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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Helena running back Jordan Washington (34) is tackled by Briarwood safety Brooks Travis (6) and Briarwood linebacker Jack Cornish (4) in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood wide receiver Grey Reebals (23) runs the ball downfield after recovering a fumble in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood wide receiver Grey Reebals (23) returns the kickoff in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood wide receiver Grey Reebals (23) returns the kickoff in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood quarterback Josh Thompson (7) steps back to pass the ball in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood quarterback Josh Thompson (7) passes the ball in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood quarterback Josh Thompson (7) passes the ball in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood linebacker Jack Cornish (4) tackles Helena running back Dom Santiago (23) in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood head coach Matthew Forester talks with the Lions following a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood head coach Matthew Forester reacts on the sideline in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood running back Cooper Higgins (13) passes the ball in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood wide receiver Sawyer Click (11) catches a pass in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood kicker Garrett Heinemann (99) kicks the extra point in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood safety Rylan Hamm (5) and Briarwood safety Wes Burgess (24) tackle Helena running back Dom Santiago (23) in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood linebacker Asa Harris (31) moves in to block Helena running back Jordan Washington (34) in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood wide receiver Ben McNulty (10) catches a pass in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Helena running back Jordan Washington (34) is tackled by Briarwood safety Brooks Travis (6) and Briarwood linebacker Jack Cornish (4) in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood wide receiver Grey Reebals (23) runs the ball downfield after recovering a fumble in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood wide receiver Grey Reebals (23) returns the kickoff in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood running back/linebacker Luke Reynolds (8) carries the ball in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood quarterback Josh Thompson (7) looks to pass the ball in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood head coach Matthew Forester talks to Briarwood safety Rylan Hamm (5) between plays in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood wide receiver Grey Reebals (23) returns the kickoff in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood running back Cooper Higgins (13) passes the ball in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood linebacker Asa Harris (31) moves in to block Helena running back Jordan Washington (34) in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood safety Rylan Hamm (5) and Briarwood safety Wes Burgess (24) tackle Helena running back Dom Santiago (23) in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Briarwood kicker Garrett Heinemann (99) kicks the extra point in a game at Helena High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Lions fell to the Huskies 28-24. Photo by Erin Nelson.
HELENA – The scene for Briarwood Christian School at Helena could not have been more apropos.
On the one hand, Helena High School was built on the former site of a coal mine, and the Huskies churned out tough first down after tough first down in the second half.
On the other hand, there are the picturesque views from Hillsboro Parkway, a mountaintop that was as literal as it was metaphorical after Helena defeated Briarwood 28-24 in a battle for Class 6A, Region 3 supremacy Friday night. Lions head coach Matthew Forester spoke to his team after the game about still climbing the mountaintop, using this game as just the next step up toward the peak.
“We had a key injury early, but our guys figured out a way,” he said. “They fought, they battled. Really proud of them. We had a shot at the end to win it. Hats off to Helena. They did a great job, and so we’ll learn from it, we’ll get better, and we’ll get ready to go next week.”
Briarwood (3-3, 2-1 in region) led 21-14 after a sloppy but entertaining first half. Helena (7-0, 4-0) tied the game on its opening drive of the third quarter when running back Jordan Washington scored from 2 yards out. The Helena drive was set up by a Nathan Thomason fumble recovery, one of his two on the night.
The Huskies took a 28-21 lead on the first play of the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run by Dom Santiago, a play that capped a 13-play, 90-yard drive. Briarwood responded with a 32-yard field goal by Garrett Heinemann, points that were set up by completions of 46 yards from quarterback Josh Thompson to Ben McNulty and 18 yards from Thompson to Caleb Keller.
Briarwood forced Helena into a three-and-out on its ensuing drive, and Thompson quickly connected with Sawyer Click for a 36-yard gain to the Helena 16-yard line. Briarwood, however, gained only one yard from there and turned the ball over on downs.
“You knew three points weren’t going to help you, so you had to go for it there,” Forester said.
Helena took over with 5:43 to play looking to salt the game away, but a Santiago fumble recovered by Grey Reebals gave Briarwood life again with 3:08 left.
Facing fourth-and-5 from their own 35, the Lions gained 25 yards on a pass from Thompson to Keller, then 18 more from Thompson to Click. On third-and-7 from the Helena 19-yard line, Cooper Higgins took a handoff and rolled right, lobbing a pass toward McNulty in the end zone. It fell to the ground and Thompson was intercepted by Thomason a play later.
“Turnovers are killers, so the fact that both teams had turnovers really kept it close,” Forester said. “We’ve got to do a better job of ball security and protecting the ball. It’s a great matchup. It’s a great learning lesson for this team. We’re going to head into the playoffs and be ready to go.”
The first half was a seesaw of turnovers. Briarwood’s Rylan Hamm blocked a punt on the game’s fourth play, which was recovered by Garrett Witherington. Higgins scored the game’s first points four plays later on a 1-yard run.
Briarwood lost a fumble on its next possession, and Washington took a pass from quarterback Carson Acker 24 yards to tie the game. Washington gave the Huskies the lead on the first play of the second quarter on a 3-yard touchdown run. Thompson was intercepted by Helena’s Parker Copeland two plays later, but Helena missed a 37-yard field goal on its ensuing drive. The Lions tied the game at 14 two plays later on a 65-yard lob from Thompson to McNulty. Acker was then intercepted by Briarwood’s Ethan Carr, and the Lions then missed a field goal of their own.
Helena had rushed the ball nine straight plays on its subsequent drive when Joseph Roberto’s fumble turned into a 75-yard fumble return for a touchdown for Reebals, giving Briarwood a 21-14 halftime lead.
For Helena, Washington finished with 39 carries for 202 yards, two rushing touchdowns and one receiving score. Acker was 7-of-13 for 61 yards.
“He’s good,” Forester said of Washington. “He’s big. If you give him a crease, he’s going to explode through it. We tried to limit the creases and we did a good job for most of the night. He just hit a few. That’s part of football. If you run the ball 50-plus times, you’re going to break one or two or a few. He got that today.”
For Briarwood, Thompson finished 10-of-22 for 222 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. McNulty led the receiving corps with two catches for 111 yards and a touchdown. Click caught three passes for 61 yards, and Keller finished with 43 yards on two receptions. Higgins rushed 11 times for 20 yards and a touchdown. Luke Reynolds, before leaving with an injury, rushed four times for 26 yards.
Briarwood travels to Calera (0-6, 0-4) in another Class 6A, Region 3 game next week.
“The big thing for next week is it’s a region opponent,” Forester said. “Doesn’t get easier. This is always a hard learning lesson for the playoffs. You can’t come out and play a tough game one week and then not come out and perform the next week.
“If you’re going to be good in the playoffs, you have to learn how to battle through region play week after week. That’s what this team is about to undergo. They’re going to learn a region lesson that affects us in the playoffs. We’ll refocus. We want to host a first-round playoff game. It’s always a big deal, and you have to come in second to do that. We’re going to fight our butts off to do it.”
