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   The best of the best in Alabama High   
  School Football over the past 100 seasons.






2024 Team Previews 

  


Briarwood Lions

Head Coach: Matthew Forester (sixth season)
Career Record: 5 seasons, (39-20)
At Briarwood: 5 seasons, (39-20)
Stadium: Lions Pride Stadium
2024 Enrollment:  540
Rank:  105th in the AHSAA, 16th in Class 5A

 History 
Overall Record:   403-192-1   (68.0%)
Last 25 years:   239-84   (74.0%)  (Rank: 19th in the AHSAA, 5th in Class 5A)
Since 2010:   123-54  (69.5%)  (Rank: 47th in the AHSAA, 6th in Class 5A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   2019
Last Winning Season:   2023
Last Losing Season:   2022

 2023 
Class:  6A              Region:   3
Record:  6-6
Region Record:   4-2, (third)
Playoff Record:   Second round loss to Saraland by a score of 51-14.
Final ASWA Poll:   Not Ranked
Scoring:  239 (19.9)
Defense:  240 (20.0)


 2024 
Class: 5A              Region:   5
Strength of Schedule: 65-48 (58%) (57th in the AHSAA, 14th in Class 5A)
Region Strength:  43-26 (62%)
Non-Region Strength:  22-22 (50%)



 2023 Results 
 8/25  vs. Clay-Chalkville  (6A)   0-31   L  
 9/1  @ Spain Park  (7A)   6-37   L  
 9/8  @ Chilton County  (6A)  *  28-10   W  
 9/15  vs. Pelham  (6A)  *  28-21   W  
 9/22   OPEN 
 9/29  vs. Oak Mountain  (7A)   21-0   W  
 10/6  @ Helena  (6A)  *  24-28   L  
 10/13  @ Calera  (6A)  *  38-0   W  
 10/20  vs. Benjamin Russell  (6A)  *  21-25   L  
 10/27  vs. Homewood  (6A)  *  20-13   W  
 11/3  @ Fairhope  (7A)   14-24   L  
 Playoffs 
 11/10  @ Carver Montgomery    25-0   W  
 11/17  vs. Saraland    14-51   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/23  @ Oak Mountain  (7A)       
 8/30  @ Homewood  (6A)       
 9/6  vs. Ramsay  (5A)  *      
 9/13  @ Carver Birmingham  (5A)  *      
 9/20  vs. Wenonah  (5A)  *      
 9/27  vs. Leeds  (5A)       
 10/4  @ Corner  (5A)  *      
 10/11  vs. John Carroll  (5A)  *      
 10/18   OPEN 
 10/25  @ Hayden  (5A)  *      
 11/1  vs. McAdory  (6A)       


Class  5A Region  5
Team 2023 Record Region Scoring                            
Ramsay (5A) 12-3 7-0544-180
Briarwood (6A) 6-6 4-2239-240
Corner (4A) 10-2 6-1467-222
John Carroll (5A) 9-3 5-2390-244
Wenonah (5A) 6-4 3-4329-208
Hayden (5A) 2-8 1-6106-348
Carver Birmingham (5A) 4-6 1-6262-323

 2024 Preview 


       Briarwood completed the 2023 season with a 6-6 record. With their 4-2 region record and a third place finish in Class 6A region three, the Lions earned a spot in the playoffs in 2023. Briarwood reached the second round of the playoffs before falling to Saraland by a score of 51-14.

       Briarwood was inconsistent offensively last year and they need some improvement if the Lions want to be competitive. They only averaged 19.9 points a game.

       Since 2010, Briarwood has gone a combined 123-54. Their 69.5% winning percentage ranks 6th in Class 5A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Briarwood has finished a combined 239-84. Their 74.0% winning percentage ranks 5th in Class 5A and 19th in the AHSAA.

Graduated All-State Players:
       Briarwood lost 6A All-State  defensive lineman Luke Dickinson to graduation. He was named to the honorable mention team last season.

Head Coach:
       The Lions are led by head coach Matthew Forester who is entering his sixth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 39-20 over the past five seasons at Briarwood. Under his direction the Lions have qualified for the playoffs a total of four times. They have won one region crown with Coach Forester.

Season Outlook:

       The Briarwood Lions will play in Class 5A region five during the 2024 season. The Lions may find the schedule slightly easier this season with the move down in classification from Class 6A to 5A. They will compete in region five this year.

      

       The Briarwood Lions bounced back last year after a 3-7 season in 2022. They actually played very competitive football after a couple of early season losses to Clay-Chalkville and Spain Park. The Lions will once again be back in the hunt for one of the four playoff spots in region five.

       The Lions return five starters to the offense and four on defense this fall. There will be a cast of new players that Coach Forester believes will contribute to continuing the success of last year.

       Coach Forester told us ''In the 2024, have a QB battle going into the season. Also, rebuilding up front on the line of scrimmage, excited to see the new players stepping into their role.''

       The first three games will go a long way into telling how good the lions will be in 2024 as the open with 7A Oak Mountain traveling to Homewood and entertaining Ramsay at home. The remainder of the schedule seems manageable for Briarwood.

    The Lions should be in contention for a playoff spot in region five this season. Hosting a first round playoff game on their home turf would be an advantage.

Players to Watch in 2024:
      ATH Luke Reynolds rushed for 516 yards and six touchdowns off 94 carries last season and will return in 2024.

      DL Garrett Witherington had 44 tackles and 7.5 sacks in 2023 and will also return for the Lions this season.

Returning Starters:
OFFENSE: OT-Carter Fountain, JR.; C-Barnabas Karanja, SR.; WR-John Paul Harbor, SR.; TE-Vaughn Wilson, SR.; RB-Luke Reynolds, SR.
DEFENSE: DL-Garrett Witherington, JR.; LB-Rylan Hamm, SR.; LB-Asa Harris, SR.; S-Wes Burgess, SR.
NEWCOMERS: Will Clark, SR. DL; Britt Wagoner, SR. WR; Brooks Allred, JR. LB; Eli Thompson, JR. RB; Sam Canale, SO. CB; Trey Wimbley, FR. WR; Charles Dedmon, Jr. QB; Brayden Robertson, SR. QB

Season Opener:
       The Lions open the 2024 season on the road against non-region opponent Oak Mountain on Friday, August 23 at Heardmont Park Sportsplex/Eagle Stadium. Last year the Oak Mountain Eagles finished with an overall record of 1-9 and in eighth place in Class 7A region three.

       Briarwood and Oak Mountain have met a total of 7 times on the football field. The Lions have a 4-3-0 record against the Eagles. They last met in 2023 with Briarwood winning by a score of 21-0.

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

Bart Starr received coaching from Kentucky great Babe Parilli his senior season at Sidney Lanier in hopes of joining Bear Bryant at Kentucky. He had to settle for Alabama.