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Briarwood runningback Eli Thompson (19) is able to get a first down during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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James "Nick" Nicholas
Briarwood lineman Hudson Parker (50) during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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James "Nick" Nicholas
Briarwood Head coach: Matthew Forester gives an emotional halftime pep talk to his team during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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Briarwood runningback Eli Thompson (19) fights to stay in bounds as a flag is thrown against Moody during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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Briarwood kicks off during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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Briarwood defensive back Camden Schroeter (6) tackles the Moody receiver out of bounds during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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James "Nick" Nicholas
Briarwood's sideline mascot during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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James "Nick" Nicholas
Briarwood players rest during the halftime at a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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Briarwood seemed to have dificulty stopping the Moody run game one on one during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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Briarwood receiver Dane Whitehead (11) looks to his sideline after a tocuhdown during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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Briarwood runningback Eli Thompson (19) finds a gap into the Moody secondary during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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Briarwood's students section celebrates a touchdown during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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the torential downpour did not stop the Briarwood band during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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James "Nick" Nicholas
Briarwood's sideline during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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Briarwood quaterback Charles Dedmon (2) is picked up by the Moody defense and thrown to the ground by the after the play was called dead during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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Briarwood runningback Eli Thompson (19) thows a juke move to avoid being tackled by the Moody defense during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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Briarwood quaterback Charles Dedmon (2) fights for yardage as he is tackled during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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Briarwood's Jamison Barnes (3) makes it into the Moody secodary during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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Briarwood runningback Jackson Reyer (8) is able to get positive yardage, even with a facemask penalty against Moody's Kaiden Mitchell (23) during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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James "Nick" Nicholas
Briarwood Head coach: Matthew Forester discusses the kickoff with his players during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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Briarwood runningback Jackson Reyer (8) is able to get positive yardage, even with a facemask penalty against Moody's Kaiden Mitchell (23) during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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Briarwood tight end Luke Irons (84) blocking the extra point after a tochdown during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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Briarwood quaterback Charles Dedmon (2) looks towards the sideline for his receiver during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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Moody receiver Josiah Dozier (1) drags a briarwood player into the endzone during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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James "Nick" Nicholas
Briarwood Head coach: Matthew Forester tries to inspire his other coaches at halftime during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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Briarwood kicker Evan Ball (33) lines up for the extrapoint during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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James "Nick" Nicholas
Briarwood Head coach: Matthew Forester gives an emotional halftime pep talk to his team during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
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Moody quaterback Jake Lowery (2) is sacked by the Briarwood linebacker Brooks Allred (1) and defensive back Camden Schroeter (6) during a 2025 quaterfinals playoff game between Moody and Briarwood High Schools on Friday, November 21st, 2025, at Bill Morris Stadium in Moody AL. Photo by James Nicholas
MOODY -- Moody High School rolled in the quarterfinals of the Class 5A state playoffs over Briarwood on Friday night, winning 51-27.
It was a game of two halves for both teams. Neither defense could get off the field early, with the teams trading blows on the first four possessions of the game.
Moody got the scoring started with a methodical 80-yard opening drive that took five minutes off the clock, a drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by Le’Kamren Meadows.
Briarwood responded quickly with a touchdown of its own when Eli Thompson found the end zone with 3:41 left in the opening quarter, tying the game at 7-7.
The Blue Devils retook the lead just a few plays later when Jake Lowery found Jalijah Rutledge over the middle for a 57-yard touchdown strike with just under two minutes to go in the first quarter.
The Lions answered with a score of their own with 10:19 left in the second quarter on a 2-yard run by Jackson Reyer, tying the game at 14-14.
Moody added two more touchdowns before halftime, the first of which came on a 41-yard scamper by Meadows with 4:11 left.
The second came on the next drive when Lowery found Dozier on a slant for a 19-yard touchdown, putting the Blue Devils up 28-14 going into halftime.
Briarwood came out of the halftime break swinging, pulling back within a score on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Charles Dedmon to Dane Whitehead with 6:47 left in the third quarter.
Dedmon finished the game 10-of-17 passing for 133 yards and one touchdown.
Moody took the game over from there.
A fumbled snap by Briarwood’s punter in the end zone gave the Blue Devils a 30-21 lead with 1:15 to go in the third quarter.
Following the safety, Lowery found Dozier over the middle again for a 24-yard touchdown pass, extending the Moody lead.
Lowery finished the night 16-of-23 for 208 yards and three touchdowns.
Kevin James added two more scores for the Blue Devils in the fourth.
James finished the night with 11 carries for 83 yards and two touchdowns.
Thompson found the end zone one last time for Briarwood in the final minutes.
“I’m incredibly proud of these kids and the way they fought,” Briarwood head coach Matthew Forester said. “Our community is a special community. We get a lot of kids who grow up here playing football.”
It was a special season for the Lions, who made it back to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2019. Briarwood finished the season 7-6.
Moody will continue its season next week with a trip to Scottsboro for the semifinals.
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