Postgame Recap – Top Ranked Briarwood blanks Crossville 62-0
Birmingham, AL – The Briarwood Christian Lions showed why they are the number one team in class 5A with a 62-0 dismantling of Crossville Thursday night at Lion’s Pride Stadium.
Briarwood scored 55 of their 62 points before halftime as the home-standing Lions completely dominated their guests from DeKalb County.
Senior Carson Eddy put Briarwood on the board early scoring from 49 yards out on the Lion’s first play from scrimmage. Two minutes later, on the Lion’s second possession, quarterback Micheal Hiers connected with Eddy again on the pairs second scoring strike of the night. This hookup covered 57 yards and put the top ranked Lions up 14-0 with just under nine minutes to play in the opening stanza.
On the next Crossville possession Briarwood’s Carson Donnelly picked off a Blanton Jones pass returning it 25 yards into the endzone and giving the home team a 21 point advantage seven minutes into the contest. Junior running back J.R. Tran-Reno began his scoring frenzy on the next Briarwood possession scoring from just outside the five yard line. The Lions called Tran-Reno’s number again four minutes later as the junior dove in from seven yards out to cap the first quarter at 35-0.
Tran-Reno struck again a minute and a half into the second quarter bolting into the endzone from just beyond the midfield strip.
Briarwood now lead 42-0 with 10:40 to play in the first half.
Tran-Reno put a bow on the first half, dashing into the endzone from just outside the five yard line and putting Briarwood up 55-0 heading into the break.
The second half of the contest gave Briarwood fans a preview of what the future holds for the Lions as head coach Fred Yancey emptied his bench. The only score of the final two quarters came mid way through the fourth as Andrew Hill capped the game at 62-0, running into the endzone from the Crossville 25.
Briarwood quarterback Michael Hiers completed three of four passes, all to Carson Eddy, for 117 yards and two touchdowns. Eddy haled in all three Hiers completions to mirror his performance with 117 yards receiving and two scores. Tran-Reno lead Briarwood on the ground with nine carries for 110 yards and four touchdowns.
Head Coach Miles Holcomb’s Crossville Lions finished the season at 4-7 with region wins over Scottsboro, Douglas and the Arab Knights. This marked Crossville’s first trip to the post season since 2004.
Briarwood moves on to face the 8-3 Lee Generals Friday night in the 5A quarterfinals at Huntsville’s Milton-Frank Stadium.
