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Briarwood clawed back late in the game, but a scoop and score sealed the win for Wenonah as the Lions continue to search for their first win of the season. (For the Reporter/Markee Canada)

By TYLER PATCHEN | Special to the Reporter

NORTH SHELBY — The Briarwood Christian Lions were handed their fifth straight loss of the season, losing a tight contest at home against the Wenonah Dragons on Sept. 13.

A heartbreaking scoop and score by Dragons cornerback Deonte Stevenson capped off an action-packed fourth quarter as the Lions kept clawing for their first win.

“Our team was ready to fight and finish, and we just had an unfortunate mistake. Nobody wants that to happen,” Briarwood coach Matthew Forester said after the game.

Briarwood started the opening drive on a delay-of-game penalty and saw slight gains from quarterback Charles Dedmon and linebacker Rylan Hamm but went three and out.

Forester noted that penalties hurt the offense in the first half. The Lions ultimately lost 56 yards across eight penalties on the night.

Wenonah managed to reach the endzone on their first drive. A mix of running plays from running back Mahki Fowler and passes from quarterback Neil Brown led the Dragons down the field for a solid drive, ending in a 1-yard touchdown scored by running back Jamar Lee.

Brown would end up completing 13 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown, while Fowler would net 95 yards on 14 rushes.

The game then descended into a defensive battle, with Briarwood QB Charles Dedmon stringing together some passes on their third time with the ball in the first half before having to punt. The three-and-outs continued for both sides into halftime.

Briarwood started the third quarter charging down the field as running back Eli Thompson strung together a series of solid carries and secured two first downs.

Shortly after, Dedmon hit a 16-yard pass to wide receiver John Paul Harbor and a long pass to wide receiver Dane Whitehead to get deep into the red zone.

However, the drive eventually faltered in the redzone. Dedmon’s third down pass was tipped and picked off by Jsean Bailey to end the drive.

The Lions QB would complete eight passes for 64 yards on the night, while Thompson would have nine rushes for 46 yards.

Following this series of plays, both teams went three-and-out. On Wenonah’s third possession of the half, another three-and-out for the Dragons, a punt only sailed 11 yards to the 25-yard line.

In prime field position to start the fourth quarter, the Lions would finally see the end zone as Brooks Allred ran it in for six, and kicker Garrett Heinemann tied up the score.

However, Wenonah would immediately respond. From his own 20, Brown would find Bailey on a 9-yard pass, which Fowler followed with a 12-yard run.

A few short carries and a 7-yard pass to wide receiver Zakaris Stallworth would eventually lead to a 29-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Bailey, putting the Dragons ahead 14-7 after the extra point. Bailey would net 63 receiving yards on the night off of five carries.

While Briarwood encountered another three-and-out, a punt by Harrison Hebert rolled out of bounds at the Wenonah one-yard line.

Brown found receiver Gregory Bester for a 5-yard play to relieve the pressure. However, linebacker Asa Harris picked off Brown for a touchdown, while Heinemann tacked on the extra point to tie the game at 14.

Wenonah was once again starting to string together a drive as the clock was winding down, but linebacker Brooks Allred would pick off Brown and take the ball past the 50-yard line and into Dragons territory.

Briarwood was making a determined effort toward the endzone and the win as time was running out in the fourth as Dedmon would pitch the ball to Thompson for a significant gain, but a holding call bought it back. A few more offensive efforts by Briarwood would not pan out.

Then, Allred fumbled the ball, which was scooped up by Stevenson, who ran back 59 yards for a touchdown. A missed extra point brought the final score to 20-14. Briarwood could not get a drive going from its own 35, and it only had a few seconds remaining on the board.

Despite the outcome in the fourth quarter, Forester still praised the fight and resolve that the team showed.

“What I love and what I appreciate about these kids that I get to coach is, we’re 0-4, and we’re down in the fourth quarter, and the resolve [and] the belief that they have to keep fighting, to keep pushing, all of that stuff is pretty doggone remarkable,” Forester said.

While the Lions remain winless so far, Forester said there is the possibility that the team can still make the playoffs, but now, they have to play “good, clean football” and focus on the fundamentals.

“You don’t want to go solve all the world’s problems; you want to go back to the basics, and the basics are what gets you there, and so we’re going to be really good at the basics next week,” Forester said.

Now at 0-5, Briarwood Christian looks to pick up the win at its homecoming game against the Leeds Greenwave on Sept. 27.

Wenonah, whose only loss this season has been to undefeated Corner, now improves to 3-1 and will play host to the Huffman Vikings on Sept. 27.

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