Cherokee County teams went 3-3 in week 3; but every team had big performances from notable players. Let's take a deeper look at the top performers from week 3.
Cherokee
The Warriors were able to take out their frustrations Friday against Woodstock with a 49-13 win. Cherokee was up 42-0 at the end of the first half, dominating across the board. Scoring 42 points in a half means you can give props to anyone on offense. Tanner Savasir acted as point guard for the Warriors offense, distributing the ball to Wyatt Tash, Pops Jameson, and Malakiah Echols for touchdowns. Both Jayce Jones and Christian Irwin were also able to find pay dirt on the ground as the Warriors continue to improve in the run game. Linebacker Chase Montgomery was able to blitz off the end thanks to a more spread out Woodstock team that allowed him to get in the backfield multiple times. Weston Bergman has already made some big special teams plays, and now has a punt return for a touchdown to add to his résumé. Not to be outdone, Elijah Foote was able to return another punt for a touchdown, marking the third punt return for a touchdown in Cherokee County this season. Cherokee looked like the team we thought they could be to start the season.
Creekview
The Grizzlies weren't able to hold off Calhoun, picking up their first loss in a 28-14 game. However, Creekview continued their good work on the ground, with Cal Schubert continuing to solidify himself as a true utility man by picking up some big runs. The running game has relied more on Austin Guest as well, with Creekview showing some read and pitch option plays in the playbook. The offensive line was again impressive, with Andrew Rosinski and Beckett Singleton anchoring each side of the line, and setting the edge on outside run plays. Creekview arguably has the most athletic group of linebackers with Reed Anderson, Nigel Agyemang, Brant Freeman, and Jack Gibson all can keep teams that try to move sideline to sideline from ever getting downfield. Trey Thomas had a nice game, and is able to move from edge to tackle depending on what the Grizzlies need. The Grizzlies are going to be just fine.
Etowah
Etowah continues to fly past their opposition, this time with a 49-27 win over Forsyth Central. The Eagles offense is reminiscent of the 2016 Atlanta Falcons offensive philosophy of "pick your poison" where defenses can only eliminate so many playmakers. Friday, Reece Wehr was the thunder to Xavier Mahoney's lightning. On the first play from scrimmage Wehr had a 68 yard run. Wehr ended the game with 150 yards and a touchdown to go with Mahoney's 6 touchdowns and 300 yards of offense. Defensively, Brody Hendrix was a big part of the Eagles defense. Linebacker Gabriel Smith looked more comfortable which allowed him to shoot gaps on slower developing plays. On the defensive line, Tajhaun Fabian had a handful of tackles from the nose guard position. Etowah continues to fly high, forcing teams to try and keep up with them.
River Ridge
The Knights came up just short against an explosive Sprayberry team 38-33 on Friday. Despite the result, River Ridge showed that they may be better than we previously thought. Offensively, Camden Cox was able to add a touchdown to his season long campaign. Ethan Spector was able to settle in during the second half and provide some quick scoring drives to get River Ridge back in the game. Thomas Thompsen and Sam Vincent were reliable targets all night, while Grant Hollier came up big at the end of the game and ended up with over 100 yards and a touchdown. The offensive line did their job, giving Spector time to survey the field, especially on the last few drives of the night. The Knights defense had a hard time with one of the most talented rushing quarterbacks in the state, but there were still plenty of positives. The linebackers were flying around all night; Will Hughes had 5 TFL, Brice Tomlinson had 4, Brandon Burdette had 2 with multiple pressures, and Wyatt MacCarty had a TFL and a pressure that resulted in a intentional grounding. Andrew Hand is arguably the best cover corner in Cherokee County, and if it isn't him it's Revis McClairen. The defensive line did well with their rotation, Mason McLendon added a sack to his stats. Special teams are a hallmark of Coach Collins led teams, and River Ridge converted two separate two-point attempts with Christian Pansera and Cameron Jackson blocked a punt that was recovered in the endzone for the first score of the night.
Sequoyah
The Chiefs were able to get in the win column with a 14-10 win over Cedartown. A name you should be familiar with at this point is Will Rajecki, who again was a big part of the Chiefs offense Friday with a touchdown reception from Kolby Martin. Ean Marria was able to find the endzone for the Chiefs only rushing touchdown of the night and was the number one back on the night. The defense was huge for the Chiefs as they found their footing early with a goal line stand that forced Cedartown into a field goal from the one yard line. Per usual with Sequoyah, the defense was a complete team effort, but a few players to know are linebackers Drew Zablotny, Hunter Scoggins, and Anthony Santana. Sequoyah has proven they can defend teams that run the bell well, next week we will learn how the secondary can do against a pass first team.
Woodstock
The Wolverines had a tough night Friday, facing an angry and frustrated Cherokee team. Woodstock had a hard time finding their footing on offense, but once again Peyton Lynch was able to make some things happen, finding Chase Colina for a touchdown late in the game. Sharod Elly was able to find the endzone on the ground, showing that Woodstock has some depth at running back and wide receiver. Linebacker Kaheem Davis again proved to be one of the most dynamic players on the field, and he's only a sophomore. Pairing him with a experienced bruiser in Andrew Burmeister has proven to be a powerful duo. Woodstock had a tough draw for Friday, not only against a great opponent, but a highly motivated one.