By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

NORTH SHELBY – After losing three of its last four, Briarwood got its first signature win of the new season when the Lions beat Chelsea by 20 on Jan. 16. Briarwood helf Chelsea to four points in the first quarter in the cross-county, non-area game, which set the pace for the Lions to get an easy 55-35 win. Thomas Collier, Carson Donnelley and Luke Dyson each scored in the opening period for the Lions to jump out to an early 10-4 lead.

Chelsea made a strong push in the second quarter behind nine points from Aaron Washington, his only points of the game. Joseph Lanzi, Sam Towery, Josh Hannah and Matt Marquet each scored in the second period for Chelsea as the Hornets poured in 18 points. Briarwood however also went for 16 in the period and maintained a 26-22 lead at halftime.

The Lions came out of the half shooting well, and doubled up Chelsea in the third quarter before tripling their score in the fourth. David Corbin scored six points in the third quarter, Drew Bonner had two, Jeff Travis had seven, Dyson had three and Donneley had a pair as well as the Lions scored 20 in the third to open up a 46-22 lead headed into the fourth.

Chelsea only managed to score three points in the final frame. Lanzi scored two points in every quarter, and his two in the fourth came in the form of the only made field goal for the Hornets in the final period. Marquet went 1-4 from the free throw line in the quarter to give Chelsea its third points. Briarwood did not light the scoreboard on fire in the fourth quarter either, but did score nine points behind four fourth-quarter points from Collier.

Travis led the way for Briarwood with 16 points, nine of which came from behind the arc. Collier finished with 13 for Briarwood and also went 6-7 from the charity stripe and was the only other scorer in double digits for the Lions. Marquet and Washington led the way for Chelsea with nine points apiece.