By CHRIS MEGGINSON | For the Reporter

PRICHARD – Sixth-ranked Briarwood Christian School struggled to move the ball all night Nov. 16, as the Lions were shut out on the road at No. 2 Vigor, 26-0, in the second round of the AHSAA Class 5A playoffs at Prichard Municipal Stadium.

Briarwood trailed 7-0 at the half after a as held to negative 3 yards in the first half, after Vigor got on the board with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Walker to Artell Howell.

Jayland Whitsett stretched the Vigor lead, 14-0, with an 18-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter following an interception inside the 20. The Lions turned the ball over four of their first five possessions in the second half, with the fifth being a turnover on downs.

Vigor continued to hold Briarwood in check in the fourth quarter and added two more scores to secure the win. First, Walker hit Howell again for a 30-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the quarter to make it 20-0, and then an 83-yard touchdown pass from Walker to James Jackson was the nail in the coffin, 26-0, with six minutes to play in the game.

The Lions were held to one first down in the entire game.

The loss completes Briarwood’s season with a 9-3 after finishing runner-up in Region 4 to earn a playoff bid for the 26^th-straight season.

Vigor’s win marks career win No. 300 for head coach Terry Curtis and sends the Wolves (11-1) to the Class 5A quarterfinals to face No. 8 Demopolis (10-2) on the road on Nov. 23.

This was a Briawood senior class that had just six combined losses, regular season and playoffs, over the last three years, including an overall record of 35-6. They will be remembered as one of the best senior classes in the school’s history after a trip to the semifinals, state championship and third round in the last three years, respectively.