Lions look to lock up playoff berth in October

The Briarwood Christian School football team has not failed to make the playoffs since the 1993 season, Fred Yancey’s third season coaching the Lions. Three region games remain in the month of October to ensure that streak has an extra year added to it.

The Lions play four games to round out the regular season, Class 5A, Region 5 games against Woodlawn, Shelby County and Pleasant Grove and a contest against Madison Academy.

Briarwood and Woodlawn will meet at Lions Pride Stadium Oct. 7 in the first meeting between the schools. The Colonels’ program has struggled in recent years, winning just five games total from 2012-2015, and once again got off to a poor start this fall.

On Oct. 14, the Lions will travel to Shelby County. The Lions have won 11 of 14 contests against Shelby County and lost the first two games the teams played against each other in 1984 and 1985. They last met on the gridiron in 2013 as Class 5A, Region 4 opponents, as Briarwood cruised to a 29-0 shutout victory — one of three shutouts the Lion defense pitched that season.

Briarwood has a similar history against Pleasant Grove, who it will play the following Friday. The Spartans won the first game between the two teams in 1995, but the Lions have taken each of the last six. They faced off last in the first round of the 2005 state playoffs, with Briarwood winning 32-24.

Briarwood concludes its regular season with an out-of-region contest against Madison Academy Oct. 28, as the Lions and Mustangs go head-to-head for the third consecutive season. Madison Academy won both times, 49-21 in 2014 and 27-22 in 2015. 

The Lions had chances to knock off Madison Academy last year, as William Gray threw a long touchdown pass to give them the lead in the fourth quarter. He finished 9-of-12 passing that night for 199 yards.

If things go according to plan, that game will once again be a tuneup for playoff action.