"Back In The Day"
Remembering The 1998 Season
By: Ross Fujibayashi
If Anyone Has Pictures From The 1998 Season
Please Email Me. bvaughn@greenwooddogpound.com
10-4-08
By: Ross Fujibayaski
While driving to get something to eat, I saw the signs at Union Christian and the home crowd stands at Northside. It took me back to a time when things were much simpler. A time where all I had to do was go to school and Football practice.
It's neat to reflect on it, to think about what those kids are going through tonight. Weather it be their first game in high school, or the beginning of the end for a long running football career. Two years of my life in football stick out in my mind the most, 1998 and 2000.
1998 was such an incredible year for Greenwood football. It was the debut of a super-sophomore Josh Bell, and the Greenwood Dog Pound. James Grady taught us all what to do to opponents "Down By The River". We over came tragedy at the beginning of the season with the loss of Ryan Young. It marked the first time in state history when not one player but four players had a chance to break a state record.
Lets look at that fact for a minute. Brooks Coatney (Greenwood), Josh Floyd (Shiloh Christian), Daniel Lunney (FS Southside) and Zac Clark (Fayetteville) all had the chance at breaking the state passing record set by Jared McBride (Nashville). For the first four games of the season we were left on the edge of our seats. Wondering if Brooks or Floyd would break the record first. And finally in what ended up being a nail-biter of a game, Brooks became the first
The Dog Pound is a fan based website.
The views expressed on this site are the sole views
of the fans known as the Dog Pound and other fans and are not those of
the Greenwood Public Schools, Administrators, Coaches, or Students.
This site is not maintained or apart of the Greenwood Public Schools.
Contact the webmaster:
webmaster@greenwooddogpound.com
player to break the record. It came on a pass over the middle to Jacob Burton. I remember running to the end zone to get the ball, to bring it back to Jimbo. Usually we would change out the game ball before the PAT. But, we all got caught up in the celebration and forgot to, so James Grady ended up kicking it thru the goal posts. Later on that night Floyd would end up breaking the 6,975 career yard mark.
The whole season was a blast. It started out in Muldrow, Oklahoma. I had never been to Muldrow before so it was quite an experience. By time the game was over most of their sideline was gasping for air. Greenwood 45, Muldrow 21
Then it was on to Poteau. Another game to which we outpaced the other team. Best play, but was unfortunately called back. Was Bell took a hand off, the Pirate defense closed the left side. Bell turned around and went the other way. He had Brooks blocking, which was odd in itself, and he blocks the defender in the back. Bell ran into the end zone only to have to do it all over again because of Brooks block in the back. Greenwood 49, Poteau 7
Next up was Lake Hamilton at home. It was the first night of the new lights, and the unfinished bleachers. That game wow. The Wolves kept playing a man-no-free safety defense, to which we had an audible for, "Blue Nasty". The audible sent Burton right over the middle, then on to several touchdowns. Right as the halftime buzzer rang the sky opened up and the down pour started. For Jimbo and I it meant it was go time. Jimbo had this magic ball dry, that he kept as a closely guarded secret. I worked with Jimbo for 5 years as a manager and never found out the secret herbs and spices. Trust me I tried. Greenwood 48, Lake Hamilton 10
Next was Searcy, and that was the game Brooks broke the record. It came down to the final seconds, Searcy had the ball inside the 15 yrd line and never stopped the clock. Greenwood 38, Searcy 35
Next on the schedule was Harrison. Josh Bell had the game winning TD in overtime. Once again it was won in the rain at home. Greenwood 21, Harrison 14.
We then traveled to Greenbrier for a penalty filled game. They ran a crazy offense called the Bi-Focal. Lots of hand offs and confusion. Greenwood 28, Greenbrier 7
Next was Vilonia at home once again another down pour and a another Bulldog win. Greenwood 52, Vilonia 12
We traveled to Siloam Springs for the eighth game of the season. Several plays stand out in my mind in that game. Brooks did he throw it before he crossed the line of scrimmage and Clint Thompson tip toeing the sideline for 20 yrds for a touchdown. Brooks burned their D for 427 yards through the air. Greenwood 43, Siloam Spirngs 32
Next to feel the wrath of the Greenwood machine was Morrilton. Greenwood 21, Morrilton 0
All the conference wins set up a conference championship game between Alma and Greenwood. The night before the game we had a town-wide pep rally on the square. The Dog Pound remade songs that had a Greenwood-Alma theme. The one I remember is the "The Thunder Rolls" remake. It was about the new charter buses Alma had gotten. This game was truly a heart-breaker. It was a 29-28 loss in overtime. It was such a good game. We held RB Ethan Perry to I think it was less than 50 yds. (Perry was held to just eight carries for 28 yards and one touchdown). But, we couldn't stop the QB Chad Lee on a Option keeper around the right side. Greenwood 28, Alma 29
Now its on to the play-offs. In the first round. We helped Batesville keep the tradition of being eliminated in the first round, by beating them 31-14.
We got the opportunity to meet up with Lake Hamilton again in the second round of the play-offs. And Coatney and Burton burned them once again through the air on the same audible en route to a 31-24 victory. On to the semi finals for a day after thanksgiving tradition in Greenwood. We traveled eight hours to Osceola, only to lose a another close one 42-39. That night we showed the state what kind of away crowd we could bring. They filled up the visitor bleachers and then some. There is nothing like seeing your home town crowd drive across state to see a football game after Thanksgiving. If that doesn't get you pumped to play I don't know what will. I have never left a game so exhausted. It was back and forth all night. The Seminoles got the ball with 5:37 left on the clock and never gave it back. It was neat to leave there and get back in time to get the paper and read about the game when we got home.
That was a lot of fun. I enjoyed going back in my memories and trying to remember all the stuff that made that year neat. I want to wish this years Greenwood Bulldogs the best of luck. Coach Jones, thank you for what you've done with the Bulldogs. I finally got to see the words "Greenwood" and "Tradition" in the same sentence.
Below Is The Very First Article Done By The Dog Pound.
Wednesday, August 12, 1998. The Greenwood Gazette.
Then Coatney Throws
By: Harold Sosebee
7:30 in the evening not a soul in sight
Greenwood's looking like a ghost town
On a moonlit Friday night
Headlights on a big bus Alma's coming in
The Airedales are in a place,
They wish they never would have been
Then Coatney throws,
Then Coatney throws
Every eye is watching as Alma has the ball
Cox and Bufkin says, "Airedales are gonna fall"
There's the snap, they sack the back
3 and out, get off the field
Bulldogs hit you so hard you think you're never gonna heal
Then Coatney throws,
Then Coatney throws
Coatney throws and Blue Lightning strikes
James Grady puts it through the uprights
And the crowd roars on out of control
We're on a roll...Gonna be 10-0!
Below Is The Text Of The Songs From The Dog Pound Skits From The Alma Pep Rally.
Bulldog Game (Thunder Rolls remake)
By: Harold Sosebee
His eyes are cold and restless
Haedaches almost healed
She'd give half of Sebastion county just to change the way he feels
She knows his love's in Greenwood
She knows he's gonna go
But it ain't no woman flesh and blood
He just wants to watch Coatney throw
It's a pass a run
It's loads of fun
It's the roar of a Friday crowd
Listen to the fans
Hear them in the stands
Screamin' loud and proud
It's shoes and pads
It's yellow flags
Hike the ball and let it go
It's a loss and a gain
And the joy and the pain
Of a Bulldog Football Game
She does her best to hold him
When Friday comes to call
But he has a need to see his Dogs
And her backs against the wall
Then it's so long girl I'll see you
When the stadium calls his name
You know the woman loves her Mad Dog
Like he loves his Bulldog Game
It drives the Mad Dog crazy
It drives him plum insane
And he'll sell off everything he owns
Just to pay to watch them play
And his woman's going crazy
Sometimes she wants to scream
For all the times that he's spent chasin'
This Greenwood Bulldog dream
It's a pass a run
It's loads of fun
It's the roar of a Friday crowd
Listen to the fans
Hear them in the stands
Screamin' loud and proud
It's shoes and pads
It's yellow flags
Hike the ball and let it go
It's a loss and a gain
And the joy and the pain
Of a Bulldog Football Game
Greenwood vs Alma (Beverly Hillbillies Tune)
By: Ken Vaughn
Let me tell you the story of the Greenwood fans
Every Friday night you'll see them sitting in the stands
Clappin' their hands and stompin' their feet
Watching their Bulldogs chew on raw meat
ALMA THAT IS....AIREDALES
First thing you know Coatney's in the air
There goes Burton running over there
Catches that ball crosses that line
Ref signals touchdown every time
A SCORE THAT IS....SEVEN POINTS
Coach Peack says, Forget the run
All in the air is how it's going to be done
Coatney to Burton and Bell, that's the plan
We'll keep the Alma fans sitting on their hands
STUNNED THAT IS....IN DISBELIEF
Next thing you know the score is 42 to nothing
This Alma team is really taken a thumpin'
All their fans got up, thought they were going to fuss
But they were just leaving to get back on the bus
GONE THAT IS....OUT OF HERE
An now it's time to say good bye to Alma and their fans
We would really like to thank you folks for kindly dropping in
You're all invited back next season to this locality
For another butt whippin' by this
MIGHTY GREENWOOD TEAM
BULLDOGS THAT IS
YA'LL COME BACK NOW....HERE!