Piedmont, Cherokee County Meet for 83rd Time With Historic Rivalry Nearly Dead Even

Piedmont leads the Battle of Highway 9 series just 40-39-3 entering Friday's 83rd meeting with Cherokee County

Cherokee County and Piedmont are set to meet for the 83rd time in the Highway-9 rivalry, as the 2026 Alabama high school football season gets underway. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Eighty-two games have separated Piedmont and Cherokee County by the slimmest of margins.

Piedmont leads the all-time series 40-39-3 entering Friday night's 83rd meeting between the East Alabama high school football rivals, who are separated by just 23 miles along Highway 9.

The latest edition of the “Battle of Highway 9” brings several new wrinkles. Piedmont is trying to bounce back from a season-opening loss to Jacksonville, while Cherokee County opens its first under 27-year-old head coach Bayley Blanchard.

Few East Alabama rivalries can match its longevity, with the neighboring programs separated by just one victory across more than eight decades of meetings.

Piedmont Looks to Bounce Back

Piedmont enters Friday looking to rebound from a season-opening home loss to Jacksonville.

The Bulldogs are also trying to avoid their first 0-2 start since 2023, which was Jonathan Miller's first season as head coach. Piedmont remains among the contenders in Class 2A despite the opening loss.

Blanchard Takes the Helm at Cherokee County

Cherokee County opens its 2026 season with a new head coach and a significantly different lineup.

Blanchard, 27, takes over a program that has reached the postseason in six consecutive seasons. Despite a senior-heavy roster, offensive lineman Layton Baggett is the Warriors' lone returning starter from 2025. Tatum Perry will get the start at quarterback.

One of Cherokee County's biggest additions is 6-foot-5, 280-pound defensive lineman Kaden Fife, a Louisville commit who transferred to the program during the offseason.

Blanchard, ironically, played his high school football at Piedmont and helped the Bulldogs win the 2015 Alabama Class 3A state title. He was an all-state selection as a senior when he had 867 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. He went on to play for the University of West Alabama and earned All-Gulf South Conference honors multiple times.

He began his coaching career as an assistant at Glencoe and became the school's head coach in 2025. He also has strong ties to Cherokee County where his father was the team's longtime defensive coordinator.

Opportunities for Both Teams

For Piedmont, Friday offers an opportunity to get back on track after a disappointing opener. For Cherokee County, it's the beginning of a new era under Blanchard.

But the larger storyline is one that has endured for generations. After 82 meetings, only one victory separates the Bulldogs and Warriors. Meeting No. 83 offers another chance to tilt the Battle of Highway 9 in one direction or the other.

Players To Watch

Piedmont Bulldogs

QB. Cole Austin.

WR. Mason Morrow

LB, Chase Kirkpatrick

RB, Jaxson Howard

Cherokee County Warriors

QB, Tatum Perry

QB/WR. Adam Griffin

TE, Nate Black