Briarwood falls to Madison Academy at home

Published 12:14 am Saturday, November 1, 2014

Briarwood's James Holliday attempts to bring down Madison Academy's Malik Miller in an Oct. 31 contest. (Reporter Photo/Jon Goering)

Briarwood’s James Holliday attempts to bring down Madison Academy’s Kemoni Miller in an Oct. 31 contest. (Reporter Photo/Jon Goering)

By JOHN McEACHIN/For the Reporter

NORTH SHELBY — The first half was a shootout, but the second half belonged to the Mustangs from Madison Academy as they rolled over the Briarwood Christian Lions 49-21 on the road.

Madison Academy running backs Kerryon Johnson and Kemoni Miller dominated the game for the Madison on the ground as the two of them combined for 260 yards rushing.

Johnson started the game with a 53-yard TD run to give the Mustangs a 7-0 lead, but BCS drove down the field and responded with a touchdown run by quarterback Walker Lott. The point after attempt failed on a bad snap, making the score 7-6 Madison.

The score went back and forth until Madison took a 28-21 lead off a Miller 10-yard touchdown with 38 seconds to go in the half.

The third quarter was brutal for Briarwood as Lott threw an interception to Madison’s Nicolas Tomlinson as he returned it to the BCS three yard line. Johnson ran it in for the Madison TD, making it 35-21.

Travis Hightower fumbled the ball on the following kickoff deep in their own territory, giving the Mustangs a chance to put the game away early in the 3rd quarter.

They did, when Ashton Coward hit Johnson for a 24-yard TD to give Madison a 42-21 lead with 9:45 left in the third quarter.

Johnson capped off the fourth quarter with a 47-yard touchdown run for the Mustangs, making the score 49-21.

Lott went 4-of-16 for 68-yards with two interceptions. He also posted 163 yds on 28 carries and three touchdowns. Briarwood running back Jordan Depaolantonio had 130 yards on 18 carries, helping the Lions gain 292 yards on the ground for the night.

Johnson had 10 carries for 107 yards and 3 touchdowns and Kemoni Miller had 22 carries for 153 yards with three touchdowns as well.

Briarwood finished the season with a 4-6 record and will face Florence High School on the road in the first round of the 6A playoffs.