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Savannah Schmidt
WR Dane Whitehead (11) of Briarwood celebrates with teammate WR Britt Wagoner (6)in the Homewood vs Briarwood FB game at Waldrop Stadium on August 30, 2024. Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
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Savannah Schmidt
Briarwood assistant coach Kyle Tatum talks to player in the Homewood vs Briarwood FB game at Waldrop Stadium on August 30, 2024. Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
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Savannah Schmidt
Briarwood rushes onto the field before the Homewood vs Briarwood FB game at Waldrop Stadium on August 30, 2024. Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
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Savannah Schmidt
Briarwood RB Eli Thompson (19) runs the ball in the Homewood vs Briarwood FB game at Waldrop Stadium on August 30, 2024. Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
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Savannah Schmidt
Briarwood assistant coach Kyle Tatum on sidelines in the Homewood vs Briarwood FB game at Waldrop Stadium on August 30, 2024. Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
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WR Dane Whitehead (11) of Briarwood recieves long pass and runs free to the endzone in the Homewood vs Briarwood FB game at Waldrop Stadium on August 30, 2024. Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
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Briarwood QB Charles Dedmon (2) prepares to run play in the Homewood vs Briarwood FB game at Waldrop Stadium on August 30, 2024. Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
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Savannah Schmidt
Homewood WR Kylen Newell (1) celebrates by pointing to the scoreboard after making touchdown in the Homewood vs Briarwood FB game at Waldrop Stadium on August 30, 2024. Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
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Briarwood wide receiver Dane Whitehead (11) catches a pass that goes for a touchdown during a game between the Briarwood Lions and the Homewood Patriots at Waldrop Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Richard Force.
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Briarwood quarterback Charles Dedmon (2) throws a pass during a game between the Briarwood Lions and the Homewood Patriots at Waldrop Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Richard Force.
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Briarwood warms up before a game between the Briarwood Lions and the Homewood Patriots at Waldrop Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Richard Force.
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Briarwood cheerleaders cheer on their team during a game between the Briarwood Lions and the Homewood Patriots at Waldrop Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Richard Force.
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Homewood wide receiver Kylen Newell (1) breaks a tackle during a game between the Briarwood Lions and the Homewood Patriots at Waldrop Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Richard Force.
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Briarwood kicker Garrett Heinemann (99) attemptes and extra point during a game between the Briarwood Lions and the Homewood Patriots at Waldrop Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Richard Force.
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Briarwood quarterback Brayden Robertson (5) throws a pass during a game between the Briarwood Lions and the Homewood Patriots at Waldrop Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Richard Force.
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Briarwood wide receiver John Paul Harbor (17) runs from a tackle during a game between the Briarwood Lions and the Homewood Patriots at Waldrop Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Richard Force.
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Briarwood quarterback Brayden Robertson (5) is sacked by Homewood defensive lineman Major Moorer (95) and line backer Henry Templeton (2) during a game between the Briarwood Lions and the Homewood Patriots at Waldrop Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Richard Force.
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Homewood cheerleaders during a game between the Briarwood Lions and the Homewood Patriots at Waldrop Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Richard Force.
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A pride of Briarwood Lions tackle the Homewood ball carrier during a game between the Briarwood Lions and the Homewood Patriots at Waldrop Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Richard Force.
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Briarwood wide receiver Dane Whitehead (11) celebrates a touchdown with his teammates during a game between the Briarwood Lions and the Homewood Patriots at Waldrop Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Richard Force.
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Briarwood Head Coach Matthew Forester looks on while his team warms up before a game between the Briarwood Lions and the Homewood Patriots at Waldrop Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Richard Force.
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Briarwood captains Know Jones (54), Parrish Prickett (25), Vaughn Wilson (33), and Patrick Wilson (28) get ready for the coin toss before a game between the Briarwood Lions and the Homewood Patriots at Waldrop Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Richard Force.
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Briarwood runs onto the field before a game between the Briarwood Lions and the Homewood Patriots at Waldrop Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Richard Force.
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Briarwood runs onto the field before a game between the Briarwood Lions and the Homewood Patriots at Waldrop Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Richard Force.
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Briarwood line backer Brooks Allred (1) and Homewood offensive lineman Walker Williams (61) fight for position during a game between the Briarwood Lions and the Homewood Patriots at Waldrop Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Richard Force.
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Briarwood wide receiver Dane Whitehead (11) runs with the ball during a game between the Briarwood Lions and the Homewood Patriots at Waldrop Stadium on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. Photo by Richard Force.
Homewood High School couldn’t sustain drives against Briarwood Christian School on Friday night, but the Patriots will always have the second quarter.
Homewood scored on three consecutive second-quarter possessions to break a 7-7 tie and run away with a 28-7 win at Waldrop Stadium.
“I’m proud of the guys,” said Homewood head coach Ben Berguson. “Will Myers had a big night. Kylen Newell had some big grabs. But we’ve still got to get where we sustain drives.”
Knotted 7-7 entering the second quarter, the Patriots (2-0) made their mark. Running back Evan Ausmer capped a 10-play, 80-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run. Myers then bolted free for a 55-yard score and two minutes later broke free for a 52-yard touchdown run to give the Patriots a 28-7 halftime advantage.
Neither team scored in the second half.
“The third quarter has not been kind to us two weeks in a row,” Berguson said. “We pretty much self-destruct in the second half. Way too many penalties.”
For Homewood, Myers finished 13-of-17 for 131 yards. In addition to the two second-quarter touchdowns, he rushed for a 5-yard score for the game’s first points midway through the first quarter. He finished with 126 rushing yards and three touchdowns on seven carries. Briarwood Christian (0-2) answered on the third play of the second quarter when quarterback Charles Dedmon threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to Dane Whitehead.
Ausmer finished the night with 31 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Newell caught five passes for 81 yards, while Kaleb Carson hauled in six passes for 43 yards. John Griffin intercepted a pass for the Patriots.
For the Lions, Dedmon finished 5-of-9 for 101 yards and a touchdown. Brayden Robertson quarterbacked as well, finishing 6-of-9 for 45 yards and an interception. Running back Eli Thompson gained 19 yards on 11 carries, while Jackson Reyer rushed seven times for 15 yards. Whitehead finished with three catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.
“I think Homewood has got a really good team,” said Briarwood Christian head coach Matthew Forester. “You boil it down. Why did we have trouble running the ball? Because they have a good front seven. We’re going to get better. We’re going to learn.”
Homewood hits the road for Mortimer Jordan to begin Class 6A, Region 5 play next week.
“I’m ready to get into region play,” Berguson said. “We just have a bad taste in our mouth from last year, and we’re ready to roll.”
Briarwood Christian begins Class 5A, Region 5 play against Ramsay in its home opener. The last time the Lions started 0-2 was 2019, when they reeled off 11 straight wins and reached the Class 5A semifinals.
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