By SAM ROBERTS / Special to the Reporter

HARTSELLE – Hartselle fought off a slow start offensively with a strong-standing defense that held undefeated Briarwood to only 7 points through the first half, but the Lion defense wasn’t intimated coming into a packed J.P. Cain Stadium as they found a way to hold a lead and shut out the Tiger offense through two quarters.

Despite a slow first half, Hartselle got its first taste of the end zone with 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter behind a 45 yard rush into the end zone by Tiger standout Keondre Swoopes.

It was a defensive showdown for the remainder of the half until Hartselle found themselves with the ball at midfield and only a minute remaining. The Tigers drove to the Lion 29-yard line behind their rushing attack, but the clock expired without getting off a field goal attempt after burning their last timeout, and the game headed to overtime tied at 7-all.

In overtime, a facemask penalty brought Hartselle to the one-yard line and Keondre Swoopes brought the ball into the end zone for his second touchdown of the night followed by Bryan Munoz making the extra point.

The Lions got the ball hoping to score and take the game into a second overtime, but an interception in the end zone from Aaron Lamb propelled the Tigers to their fifth consecutive victory to start the season, and handed Briarwood their first loss of the 2018 campaign.