Lions end regular season undefeated
BIRMINGHAM -- Immediately following Briarwood’s 27-3 win over Madison Academy on Friday, students chanted, “Un-de-feated” for several minutes while the Lions celebrated with their classmates.
What would ordinarily be nothing more than a non-region win to close out the regular season before the Class 5A playoffs had a special meaning for the Briarwood Christian School football team. Though the Lions are a powerhouse in the state, with this season marking their 25th consecutive playoff season, this is only the fifth time they’ve had a perfect regular season.
“That’s a hard thing to do,” Briarwood head coach Fred Yancey, who coached all five 10-0 teams, said. “Mistakes are made, but when the boys keep fighting and practicing hard, they’ve shown up well this year. To go 10-0, I’m very proud of them.”
Fight is exactly what Briarwood did against the Mustangs (7-3).
The game was a defensive battle, featuring just more than 350 total yards. And for Briarwood, it was the defense that got the offense started.
Briarwood led 7-3 at halftime, but following a three-and-out to open the third quarter, Lions linebacker Mark Hand intercepted a pass and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown. Briarwood held Madison Academy’s ensuing drive to three plays and a punt and the offense started chipping away.
That ensuing drive for Briarwood was aided by a 36-yard pass from Michael Hiers to Noah Whatley on third-and-11 from the Madison Academy 42-yard line. The Lions (10-0) continued to drive to the 5-yard line, but a delay of game pushed them back to third-and-goal from the 10. On the next play, Hiers scrambled into the end zone, giving Briarwood a 21-3 lead with 4:46 left in the third.
“We had a lot of good plays that went our way,” Yancey said. “Quite honestly, we didn’t capitalize on some of the good fortune we had. But I do think our defensive line in particular and our secondary cover did a good job adjusting to their speed.”
The Lions defense played stingy the remainder of the third and all of the fourth. Though Madison Academy was able to put together several first downs, it never traveled within the Briarwood 45.
While the Mustangs struggled to find something to work, Briarwood’s one-two combo of the defense setting up the offense continued.
The Lions were able to ice the game midway through the third quarter. Cade Dickinson intercepted a pass, setting up the offense on the Mustangs 38. Three plays later, Briarwood showed some trickier plays, with Hiers pitching the ball to Tran-Reno, who threw a deep pass to Hudson Hartsfield. It went for a 26-yard touchdown to give Briarwood a 27-3 lead with 6:29 left in the game.
The trio of Hiers, Tran-Reno and Hartsfield had good nights for the Briarwood offense. Hiers threw for 81 yards and rushed for 23 and a score. Hartsfield had three receptions for 49 yards and a score and Tran-Reno rushed for 19 yards and a score. Luke Prewett added 30 yards on six carries.
Top-ranked Briarwood returns to the field Thursday as it opens the Class 5A playoffs at home against Crossville.