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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

NORTH SHELBY – A resurgent Briarwood girls soccer team continued their climb toward the top on Friday, March 17 in a home rivalry matchup against area foe Pelham.

Working on a four-match win streak, Briarwood was looking to keep pace in one of the state’s most challenging areas, and the Lions did just that in dominant fashion with a 9-0 shutout victory.

In an area that not only features No. 4 Briarwood but No. 5 Indian Springs, the two have been battling for the top spot through the first few weeks of the season with challenges from Helena and Pelham, who have won area championships the past couple of years.

With Indian Springs already at 2-0 in the area, the matchup between 1-0 Briarwood and 0-2 Pelham was a crucial one heading into the night with only two playoff spots up for grabs from the area.

The Lions, however, have been on a tear lately, and that was no different on Friday night.

They entered the game beating their last four opponents 32-0 with two 10-0 shutouts and two 6-0 shutouts all following a 4-3 loss to No. 2 Homewood.

Carrying that confidence, Briarwood built up a strong first-half lead, carried that into the second half with an 8-0 lead with 25 minutes to play and tacked on one more goal for the 9-0 victory.

With that win, they matched Indian Springs at the top of the area standings with a 2-0 record in the area, while the Lions improved to 8-2-1 overall.

Not only has Briarwood now won five in a row and seven of the last eight, but the Lions have posted shutouts in the last five in a row, scoring six goals or more in each win.

With the loss, Pelham fell to 4-4 overall this season and 0-3 in the area.

Briarwood’s only losses have now come by one goal (4-3) to No. 2 Homewood and one goal (5-4) to Class 7A Thompson. The lone tie, a 1-1 game, came against Class 1A No. 9 St. Luke’s Episcopal School.

Briarwood will have two big matchups with Indian Springs March 23 and April 11 to likely determine who wins the area title.