BY SAMUEL JONES
FOR THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — No. 1-ranked Briarwood Christian scored on offense, defense and special teams to roll past Lee-Scott Academy 42-0 at Jud Scott Field on Sept. 11.
The Lions (4-0, 2-0) led from their second possession and never let up, dealing the Warriors (0-4, 0-2) their second straight Class Private AA Region 2 loss.
Briarwood needed only two plays to break through. After Lee-Scott went three-and-out to open the game, Jamison Barnes found Sam Canale in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 5:11 left in the first quarter.
The Lions leaned on their special teams and defense the rest of the way. A long Brandt Aho punt return set up Isaac Kerley’s short scoring run for a 14-0 edge, and Davis Heilbron opened the second quarter with a 49-yard punt return for a TD to make it 21-0. Kerley added a 5-yard scoring run with two minutes left in the half to push the lead to 28-0.
Any doubt disappeared in the third quarter, when Aho returned the kickoff for a TD and a 35-0 advantage. Aho later intercepted a pass to snuff out a Lee-Scott drive, and Briarwood closed the scoring early in the fourth quarter on Jackson Reyer’s 2-yard run after taking over at the Lee-Scott 12.
Barnes completed 8 of 15 passes for 107 yards and a TD as Briarwood finished with 293 yards and averaged more than seven yards per play. Canale led all receivers with six catches for 82 yards and a score.
Briarwood’s defense was just as stingy, holding Lee-Scott to 76 total yards on 49 plays while forcing one turnover.
The Warriors’ lone sustained possession — an eight-play drive in the second quarter — produced their only first down of the half before stalling on an incomplete pass.
Lee-Scott will travel to Birmingham on Friday, Sept. 18, to face Region 2 opponent John Carroll Catholic High School. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Pat Sullivan Field. The Cavaliers (2-2, 1-1) are coming off a 44-0 win over St. John Paul II Catholic High School (0-4, 0-2).
