No. 1 Briarwood Christian Routs No. 4 Madison Academy 49-14 to Stay Undefeated

BIRMINGHAM, AL – Briarwood Christian answered its biggest test of the season with a resounding statement. The top-ranked Lions jumped in front early and never looked back, cruising past No. 4 Madison Academy 49-14 on Thursday, Sept. 17, at Lions Pride Stadium.

The win pushed Briarwood to 5-0 overall and 3-0 in Class 2A play. Madison Academy, which arrived with title aspirations, dropped to 3-2 (2-1).

First Quarter: Lions Set the Tone

Briarwood needed only seconds to seize control. Defensive back Mark Mataya picked off Madison Academy quarterback Charleston Owens on the game’s opening possession, and the Lions cashed in immediately. On the second play of their drive, quarterback Jamison Barnes hit Charles Allen for a 32-yard touchdown.

The Lions kept the pressure on. Later in the period, they doubled the lead with a 10-yard scoring run, moving in front 14-0 with 1:51 left in the quarter. Briarwood’s defense forced Owens into repeated long-yardage situations, and the Mustangs struggled to string plays together against the Lions’ aggressive front.

Second Quarter: Briarwood Pulls Away

Jackson Reyer extended the advantage early in the second quarter, capping a physical drive with a 13-yard touchdown run to make it 21-0.

Madison Academy finally found a spark midway through the frame. Owens leaned on receiver Tahj Phillips to march the Mustangs 87 yards, and Jordyn McClain punched it in from 4 yards out. The score trimmed the deficit to 21-7 with 4:47 remaining before halftime.

Any momentum for the visitors was short-lived. Barnes ripped off a 72-yard option keeper on the next possession, setting up Reyer’s second touchdown, a 3-yard plunge that restored a three-score cushion at 28-7. Briarwood added one more before the break, taking a keeper into the end zone from a yard out with 12 seconds left. The Lions carried a 35-7 lead into halftime after piling up 247 yards to Madison Academy’s 116.

Second Half: Barnes Takes Over

Barnes opened the third quarter with a burst of explosive runs, then finished the drive himself on a 12-yard touchdown to widen the gap to 42-7 with 9:12 to play in the period. He struck again later in the quarter, scoring from 5 yards out to push the margin to 49-7 with 3:55 left.

With the outcome decided, Briarwood turned to its reserves. Madison Academy added a fourth-quarter touchdown when Owens connected with Phillips for a 29-yard score, setting the final at 49-14.

Standout Performances

Barnes led the way on both sides of the ball control battle. He carried 11 times for 144 yards and two touchdowns, adding 8-of-11 passing for 88 yards and the early strike to Allen. Reyer chipped in 83 yards and two scores on 15 carries, while Allen finished with two catches for 41 yards and a touchdown.

The Lions’ ground game overwhelmed the Mustangs, racking up 291 rushing yards on 41 carries, an average of 7.1 yards per attempt. On defense, linebacker Andrews anchored the effort with 12 tackles, three tackles for loss and four quarterback hurries.

Madison Academy showed flashes despite the lopsided score. Owens completed 15 of 23 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown, though he was intercepted twice. Phillips was the Mustangs’ most reliable target, hauling in six catches for 85 yards and a score. McClain led the ground attack with 44 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.

Looking Ahead

Briarwood faces another challenge next week when it hosts Montgomery Catholic, the Lions’ lone regular-season meeting with a top-flight regional opponent before the postseason. The matchup offers coach Matthew Forester’s group a chance to prove it can stack strong performances against quality competition in back-to-back weeks.

Madison Academy, meanwhile, heads into a bye week. The break gives coach Bob Godsey’s young roster time to regroup and clean up the mistakes that piled up in North Shelby. With a 3-2 record and region play still to be decided, the Mustangs have room to rebound before the stretch run.