By JOHN MCEACHIN/For the Reporter

JASPER — It was a heartbreaker for the Briarwood Christian Lions on the evening of Oct. 3 as they lost their second one-point game of the season 19-18 to the Walker Vikings.

Considering how close the score was, Briarwood accounted for only 144 yards of total offense to Walker’s 321 yards for the night. However, a couple of breaks kept the Lions them within reach.

Brayden Banks put Walker on the board first with a 28-yard field goal that gave the Vikings a 3-0 lead early in the first quarter. Towards the end of the quarter, Briarwood quarterback Walker Lott drove the team down the field 48 yards and he scored from 2 yards out to give Briarwood a 6-3 lead. The PAT was no good.

Walker cut it to 6-5 after Walker blocked Chandler Wilkins punt and the ball went out of the back of the endzone. The Lions responded with a Carson Cupo interception return for a touchdown (missed extra point) to give Briarwood a 12-5 lead going into halftime.

Walker running back Marlon Oliver started off the second half with a 56-yard run to the Lions’ 15 yard line. From there Oliver took it in from the 8 and tied the game at 12.

A bad snap over punter Wilkins’ head gave Walker great field position at the BCS 27 yard line and put Oliver in position to score another touchdown from four yards out, giving the Vikings their first lead of the game at 19-12.

With 1:28 left to go in the game, Walker punter Matt McKay’s punt was blocked and recovered by Walker on the 4-yard line, but it was Briarwood’s ball on their 4 yard line. QB Lott scored on a 4-yard touchdown run up the middle making it a one-point game with 1:23 in the game. However the Lions went for the win on a two-point conversion, but Lott’s pass on a fade rout went incomplete.

Briarwood then recovered the onside kick on the 50 yard line, only for Lott to throw the game ending interception.

The star of the night was Walker running back Marlon Oliver who had 32 carries on 176 yards with two touchdowns, as he wore Briarwood’s defense down.

Briarwood’s Lott was 3-for-14 for 29 yards in the air, but carried the ball 25 for 82 yards and ran for two touchdowns.

Wilkins had a 52-yard punt in the game.

Walker improved to 4-2 on the season as Briarwood fell to 2-4.

Briarwood will host Pelham on Friday Oct. 10 as Walker will take the trip to Homewood High to take on the Patriots.