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Photo by James Nicholas
The Briarwood ball carrier fights for extra yardage during a game between Briarwood Christian High Scool and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion's Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood Head coach: Matthew Forester during a game between Briarwood Christian High Scool and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood's Brayden Robertson (5) with a sweeping run for positive yardage during a game between Briarwood Christian High Scool and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood's Brayden Robertson (5) with a sweeping run for positive yardage during a game between Briarwood Christian High Scool and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood offensive lineman Tanner Hutson (55) provides blocking protection during a game between Briarwood Christian High Scool and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood defensive lineman Garrett Witherington (90) drags down the Wenonah ball carrier for a tackle during a game between Briarwood Christian High Scool and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood defensive back Sam Canale (26) tries to read the Wenonah quarterbacks play during a game between Briarwood Christian High Scool and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood defensive back Sam Canale (26) fair catches a punt during a game between Briarwood Christian High Scool and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood quarterback Charles Dedmon (2) throws a pass for positive yardage during a game between Briarwood Christian High Scool and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood linebacker Asa Harris (31) stares down the Wenonah quarterback during a game between Briarwood Christian High School and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood linebacker Asa Harris (31) brings the Wenonah running back down during a game between Briarwood Christian High Scool and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood Football
Briarwood players take a knee and participate in a prayer before a game between Briarwood Christian High Scool and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood team captain Jon Jobes (15) meets the Wenonah team captains during the coin toss at a game between Briarwood Christian High Scool and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20th, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood players, cheerleaders and pep squad students run onto the field during pregame festivities at a game between Briarwood Christian High Scool and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood players review the last series on the sideline during a game between Briarwood Christian High School and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
An aerial view of Briarwood's Lion Stadium during a game between Briarwood Christian High School and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood Football
An aerial view of Briarwood's Lion Stadium during a game between Briarwood Christian High School and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood Football
Briarwood cheerleaders participate in pre-game activities before a game between Briarwood Christian High School and Wenonah High School on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood defensive back Rocco Valentinni (29) scrambles for the fumbled ball during a game between Briarwood Christian High School and Wenonah High School on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood running back Eli Thompson(19) is able to gain positive yardage during a run play at a game between Briarwood Christian High School and Wenonah High School on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
A Briarwood player tackles the Wenonah ball carrier during a game between Briarwood Christian High School and Wenonah High School on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood running back Gavin Gurtis (21) provide an extra block, giving his quarterback time to pass during a game between Briarwood Christian High School and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
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Photo by James Nicholas
Briarwood linebacker Brooks Allred (1) tackles the Wenonah running back during a game between Briarwood Christian High School and Wenonah High Schools on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Briarwood Christian High School's Lion Stadium.
BIRMINGHAM – Briarwood Christian School is still searching for its first win.
Wenonah returned a late fumble for a touchdown that gave it the deciding 20-14 Class 5A, Region 5 win at Lions Pride Stadium on Friday night.
With the loss, Briarwood Christian falls to 0-5 overall and 0-3 in the region. The last time Briarwood was 0-5 was 1992.
After Wenonah scored on a Jamar Lee 1-yard run to take a 7-0 first-quarter lead, neither team could find the end zone. Until the fourth quarter.
Briarwood tied the game on a Brooks Allred 7-yard touchdown run. Wenonah (3-1 overall, 1-1 in region) took the lead back when quarterback Neil Brown connected with Jsean Bailey from 29 yards out.
Briarwood tied the game 14-14 on a 6-yard pick-six by Asa Harris. But late in the game, Deionte Stevenson returned a fumble 59 yards for the game-winning touchdown with fewer than two minutes remaining.
“We’ve got all the momentum,” said Briarwood head coach Matthew Forester. “We’ve moved the ball the last two drives. The corner’s helmet hit the ball, bounced out right into the guy’s arms. Nobody was close to him.”
For Briarwood, quarterback Charles Dedmon finished 8-of-16 for 64 yards and an interception. Eli Thompson led the ground game with 46 yards on nine carries. Dane Whitehead caught three passes for a team-leading 35 yards.
For Wenonah, Brown was 13-of-21 for 110 yards and a touchdown. Running back Makhi Fowler carried the ball 14 times for 95 yards. Bailey finished with five catches for 63 yards and a score.
The Lions amassed only 122 total yards and were penalized eight times for 56 yards.
Briarwood is back in Class 5A, Region 5 action next week at Lions Pride Stadium against Leeds (5-0, 3-0).
“We’ve got to tackle better, got to block better, got to secure the football,” Forester said. “It’s just fundamentals.”
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