Carmichael scores four, Braves stop 3-game slide
By Scott McKie B.P.
One Feather staff
QB BACK: QB John Roper (#12) was back under center after coming back from an injury two games ago. He completed 5 of 9 passes for 91 yards and 2 TDs as the Braves beat Rosman 49-25 on Friday, night.
The Cherokee Braves got back into the win column on Friday, Oct 23 as they bested the still-winless Rosman Tigers 49-25 on a rainy, chilly Autumn night. William Carmichael scored four touchdowns to lead the Braves as they stopped a three-game slide and got back on track with the playoffs looming.
Cherokee showed they came to play and meant business on Friday. They took the opening kickoff and drove 54 yards in eight plays for the first score as QB John Roper hit Carmichael on a 14-yard pass just a few minutes into the game. J.T. Wildcat added the extra point and Cherokee to an early 7-0 lead.
Rosman’s first possession of the game was cut short six plays as Roper intercepted a ball and ran it back 12 yards to the Cherokee 27 yard line. Nine plays later, Greg Bradley scored Cherokee’s second touchdown of the game on a 9-yard run. Wildcat added the extra point and the Braves led 14-0 with two minutes left in the 1st quarter.
TACKLE: Matt Taylor (#51) takes on several Rosman players after he wrapped up the Tigers runner for one of his nine tackles on the night. Taylor and Marty Medina led the Braves defense with nine tackles each followed by Buddy Arch with eight.
Following a nice runback on the ensuing kickoff, Rosman found themselves with great field possession at the Cherokee 22 yard line. Four plays later, Alex Cay hit T. James Henderson on a 13-yard pass to put the Tigers on the board. Their extra point kick failed and Cherokee led 14-6 with 42 seconds left in the quarter.
But, the quarter wasn’t over yet. Carmichael took the ensuing kickoff 75 yards for his fourth kickoff return for a touchdown on the year. So far this season, he has returned 24 kickoffs for a total of 712 yards (29.7 avg.).
Cherokee’s extra point kick failed and the Braves led 20-6 after a very busy 1st quarter.
Eighty seconds later, Cherokee would score again as Bradley would pick up a Rosman fumble and return it 48 yards to the house. Zane Hicks ran for the two-point conversion and the Braves extended their lead to 28-6.
Following a Rosman punt, Cherokee got the ball back on their own 12 yard line and put together an 11 play drive that culminated in a 16-yard run by Carmichael. Wildcat added the extra point and Cherokee led 35-6 with just under four minutes left in the half.
Both teams would turn the ball over on fumbles on their next possessions. Following their recovery, Rosman found themselves with a 1st and 10 at their own 44 yard line. But, three plays later, they would fumble again. Carmichael picked it up and ran it all the way back for what would have been a score, but a block in the back penalty brought the ball back to the Rosman 30 yard line.
But, no worries…Carmichael would get into the end zone three plays later as Roper connected with him on a 12 yard touchdown pass with seven seconds left in the half. Wildcat’s extra point was good and Cherokee took a 42-6 lead into the locker room.
At halftime, senior Tahnee Arkansas was named the 2009 Cherokee High School Homecoming Queen. See full coverage of this on page B6.
The Braves came out for the 3rd quarter and drove down the field again. That culminated in Bradley scoring from one yard out. Wildcat added the extra point and Cherokee led 49-6 midway through the 3rd quarter.
Rosman would add three more scores in the game on 1-yard runs by Blaise McCall and Cay and a 58-yard run by Brody Mullenax, but it was not enough as Cherokee took the win 49-25.
This week, Cherokee travels to Andrews (1-8) on Friday, Oct. 30 at 7:30pm.
