Lions pull away from Shades Valley
IRONDALE – The streak will continue.
With its 42-19 win over Class 6A, Region 5 foe Shades Valley on Friday night, the Briarwood Christian School football team has secured a playoff berth for the 28th consecutive season.
The Lions improved to 6-1 overall and 4-0 in region play with the victory.
Shades Valley (0-6, 0-3 in region) got on the board first, putting together a long opening drive that chewed up half the first-quarter clock. It did not take Briarwood long to even the score at 7-7, doing so on the first of three Christopher Vizzina touchdown passes on the night. Vizzina hit Bailey Salmon for an 11-yard score to cap off the drive.
The Mounties reclaimed the lead with 1:47 to play in the second quarter, setting off a hectic sequence in the final 87 seconds of the first half. Once Shades Valley scored to make it 13-7, the Lions took the ball right back down the field and scored on a 24-yard pass from Vizzina to Brooks Donnelly, as they went ahead 14-13 with 26 seconds remaining.
On the ensuing kickoff, Tyler Waugh forced a fumble, ripping the ball away from a Shades Valley player. Right after that, Vizzina hit Donnelly again, this time for an 11-yard score to give Briarwood a 21-13 lead heading into halftime.
“It was a huge momentum shift at the end of the half, where we go into the locker room sky high,” Briarwood head coach Matthew Forester said.
The Lions kept their foot on the gas coming out of halftime as well, scoring quickly to begin the third quarter. Luke Reebals broke away for a 70-yard touchdown run to put his team up 28-13. It was Reebals’ longest run on a remarkable evening, as he piled up over 200 all-purpose yards.
“We talked about really competing in the second half and not giving them a chance to get back in the game,” Forester said.
Vizzina had a strong night as well, completing 9-of-19 passes for 167 yards and the three touchdowns.
“We ran the ball really well,” Forester said. “They ran some good offensive stuff and we were able to stop the run, and we had some nice pass plays. We completed some deep balls and Reebals had a great night.”
Briarwood put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter on Waugh’s 2-yard touchdown run. Riley Margene capped off the game’s scoring with a 14-yard touchdown run.
Forester noted the defensive play of Waugh and Cal Higdon, two players who have led that side unit throughout the season, to no surprise of their coaches.
Briarwood faces perhaps its stiffest test next Friday, as the Lions host Mountain Brook in a game that could decide the region title. Shades Valley is set to travel to Homewood.
“We’ll see,” Forester said. “We’ll go out and compete as hard as we can and the chips will fall as they may.”