New Home - Same Goal: 2026 Cherokee Warriors Season Preview

The new Tommy Baker Field

The 2025 season was defined by offensive fireworks for the Cherokee Warriors. Cherokee scored at least 40 points three times, showing the type of explosiveness needed to compete with some of the strongest programs in Class 7A.

The Warriors are poised for a strong 2026 campaign, returning numerous key starters and cohesion in the coaching staff. With a promising young quarterback leading the offense and a new home at Tommy Baker Field, Cherokee has reason to believe a significant step forward could be coming this fall.

2026 Cherokee Football Schedule: Every Game Matters Under New Playoff Format

Cherokee’s 2026 schedule features a mixture of winnable matchups and high-level competition.

The Warriors open their non-region slate against Lassiter and South Forsyth, two programs that have experienced their share of struggles in recent seasons. River Ridge will be Cherokee’s final non-region opponent after last season’s meeting proved much closer than many expected.

Region play will present a much greater challenge. Marietta, North Cobb, Walton and North Paulding have each experienced recent playoff success and will provide difficult tests. Etowah, Wheeler and Paulding County should not be overlooked either, but appear to be much more manageable.

Cherokee enters the season with the lowest-rated schedule difficulty in the county at 14.7, according to cooperpredictor.com. However, the introduction of the PSR playoff format means every game will influence postseason qualification and seeding. Getting off to a strong start will be critical for the Warriors.

Offensive Preview: Parker Leads Experienced, Explosive Unit

Cherokee returns a large portion of the production from last season’s high-flying offense.

Quarterback Zack Parker returns for his sophomore season after earning the starting job late in 2025. Despite not starting every game, Parker finished with more than 1,250 passing yards and 10 touchdowns. He enters the year as one of the most promising returning quarterbacks in Cherokee County.

The receiving corps will be young but talented. Zadyn Barron, Zai Gardner and Trent Turner are among the players who could take on larger roles this season in the Warriors passing attack.

Tight end Luke Nolan should also be an important part of the offense. Nolan has the size and receiving ability to line up in the slot as a big-bodied possession receiver, while his blocking allows the Cherokee offensive staff to use him in traditional formations to seal the edge and create running lanes.

In the backfield, Tory Hearn returns for his junior season after rushing for nearly 300 yards and five touchdowns on only 60 carries. With a larger workload, Hearn could become one of the offense’s most productive players.

The Warriors must replace key offensive linemen Nation Farmer and Dorian Stewart. However, Tate Harlow and Noah Denney return after playing important roles in the offensive line rotation last season. Their experience should help provide stability for a unit responsible for protecting Cherokee’s young quarterback and keeping the offense balanced.

Defensive Preview: Warriors Search for More Pressure

Cherokee’s defense must replace several key contributors, including Kyan Simmons, Elijah Foote and Zach Fullen.

The defense will be led by returning linebacker Trenten Barnett, who recorded a team-high 84 tackles last season. His production and experience will be especially important as the Warriors break in younger players around him.

The secondary will be younger than usual, but Cherokee returns two proven options in Dezmond Murphy and Chris Turner. Both recorded interceptions last season and will be expected to provide leadership in the defensive backfield.

The biggest concern is Cherokee’s ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks. The Warriors recorded only eight sacks in 2025, averaging fewer than one per game.

Hard hitting, outside linebacker Zion Bobb and TE/DE hybrid Luke Nolan will be counted on to improve that production. Both recorded a sack last season and bring the physicality needed to help Cherokee become more disruptive at the line of scrimmage.

Season Expectations: Warriors Have a Path to the Postseason

Cherokee should be a much-improved team in 2026.

The Warriors return a strong offensive core led by Parker, Hearn and several promising young receivers. That unit should be more consistent and could be every bit as explosive as it was during its best stretches last season.

Defensively, Cherokee does not need to become dominant overnight. Even marginal improvement, particularly when it comes to pressuring quarterbacks, would give the Warriors a realistic opportunity to compete in most of their games.

The new PSR playoff format may also work in Cherokee’s favor. The postseason path no longer depends on defeating region powers Marietta, Walton and North Cobb. Instead, The Warriors can carve their path to the playoff with wins against  Lassiter, South Forsyth, Etowah, and Wheeler.

The Warriors should be in the postseason conversation before the region schedule starts. How they perform once region play begins, especially against opponents with comparable talent, will ultimately determine how far they can go in 2026.