HS PREVIEW: Benjamin Russell at Briarwood

The No.1 team in the ScoutSouth.com 5A Coaches Poll is Briarwood Christian (2-0) as they host the No.7 ranked Benjamin Russell Friday night. This contest could settle the championship of Region 5.

The Lions of Briarwood managed to avoid an emotional letdown last week against John Carroll (0-2). That's always a fear when you have a team win a huge game like the Lions did, 21-12, in their first outing against 6A Vestavia (1-1). That problem didn't materialize, and Briarwood fed the Cavaliers a 35-13 loss.

A lot on the line for both teams and projects as a gut-wrenching game with the importance not lost on either team.

The Lions have loads of talent and depth--starting with quarterback Barrett Trotter (6-1, 200), ScoutSouth.com's player of the week after the Vestavia contest. Trotter holds scholarship offers from Duke, Troy and UAB.

The senior signal caller recorded 240 yards passing and two touchdowns in the win over John Carroll. Trotter has completed 72% of his pass attempts in the two games for 2007.

Senior running back Jonathan Sillers (5-10, 170) scored three touchdowns last week. He will play an important role in trying to control the ball and make some long sustained drives.

The defensive side of the ball will see end Alex Davis (6-3, 235) who is a Samford verbal commitment and linebacker Bo Walters (6-2, 225) who is verbally committed to the Bulldogs of Mississippi State.

Coach Fred Yancey has won 205 games and will face off against former 3A Geneva coach Mike McCombs (59-24).

McCombs follows in the foosteps of some great coaches at Benjamin Russell including Hamp Lyon who played at Alabama with (not for) Coach Bear Bryant; Steve Savarese who is now with the AHSAA won 286 career games with a stop in Alex City.

Willie Carl Martin was the most recent coach of the Wildcats and led them to a state championship in 2001. Martin left Benjamin Russell to take a position on Coach Nick Saban's staff in Tuscaloosa.

McCombs inherited a team that lost 20 starters, but this is a good defensive group. The 'Cats forced two fumbles, three interceptions and a blocked punt in last week's tough match-up with Moody (1-1). The score was 16-0 with an offense having trouble with the center-quarterback exchange after losing two centers to injury during the game.

Defensive back Cortney Kelly (6-0, 155) accounted for two of the interceptions, and overall this is a good solid defensive unit and may give Trotter some trouble.

The Wildcats quarterback is senior Casey Cutts (6-1, 185). Coach McCombs came in this year and tweaked the offense and moved players around to find a better fit. This continues as a work in progress.

Benjamin Russell started out the season with a win against 6A Smiths Station (0-2) and forced them into six turnovers for a 21-7 victory.

Rebecca's Take: This is simple, as good as Benjamin Russell's defense is, the offense is not ready for Briarwood Christian's powerful defense That will make the difference. Briarwood Christian will win this one.

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