Lions come out on short end of tight game
PELHAM — Needing yet another last-minute rally, Briarwood Christian School still had elite quarterback Christopher Vizzina on its side as it did in wins the last two weeks.
What the Lions didn’t have for much of the second half was starting receivers Robert Beason and Brady Waugh, who left the game with injuries. The Lions sputtered, losing a 20-point fourth-quarter lead and falling 35-34 in a Class 6A, Region 3 game at Pelham on Thursday.
The game-winning touchdown pass came with 2:54 left from Pelham’s Clayton Mains, who threw a 44-yard bomb to Trey Corkill. The Lions still had a chance, but turned it over on downs with just over a minute left, as Vizzina was stopped short on a quarterback run when his receivers couldn’t get open.
The game could have been tied at that point, but Briarwood botched a snap on a point-after try on its third touchdown of the game, which came in the second quarter. The Lions (2-2, 1-1 in Class 6A, Region 3) led 27-7 at half and 34-14 after three quarters.
"They just did a good job of getting momentum and keeping momentum,” Forester said. "I’ve got to do a better job of getting the guys ready coming out of halftime."
Vizzina led Briarwood down the field on its first possession, culminating with a 1-yard touchdown run. After Pelham (1-2, 1-0) tied it, it was all Briarwood for the rest of the half. Vizzina hit Waugh with a 42-yard touchdown pass and, after Pelham missed a fourth down try around midfield, a 49-yard pass from Vizzina to Sawyer Russell set up another touchdown connection between Vizzina and Waugh — this one for 4 yards.
There was a last-second score for Briarwood, but it came in the second quarter. With eight seconds left, Vizzina found Russell for a 15-yard score. This came a play after Vizzina escaped pressure and hit Beason for 14 yards on fourth and 10.
Pelham scored on its first drive of the third quarter and Briarwood answered with a 22-yard touchdown run from Evan Robson, but the Lions did not score again.
Mains hit Darius Copeland with an 80-yard bomb for a score after the Panthers stopped the Lions on a fourth down try, cutting the lead to 34-28. Vizzina had a 27-yard touchdown run that could have iced it called back because of a holding penalty prior to that. The Panthers tried an onside kick, which Briarwood recovered, but Forester decided to go for it on a fourth and 7 at midfield, which failed after Vizzina was sacked.
"It’s one of those things where we think we had a shot but we just didn’t do it right,” Forester said. "That’s on me. Bad play call that I chose to do, so I’ve got to do a better job next week."
Pelham scored the go-ahead touchdown two plays later and held on for the win.
The Clemson commit Vizzina completed 23-of-29 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns, but 49 came in the second half. Beason had seven catches for 85 yards, but got injured on the Lions’ first third-quarter drive. Waugh had four catches for 49 yards and two scores, but got hurt late in the third.
"When you lose staring receivers, it’s difficult, no doubt about that,” Forester said. "But we’ve got guys who can play and step up and do their job and we’ll get better and improve.”
The Lions have a week off before a non-region game against Oak Mountain in two weeks.
"Keep your heads up and keep working,” Forester said. "It’s a tough region. You’ve got to battle each week. We’ll be ready."