Lions win last-second thriller
BIRMINGHAM — It came down to the final snap.
Senior quarterback Christopher Vizzina fought through some adversity on Friday night in Lions Pride Stadium, leading No. 7 Briarwood Christian School on a game-winning drive in the final minute to secure his team’s first win of the year — a 23-21 victory over visiting Spain Park (1-1).
With the Lions (1-1) trailing 21-17 with 58 seconds remaining, Vizzina marched it 68 yards in eight plays, culminating with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Brady Waugh with no time remaining. Waugh was all alone in the end zone when he looked in the toss, but the loneliness was short-lived as teammates swarmed him in celebration.
“I’m proud of our guys for persevering, the heart they displayed was really inspiring and I love to see them coming through and believing all the way to the end,” said Briarwood head coach Matthew Forester.
Vizzina finished with three touchdowns — two rushing and another passing — to go with 358 yards from scrimmage. He went 22-for-32 through the air for 260 yards and added another 98 yards rushing.
“We thought Brady would pop open and Christopher hit him,” said Forester of the game-winning TD pass. “They’ve been best friends since they were in kindergarten together, so it’s a longtime connection and this senior class has a really special bond.”
Forester pointed to Spain Park’s depth as a major challenge for his team on Friday night. After trailing 17-6 going into the fourth quarter, the Jaguars clawed back to claim a 21-17 lead with 1:02 remaining. Senior quarterback Evan Smallwood fought into the end zone from 3 yards out to give his team its first lead since early in the third quarter.
Minutes earlier, Zamir Farris shot off left tackle for a 27-yard touchdown run that cut the fourth-quarter deficit to 17-14 with more than eight minutes remaining. That would be Farris’ second score of the night after hauling in a 29-yard touchdown pass from Smallwood on the last play of the first half.
The game nearly went scoreless into the break, but Spain Park head coach Tim Vakakes called a timeout with eight seconds remaining in the second quarter. What he drew up converted the biggest gain of the half for either team and broke a scoreless tie with no time remaining on the clock.
Senior right-hander Evan Smallwood, the hero of last week’s season-opening win over Calera, fit the ball between two Briarwood defenders where Farris cradled it home and rolled backwards into the end zone. The point-after was missed and the Jaguars went to the locker room with a 6-0 advantage.
That touchdown drive covered 87 yards in three minutes and 55 seconds. En route to the end zone Spain Park converted two third downs and one fourth down. Smallwood completed five passes on the march for 79 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for another 13 yards. The senior went 20-for-28 passing for 210 yards and a touchdown on the road.
Both teams step into region play next week, as Briarwood welcomes Chilton County, while Spain Park travels to Hoover.