1-yard score on the ground with 46 seconds left to give the fifth-ranked Indians a 19-17 upset over No. 1 Sweet Water to move Loachapoka into the semifinals for the first time in school history. The loss was Sweet Water’s first 1A loss since Nov. 11, 2005 in a second-round playoff game to Brantley.

The effort also earned him ASWA offensive player of the week honors. In doing so, he also beat out two solid finalists in McGhee of Luverne and Blanchard.

McGhee rushed for 239 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-28 win over Class 3A’s top-ranked Trinity – a week after rushing for a season-high 241 yards against T.R. Miller, the running back rushed for 239 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-28 win over top-ranked Trinity.

North Jackson quarterback Will Richard had a memorable game as well, completing 20-of-39 passes for 424 yards and four touchdowns (29, 81, 27, 20 yards) in the Chiefs’ loss to Cherokee County.

The ASWA defensive/special teams player of the week was freshman kicker Craig Bryan of Monroe Academy. Bryan kicked a 39-yard field goal with three seconds left to give the Volunteers a 30-29 win over Edgewood in the AISA Class AA title game for their first title since 2001.

He topped Floyd Jones of R.A. Hubbard and Keaton Glass of Leeds for the weekly award. Jones led the Chiefs' defense with three interceptions, including a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown, with five tackles and three pass break-ups , in a 34-0 shutout of Appalachian. Glass nailed a 29-yard field goal with six seconds left to give defending Class 3A champion Leeds a 24-21 win over previously undefeated Madison Academy.

The players of the week were chosen by a panel of ASWA voters from 45 nominations submitted by members in Birmingham, Centre, Demopolis, Gadsden, Graysville, Hartselle, Mobile, Montgomery, Oneonta, Opelika, and Tuscaloosa.

The top performances included:

OFFENSE

Coty Blanchard, Cherokee County: Blanchard completed 17 of 21 passes for 299 yards with three touchdowns (21, 74, 11 yards). He also rushed for 85 yards on 18 carries and two scores (9, 12 yards) to lead the top-ranked Warriors to a 56-32 victory over North Jackson.

Markeithton Hall, Pickens County: Rushed for 101 yards on six carries – including a 79-yarder late in the fourth quarter to set up his own 3-yard game winner – to push Pickens County past three-time defending Class 2A champion Leroy.

Brandon Bender, McAdory: Was 9 of 17 passing for 200 yards and ran for a touchdown in a win over Hartselle to send the Yellow Jackets to the semifinals for the first time in school history.

Christian Cantrell, Piedmont: Cantrell rushed for 202 yards on 21 carries and scored three touchdowns to lead Piedmont past Hamilton 63-35.

Damion Bracy, Jackson: Rolled up 135 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. His 33-yard TD run with 3:11 to play lifted the Aggies to a 25-22 victory over Bibb County.

B.J. Boykin, Patrician: Rushed for 225 yards and two touchdowns in a 51-13 win over Crenshaw in the AISA Class A championship. Boykin was one of three Patrician backs to gain at least 100 yards.

Mark White, Trinity: The receiver had 15 receptions for 172 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-28 loss to Luverne.

Antavio Smith, Gadsden City: Smith ran for 208 yards and two touchdowns – all but 11 yards and both TDs coming in the second half – on 19 carries in the Titans' 49-32 victory over Spain Park.

Trey Walters, Pike Liberal: Passed for 171 yards and a touchdown, and adding 88 yards rushing in an AISA AAA title game win over Bessemer Academy.

Chase Childers, Piedmont: Rushed for 191 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown (56) and completed 4 of 9 passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns (20, 51) in Piedmont's 63-35 win over Hamilton.

Demarcus James, Demopolis: Rushed for 164 yards on 24 carries for two scores in the Wildcats' 42-23 win over LeFlore.

Patrick McGavin, Spanish Fort: The senior quarterback ran 23 times for 130 yards and two TDs and finished 12-of-15 passing for 141 yards and another TD in a 21-7 victory over Briarwood Christian.

Dedrick Forsythe, Leeds: Rushed for 200 yards on 31 carries and two touchdowns to go with two interceptions on defense against Madison Academy.

Maudrecus Humphrey, Hoover: Had six receptions for 82 yards and a TD with a 10-yard TD blocked punt return in a win over Bob Jones.

Payton Sittason, Hartselle: Had 12 catches for 202 yards in a loss to McAdory.

DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS

Chris Kennedy, Prattville: The kicker a hit a 27-yard field goal with 52 seconds to play in a 10-7 win over Davidson.

Keller Davis, Spanish Fort: Had three interceptions in a win over Briarwood Christian and caught six passes for 102 yards.

D.J. Huff, Gadsden City: Had two sacks and a pair of interceptions in the Titans' 49-32 victory over Spain Park. The first of Huff's picks went for 103 yards and a touchdown.

Eric Hudson, Lamar County: Intercepted two passes, including one that he returned 77 yards for a touchdown in the Bulldogs' 35-13 win against Ider.

Christopher Hughes, Davidson: Recovered a Prattville fumble at the 5 and returned it for a touchdown in a 10-7 loss to the Lions.

Jamaal Johnson, Piedmont: Had a pair of interceptions in the last 1:45 of the second quarter in the Bulldogs' 63-35 victory over Hamilton.

Anthony Hardy, Demopolis: Had a pair of pass break-ups and then picked off a pass in his own end zone that would have tied the game. He later added a 78-yard touchdown reception.

Justin Shade, Briarwood Christian: Had 12 tackles and forced a fumble in a loss to Spanish Fort.

Laprentiss Morris, Jackson: Intercepted his 14th pass of the season and returned it 70 yards for a touchdown as Jackson beat Bibb County 25-22.