Sarah Finnegan
Briarwood vs Russellville 2016
Action in an AHSAA Class 5A second round playoff game between Russellville and Briarwood on Friday, November 11, 2016, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama.
The game plan for Fred Yancey is simple, regardless of the opponent for the Briarwood Christian School football team.
“If we block real well, we do well,” he said, ahead of Briarwood’s Class 5A quarterfinal matchup with Mortimer Jordan. “If we can’t block the people we’re running our offense against, we get in trouble and give the ball up too many times.”
By that standard, the Lions (11-1) must have blocked well in their win over Mortimer Jordan earlier this season. In the 23-14 triumph over the then-No. 4 Blue Devils, Briarwood scored 17 unanswered points to pull away.
Despite the teams having seen each other already and the potential for the “revenge factor” to play a role in the contest, Yancey is not overly concerned with the effect that will have.
“Playing somebody we’ve seen before is not that big a problem, because we thought they were good when we played them the first time,” Yancey said. “They’re actually better now than what they were then.”
Briarwood has run to a pair of convincing home wins to open up the playoffs, a 42-17 victory over Corner and a 33-13 decision against Russellville last week. This week, the Lions will take to the road to a place they have already been this fall. The previous matchup of the Lions and Blue Devils was played at Mortimer Jordan.
Mortimer Jordan’s most potent weapon is running back and UAB commit Spencer Brown. Brown rushed for 241 yards in Mortimer Jordan’s win over Etowah last week and also possesses the ability to make game-changing plays on the defensive side of the ball.
Yancey said, “They’re improved from where they were in Week 5, and he’s one of the rare people that is capable of just playing great on offense and carrying the load, yet turning around and being a wrecker on defense in the plays he’s in. Not many guys can do that.”
Brown rushed 25 times for 113 yards and a touchdown against Briarwood earlier in the season.
The Lions will hope for another fast start this week, as they jumped on Russellville 23-0 in last week’s victory. That win gave Briarwood 11 straight victories after a loss to open the season.
“They really are enjoying it and having fun with it,” Yancey said. “We’re trying to keep them grounded to the idea that it’s a week-to-week deal.”
The winner will advance to the semifinals to face the winner between Wenonah and Scottsboro.
