Loss to Briarwood ends RHS football season

Briarwood Christian ended Russellville’s playoff hopes on Friday night with a 42-7 win over Golden Tigers in Birmingham.

Russellville went into the Class 5A game with hopes of getting the school’s first-ever football win over Briarwood, but the Lions quickly proved that was not going to happen.

Briarwood got the ball to start the game and needed only three running plays to get into the end zone.

At the end of the first quarter the score was 21-0 and Briarwood led 28-0 at the half.

Despite trailing 35-0 after three quarters, Russellville never lost the will to compete. The Golden Tigers got their lone touchdown of the game with 1:34 to go in the contest on a 15-yard run by Braxton Duncan, which was followed by a successful extra-point kick by David Tomas.

The RHS defense collected two interceptions of Briarwood passes during the game with one coming on the last play of the first half by Jasen Noel and the other by Duncan late in the third quarter.

“At the start of the year, not many people expected much out of this group,” head coach Dustin Goodwin said. “We asked them to work hard and buy into what we were teaching them and give us everything they had and to love one another. Also, do it the right way for the right reasons and to give praise, honor and glory where it belongs and this group has done that.

“We’re very proud of them. Obviously, tonight wasn’t our night, but this night does not define our kids. They’re winners.”