HOOVER —
Gardendale led most of the game, but a late comeback effort by host Briarwood Christian to tie the game looked like a sure thing — until Khaleb Burdette intervened.
Burdette blocked an extra point by Lions kicker Jordan Box with just 88 seconds remaining, after Briarwood took advantage of a Rockets fumble, and Gardendale escaped with a 31-30 victory Friday night.
Jordan Howard gained 202 yards on 34 carries for his best game of the season so far. He scored two touchdowns: the game’s first on a 3-yard run midway through the first quarter, and again just seconds into the second quarter from the 1.
Jesse Blackburn had a big game on both sides of the ball, with two interceptions of Wilkins passes at linebacker, then caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Juan Jackson with 34 seconds left in the first half. That score put the Rockets up 24-10 at halftime.
The Lions (1-4) came back in the third quarter with a 12-yard scoring run by Wilkins, but Gardendale quarterback Hunter Crook countered early in the fourth with a 1-yard touchdown sneak.
Daniel Robert caught a pair of touchdown passes from Wilkins, the second of which went for 38 yards and cut the Briarwood deficit to seven points midway through the fourth.
Blackburn had eight receptions for 121 yards, plus six tackles to go with the two picks.
Jackson pulled down two interceptions as well.
Sam Peacock was 4-for-4 on extra-point kicks, and also had a 29-yard field goal for the Rockets (2-3).
Crook was 16-for-21 passing for 177 yards.
Gardendale returns to region play next Friday as they host Huffman.
Local Sports
Football: Gardendale 31, Briarwood Christian 30
- Local Sports
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Football: Glover to coach, three Pinson Valley players on North roster of All-Star teams
Three Pinson Valley seniors-to-be were named to the roster of the north team, and Indians coach Matt Glover will be an assistant for the north team at the AHSAA North-South All-Star Football Game in Montgomery.
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Hayden wins AHSAA 5A state softball championship
Brooke Meadows' lead-off home run in the first inning held up as the only run of the game, as Hayden defeated Scottsboro 1-0 Saturday to win the AHSAA Class 5A state softball championship.
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State softball tournament: Hayden advances to championship game with 2-0 win over Scottsboro
All it took was one big hit, and that came off the bat of Katie Parr.
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State softball tournament: Hayden 3, Saraland 2 (10 innings)
Brooke Meadows hit a lead-off double, then scored the winning run when Meleah Hargett bunted her way on base as Hayden defeated Saraland 3-2 in 10 innings in the quarterfinal round of the AHSAA Class 5A state softball tournament.
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State softball tournament: Hayden 12, Shelby County 0 (6 innings)
Hayden has advanced to the winner's bracket second round of the AHSAA Class 5A state softball tournament, thanks to a 12-0 beatdown of Shelby County that ended after six innings.
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State softball tournament: Corner eliminated by Oak Grove
After breezing through their regional qualifying tournament without a loss, then dispensing with a top-10 opponent in the first round of the state tournament, Corner’s softball team showed all the appearances of a juggernaut headed for a big finish to the season.
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Regional softball qualifiers: Corner, Hayden advance to state tournament
Corner took the express lane, while Hayden took the back roads with lots of twists and turns.
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Baseball playoff semifinals: Hartselle 7-10, Pinson Valley 2-0
Pinson Valley’s pitching had no answer for Hartselle’s bats.
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Boys soccer semifinals: St. Paul's Episcopal 2,Pinson Valley 1 (shootout)
Pinson Valley’s boys soccer team has seen this show before, and it wasn’t any better the second time.
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Softball regionals: Tuscaloosa in rain delay
The opening of the AHSAA North Central Regional Softball Tournament will not get started on time, thanks to rain in the Tuscaloosa area.
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