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Briarwood's Tyler Waugh (30) celebrates after returning a fumble for a touchdown during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Brooks Donnelly (2) reaches for a pass during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's team gets ready to take the field during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood head coach Matthew Forester during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Christopher Vizzzina (17) passes during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Christopher Vizzina (17) during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Alastair Harris (31) pressures Huffman quarterback Justice Christian (4) during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Luke Reebals (23) during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Christopher Vizzina (17) during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Luke Reebals (23) has his face mask pulled during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Miller Stubblefield (1) pressures Huffman quarterback Justice Christian (4) during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's band performs during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Parker Hutson (11) wraps up Huffman's Makhi Hughes (22) during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Alastair Harris (31) celebrates after his second interception of the night during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Brooks Donnelly (2) catches a pass for a touchdown during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Alastair Harris (31) drops in pass coverage during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood'sdefensive line during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's defence during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Luke Reebals (23) makes a long run during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Alastair Harris makes a tackle on Huffman's Makhi Hughes (22) during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood student section during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Reese Garner (14) celebrates during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Clay Dorrill (80) during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Miller Stubblefield (1) sacks Huffman quarterback Justice Christian (4) during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Riley Margene (22) during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Riley Margene (22) during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's cheerleaders during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Brooks Donnelly (2) catches a pass for a touchdown during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Miller Stubblefield (1) celebrates after a fourth down stop during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Luke Reebals (23) during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Jay Butler (81) leads his team from the halftime break during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's band performs during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's band performs during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's band performs during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood students during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Eli Steadman (12) and Nicholas Dicen (24) celebrate after a touchdown during a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's team celebrates after beating Huffman on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood's Cal Higdon (5) and Tyler Smith (26) pray before a game between Huffman and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
BIRMINGHAM - In the first-ever meeting between Huffman High School and Briarwood Christian School, it was the Lions who prevailed, 28-16, in a key Class 6A, Region 5 matchup, thanks to great offensive line play and a strong defensive showing.
Despite running back Makhi Hughes rushing for 151 yards on 27 carries, and Huffman running 15 more plays than Briarwood, Huffman’s trouble with turnovers doomed it on Friday night. The visitors turned the ball over five times –– a fumble on a lateral on the second play of the game, three interceptions and a blocked punt –– with three of those coming on their first three drives of the game.
On that second play, Huffman quarterback Justice Christian attempted to throw a lateral to a receiver, but with the ball falling on the ground, it became a fumble, and was picked up by the Lions’ Tyler Waugh, who returned it 29 yards for the first score of the game.
On the next Vikings’ possession, the Lions blocked a punt, though they were unable to score on their ensuing possession. The next Huffman possession ended with a third straight turnover as Alastair Harris picked off a Christian pass, giving Briarwood the ball in Vikings territory.
That drive ended with Waugh’s second touchdown, putting Briarwood up 14-0 early in the second quarter.
The fourth Vikings possession was much better, as Christian hit two receivers for gains of 10 and 26 yards. Hughes rushed for 42 yards on the drive, including a 4-yard touchdown run.
Behind the accurate passing of quarterback Christopher Vizzina, Briarwood scored on its next drive. Vizzina connected on all three of his passes on the drive, including a 30-yard strike to Nicholas Dicen from midfield. Running back Luke Reebals capped off the drive with a six-yard touchdown run.
Huffman threatened twice before halftime. On the heels of a huge kickoff return by Dearrius Nelson, the Vikings moved it another 25 yards before an incompletion on fourth down ended the drive. They had another chance on their last drive before the break, and Christian’s sharp passing, along with a Briarwood pass interference penalty, got the Vikings all the way to the Briarwood 10-yard line.
But there, the Lions’ Seth Alford picked off Christian for the fourth takeaway of the first half.
The Vikings’ final turnover came on their first possession of the second half, with Christian’s pass once again falling in the arms of Alastair Harris.
Vizzina found a wide-open Brooks Donnelly from 50 yards out for Briarwood’s last score of the night with about five minutes left in the third quarter. The sophomore quarterback finished with one touchdown and 122 yards passing, completing 11-of-18 attempts.
The last score of the night came as Huffman’s Lamondre Brooks scored on a third-and-goal to make it a 28-16 game, with a successful two-point conversion following the touchdown.
Briarwood coach Matthew Forester praised the work of his offensive line after the game.
“Our offensive line really came out, willing to be physical,” Forester said.
The line’s stellar play gave the Lions time to throw and run effectively, Forester said.
As for the five turnovers, Forester said he was proud of his team for executing what coaches have told them during practice.
“They kept coming up with big plays,” Forester said.
Next week, Briarwood heads to McAdory for a non-region contest. The game was announced on Friday morning, after Briarwood's original opponent for next week, Mortimer Jordan, cancelled the game due to COVID-19.
