Briarwood Christian Dominates Leeds in 5A Playoff Opener

BIRMINGHAM, AL – The Briarwood Christian Lions secured a dominant 28-3 victory over the Leeds Greenwave in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs on Friday night in north Shelby County. Lions quarterback Charles Dedmon threw for three touchdowns as the Lions’ offense compiled 442 total yards, securing their spot in the second round and marking their most complete game of the season.

Lions Strike Early with Explosive Plays

Hosting their first playoff game since winning the region title in 2019, Briarwood set the tone immediately. The defense made the first major play when Brooks Allred intercepted a Leeds pass on the opening drive. This turnover gave the Lions’ offense its first opportunity to take the field.

It didn’t take long for Briarwood to capitalize. From the 47-yard line, quarterback Charles Dedmon connected with Sam Canale for a touchdown pass down the right sideline, giving the Lions an early 7-0 lead.

The first half largely became a defensive battle following the initial score. However, late in the second quarter, the Dedmon-to-Canale connection struck again. In a near-repeat of the first score, Dedmon found Canale for a 41-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 14-0 with just a minute remaining in the half.

Leeds Lights Up the Scoreboard Before the Break 

Leeds managed to build some momentum just before the break. A strong kickoff return placed them near midfield, and they advanced into field goal range. Although dropped passes in the end zone prevented a touchdown, the Greenwave successfully kicked a 28-yard field goal as time expired. This sent the teams into halftime with Briarwood leading 14-3.

Second-Half Surge Puts Game Away

Briarwood received the second-half kickoff and shifted its focus to a powerful ground game. Running back Jack Reyer gained 39 yards on three straight carries, moving the Lions down the field. Eli Thompson then finished the drive with powerful runs of 10 and 4 yards, punching it into the end zone to make the score 21-3.

With the defense continuing to shut down the Greenwave offense, Briarwood’s passing attack delivered the final blow late in the third quarter. Dedmon launched a 55-yard touchdown pass to Tram Walker, putting the game out of reach at 28-3.

Top Performers Lead Briarwood to Victory

The Lions’ balanced attack was on full display. Charles Dedmon had a stellar night, completing 12 of 18 passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns. His primary target, Sam Canale, finished with five catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns.

The running game was equally impressive. Eli Thompson led the charge with 112 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, while Jack Reyer added 63 yards on just seven carries. Tram Walker also made a significant impact with his 55-yard touchdown reception.

Defensively, Briarwood was stout, holding Leeds to just 53 rushing yards and 199 total yards of offense.

Looking Ahead

With this commanding win, Briarwood improves its record to 6-5 and advances to the second round of the Class 5A playoffs. The Lions will host Russellville, who secured their spot with an overtime victory against Boaz. For Leeds, the loss ends their season at 6-5.