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Neal Wagner
Briarwood vs. Pleasant Grove
Briarwood Christian's Luke Prewett (8) runs out of bounds in a home contest against Pleasant Grove on Friday night.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Briarwood's Luke Prewett (8) runs the ball during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Briarwood's Christopher Vizzina (17) passes the ball during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Briarwood defenders wrap up the Pleasant Grove ballcarrier during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Briarwood Cole Carner (46) celebrates a stop during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Briarwood's Luke Reebals battles for the ball during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Briarwood defenders recover a Pleasant Grove fumble during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
The Briarwood student section during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Briarwood's Parker Hutson (11) takes down Pleasant Grove's Xavier Hill during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Briarwood's Jonah Carroll (4) runs the ball during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Briarwood head coach Matthew Forester speaks with his team during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Pleasant Grove's Markell Jordan (22) celebrates a touchdown during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Briarwood takes the field during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Briarwood's Eli Steadman (12) helps to take down the Pleasant Grove ballcarrier during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Briarwood's Jonah Carroll (4) runs the ball during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Briarwood's Reece Gamer (22) blocks a PAT during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
The Briarwood student section during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Briarwood's Chase Travis (6) makes a tackle during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood Football
Briarwood's Daniel Corbin (32) helps make a tackle during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Briarwood Football
Briarwood's Jonah Carroll warms up before a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Briarwood's Miller Stubblefield (1) pressures Pleasant Grove's Zyquez Perryman (13) during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
The Briarwood band performs during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Briarwood's Christopher Vizzina (17) prepares to pass the ball during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Briarwood's Blake McKenna (7) and Luke Prewitt (8) celebrate a touchdown during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
The Briarwood drumline during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
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Photo by Neal Wagner
Briarwood Football
Members of the Briarwood band perform during a game between Pleasant Grove and Briarwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, at Lions Pride Stadium in Birmingham.
BIRMINGHAM – Briarwood Christian School gave a valiant first-half effort before eventually succumbing to a potent Pleasant Grove passing attack, falling 26-14 at Lions Pride Stadium on Friday night.
The Spartans (3-0, 1-0 in Class 5A, Region 4) rode the arm of junior signal-caller Zyquez Perryman, who finished his night 26-of-31 for 434 yards and three touchdowns. Perryman placed an exclamation on the evening when he connected with Xavier Hill for a 70-yard score in the waning minutes of the final frame to extend the lead to a seemingly insurmountable two scores.
“They were doing a lot of RPO (run-pass option) and he (Perryman) made smart decisions and that is what he did really well,” Briarwood head coach Matthew Forester said.
The Lions (0-2, 0-1) were able to keep up with Pleasant Grove’s fireworks early, battling their way to a 14-14 halftime draw. Miller Stubblefield pounced on a Spartans’ fumble on their opening possession of the game, and quarterback Jonah Carroll plunged in from 1-yard out just two plays later to give Briarwood the early advantage.
Despite yielding two additional first-half touchdowns, Briarwood’s defense displayed its mettle by forcing a turnover on downs at the Lions’ 8-yard line and chipped in with two sacks. Running back Luke Prewett was the bellcow for the Briarwood offensive attack, amassing 98 first-half rushing yards, including a 33-yard scoring burst off the left (home) side just minutes before the half.
The Spartans clamped down defensively in the second half, limiting Prewett from crossing 100 rushing yards while adding an interception. Briarwood was poised to cut into the advantage late in the third quarter after freshman quarterback Christopher Vizzina led a six-play, 49-yard drive down to the Pleasant Grove 22-yard line. The Lions came up empty-handed, however, when the Spartans broke through the line on fourth down and thwarted a 39-yard field goal attempt.
“Pleasant Grove is a really good, physical team and they played really well,” Forester said. “Our guys fought and battled hard. We had a few breaks that didn’t go our way. Ultimately, we have to put our nose down; it is still really early in the season and we will keep working hard and improving. We got a lot better between this week and last week, we just played a really good team tonight.”
It is the first 0-2 start for Briarwood since the 2015 season. The Lions advanced to the second round of the playoffs that year. Briarwood will look to get its first win of 2019 next week with another home region contest against Woodlawn.
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