No. 3 Briarwood Christian Downs Defending State Champ Moody 35-7
MOODY, AL — Jamison Barnes ran for two touchdowns, threw for a third and Class AA Private No. 3 Briarwood Christian grounded defending Class 5A champion Moody 35-7 on Friday night, handing new Blue Devils head coach Kyle Tatum — a former Lions assistant — a tough debut in Week 1.
Barnes carried the ball 13 times for 115 yards, scoring on runs of 5 and 13 yards. He also connected with John Campbell on a 20-yard touchdown pass, finishing with 50 yards through the air. Benjamin Russell added a 35-yard scoring run and Isaac Kerley punched in a 1-yard touchdown as the Lions totaled 257 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Class 4A No. 7 Moody fell to 0-1.
First Half Action
Briarwood wasted little time establishing dominance. The Lions controlled field position from the opening drive, mixing the run with play-action to keep Moody’s defense off balance. The Blue Devils managed only scattered offensive moments and were unable to sustain any drives in the early going.
Moody did find the end zone once before halftime to trim the deficit, giving the home crowd brief hope. But Briarwood’s offense answered methodically, and the Lions carried a comfortable lead into the break.
Key Turning Points
The game’s decisive moment came in the first quarter with the score knotted at zero. On fourth-and-2, Campbell took a pitch and found Sam Canale on a 31-yard halfback pass, giving Briarwood a first-and-goal. Barnes scored on the very next snap, and the Lions never looked back.
From that point, Briarwood’s defense clamped down and the offense stayed disciplined. The Lions converted consistently on third down, controlled the clock and denied Moody the possessions it needed to get back into the game.
Second Half Dominance
The Lions shut the door after halftime. Briarwood’s defense was especially dominant in the third quarter, holding Moody without a single first down as the Blue Devils struggled to generate any momentum.
The Lion offense kept rolling, adding to the lead with a ground game that wore down Moody’s front seven. Russell and Kerley contributed punishing runs that made the scoreline lopsided by the fourth quarter. Moody’s lone touchdown stood as its only marker on the night.
Final Outlook
Briarwood Christian moves to 1-0 with one of the more complete season-opening performances in recent memory, spoiling Tatum’s debut while validating their preseason ranking. The Lions host the Homewood Patriots at Lion’s Pride Stadium next Friday, Aug. 28.
Moody, despite its defending championship pedigree, faces a quick turnaround. The Blue Devils return to Bill Morris Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 27, to host the Helena Huskies with plenty to fix after a lopsided opener.
