CENTRE, Ala. – Fairview answered Cherokee County twice in the first quarter Friday night, but the Warriors scored 28 unanswered points to defeat the Aggies 42-14 in their Class 4A, Region 8 finale.
The Aggies finished 5-4 overall and 4-4 in region play.
Cherokee County capitalized on a Fairview turnover with a first-quarter touchdown and successful extra point to take a 7-0 lead. Ayden Batz returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, helping the Aggies tie the game at 7.
The Warriors regained the lead at 14-7 with 3:53 remaining in the first quarter. Easton Fitch answered with an 85-yard touchdown, and Fairview pulled even at 14 before the period ended.
Those were the Aggies’ final points. Cherokee County added 14 points in the second quarter to take a 28-14 halftime lead, then scored 14 more in the third to extend the margin to 42-14.
Neither team scored in the fourth quarter.
Fairview had been eliminated from playoff contention before Friday’s game. Guntersville’s victory over Brewer the previous week secured a 5-3 region finish, and the Wildcats held the head-to-head tiebreaker after defeating Fairview 7-3 on Sept. 11.
Cherokee County finished the regular season 7-3 overall and 7-1 in Region 8, securing the region’s No. 2 playoff seed and a home game in the first round Nov. 6.
