Cherokee County junior quarterback Coty Blanchard has already turned in a fine 2008 football season. That season got a little better against Oneonta in the Class 4A state quarterfinals last Friday.

Blanchard had a hand in all five of the Warriors’ touchdowns in a 35-14 victory over the Redskins. He completed 13 of 22 passes for 134 yards and three touchdowns (23, 23 and 7 yards, all to receiver D.J. Fife). Blanchard also rushed for 94 yards on 11 carries with two scores.

Blanchard and the Warriors (13-0) travel to Tuscumbia on Friday to face top-ranked Deshler (10-3), with a berth to the Class 4A title game on the line.

In other statewide playoff happenings on Friday, the first time UMS-Wright sophomore running back Chris Dukes led his team to a 39-15 win over Jackson on the strength of a 29-carry, three-touchdown, 286-yard rushing performance.

Not surprisingly, Dukes came away with Alabama Sports Writers Association offensive player of the week honors for his efforts.

Dukes beat out two other fine performances from Jerel Foster of Pike Liberal Arts and JaMorris Ricks of Colbert County. Foster led the Patriots to the AISA’s Class AAA championship by accounting for all but 43 yards of offense in a 20-17 win over Fort Dale, rushing for 224 yards on 35 carries and two touchdowns. Ricks had 226 yards and five touchdowns as the Indians beat No. 3 Hamilton in the Class 3A quarterfinals, 55-21. The TD runs were 14, 35, 55, 66 and 21 yards.

Deshler’s Chris Holland was the ASWA defensive/special teams player of the week. With the Tigers losing to Brooks early in the fourth quarter, Holland, a defensive end, tipped a pass, caught it and returned it 12 yards for the tying score, sparking the Tigers to a 30-21 win.

Holland was named over two finalists, Huntsville’s C.J. Urban and Edgewood Academy’s Jordan Powell. Urban, who entered the game in the second quarter when the starter was ejected, had both of Huntsville's interceptions in its win over Hewitt-Trussville. Powell recorded a game-high 13 tackles to lead a defense that held Lowndes to 148 yards in a 19-12 Class AA championship win.

Some 33 players were nominated by ASWA members in Birmingham, Centre, Dothan, Florence, Gadsden, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, and Oneonta with the finalists chosen by an ASWA panel.

Other top performances included:

OFFENSE

Nolen Smith, Oneonta: The junior wide receiver caught nine passes for 106 yards, including touchdowns of 26 and 44 yards. He finished the year with 102 receptions (tying a state record) for 1,552 yards (third all-time) and 23 touchdowns (tied for second).

Colby Harvey, Appalachian: Played three different positions (QB, RB, WR) for the Eagles and contributed in all three categories with 108 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, completed 4 of 8 passes for 54 yards, and caught three passes for 26 yards.

Andrew Pitts, Carver-Montgomery: The running back rushed for 168 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-36 win over Demopolis, pushing him past the 2,000 yard mark for the season.

Chris Landrum, Sweet Water: The sophomore ran for 134 yards and four touchdowns as the two-time defending 1A champ earned a 47-7 victory over No. 2-ranked Brantley.

Tim Simon, Cordova: Last week’s winner rushed for 270 yards on 35 carries and two touchdowns in a 48-40 win over Gordo.

Jamel Johnson, Carver-Montgomery: The receiver had six catches for 160 yards in the Wolverines' 38-36 win over Demopolis.

Anthony Gulley, Brantley: The senior had 199 all-purpose yards, a touchdown and recorded seven tackles in a 47-7 loss to Sweet Water. Gulley hauled in a 60-yard touchdown reception.

DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS

Douglas Hawkins, Pike Liberal Arts: Hawkins also had three tackles and broke up Fort Dale's final pass attempt of the game. Hawkins also caught a game-high five receptions for 39 yards. His big play picking up a batted ball on a Fort Dale Academy punt, knowing it was a dead ball, but not downed, and raced 55 yards for a touchdown. Teammate Corey Goodson had a game-high 12 tackles, 10 solo, including one for a loss.

Brian Rollins, Gaston: Rushed for 83 yards and one touchdown (33 yards) and also returned an interception (54 yards) for a score to lead the tenth-ranked Bulldogs to a 35-21 victory over Appalachian and into the state semifinals for the first time in school history.

Randon Carnathan, Leeds: Carnathan had nine tackles total, but four in the second half along with a fumble recovery, a sack and an interception in a 26-7 win over Piedmont.

Alex Page, Prattville: The defensive lineman recorded six tackles and two sacks in a 42-0 win over Auburn. Page, who has 16 sacks this season, helped lead a defensive effort that held Auburn to 38 yards on 36 plays in the first half and 74 yards on 59 plays for the game. Teammate John Stinson recorded three tackles, a sack and recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown.

Ryan Smith, Cordova: Had a 90-yard kickoff return for touchdown against Gordo and added four touchdowns among his 25 carries for 62 yards on offense.