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Freshman Bulldogs Finish Strong Over Alma
Greenwood 21, Alma 6
11-3-11
Photos By: Brian Vaughn
Game Article By: Richard White
Jr. Bulldogs end season with sweet victory over Alma
By Richard White
While the 2011 season didn't live up to its full potential, the Greenwood Junior High Bulldogs did close out the season in strong fashion with consecutive victories over two area rivals, Shiloh Christian and Alma. Last Thursday's 21-6 win over the Jr. Airedales was especially sweet, because it avenged Greenwood's loss at Alma in the season opener. In the first game the Jr. 'Dogs made too many mistakes and Alma was able to capitalize for a 30-13 non-conference victory. But the second time around it was Greenwood taking advantage of Alma turnovers in building a 21-0 lead before the visitors scored late in the game.
Last week's contest was the season and River Valley Conference finale for both squads. With the league title already secured by Van Buren Coleman, Greenwood and Alma were mostly playing for pride and bragging rights. The Jr. Bulldogs also wanted to prove that their earlier loss at Alma was just a fluke - the result of too many turnovers, penalties, and the absence of star running back Cameron Palmer. But the freshman tailback was healthy and available for last Thursday's action, and would make his presence felt in the game.
Alma returned the opening kickoff to near the midfield stripe at their own 48, giving them excellent field position. But three snaps later they faced fourth down and 21 yards to go to move the chains, and were forced to punt. Likewise, the Jr. 'Dogs were ineffective on offense with their first possession, and kicked the ball away. A quarterback sack by the Greenwood defense and an incomplete pass on third down forced the visiting Jr. Airedales to punt once again, giving Greenwood the ball at its own 41 after a short return. There was 2:07 showing on the scoreboard clock when the Jr. 'Dogs took possession of the ball.
Electing to keep the football on the ground and run behind the strong blocking of the offensive line, the Bulldogs marched steadily down the field and deep into Alma territory. Cameron Palmer ran seven times on the drive for 40 yards. Kevin Jones ran three times for seven yards, plus the 'Dogs received a 5-yard bonus when Alma was called for an incidental facemask penalty. The final eight yards and the touchdown came on the drive's only pass play, a completion from quarterback Reid Wheeler to receiver Tanner Cooper, who made a nice leaping catch for the touchdown. Jones added the extra point for a 7-0 Greenwood lead with 6:15 remaining in the second quarter.
On Alma's next possession, the Jr. Airedales started from their own 33 after the kick return, and used a successful flee flicker pass play for a huge gain on first down, reaching the Greenwood 15-yard-line. But that's where the Jr. 'Dogs went to work on defense. After stopping the next play for no gain, then giving away five yards to the 10 on a penalty, the defense gave up just four more yards on two runs, bringing up fourth-and-one near the 5-yard-line. The Airedales then returned the earlier favor when they were also flagged, moving the ball back to the 10. A pass attempt into the end zone was then well played by Greenwood linebacker Andrew Wise, resulting in an incompletion and a change of possession. Just over 3 ½ minutes later both teams headed to their respective locker rooms with Greenwood still leading 7-0.
Neither team was able to score in the third quarter, though Greenwood's offense controlled the football for the first 5:52 of the period, driving from its own 36 to the Alma 5-yard-line. But a fourth down rushing attempt by Kevin Jones came up inches short of a first down, and the ball changed hands with 2:08 showing on the scoreboard clock. Alma used up the remainder of the quarter and moved to near midfield, but the drive stalled at the Alma 48 when Kevin Jones wisely knocked down a fourth down pass attempt rather than going for the interception.
Greenwood took over on downs and quarterback Reid Wheeler gave the ball to Cameron Palmer on first down. Actually, it was the only down, as Palmer found a seam in the defense and sprinted 52 yards straight up the middle of the field for the touchdown. Kevin Jones added the extra point, and with 6:49 left to play in the game, Greenwood led 14-0.
Moments later, the Jr. 'Dogs put the game away for good with a defensive touchdown. On third down from their own 32-yard-line, the Jr. Airedales attempted a pass behind the line of scrimmage. The ball fell incomplete, but the pass was ruled to be a lateral and was scooped up by Greenwood linebacker Garrett Miller and returned for a touchdown. Kevin Jones kicked the extra point, making the score 21-0 with 5:19 remaining to play.
After the kickoff, the Airedales turned it over again, this time on a great, leaping interception by Kevin Jones at the Greenwood 33. After the Jr. 'Dogs punted, Alma finally mounted its only scoring drive of the game, but did so against Greenwood's prevent defense. The touchdown came on the sixth play of the drive, a 24-yard TD pass to Colton Battles. A two-point pass attempt fell incomplete, keeping the score at 21-6. An onside kick was recovered by Alma at the Greenwood 45-yard-line with just over a minute left to play. The Jr. Airedales reached the 25, but three consecutive failed passes ended the threat and secured the win for Greenwood, which ended the 2011 campaign with a 7-3 record.
Sitting at 5-3 after two tough back-to-back losses to Fort Smith Ramsey and Van Buren Coleman, Greenwood head coach Kenneth Thornton and his staff reminded their players that they could finish the season at 5-5, 6-4, or 7-3. They obviously opted for 7-3. "Yes they did," confirmed Thornton in his post-game interview last Thursday. "We were real proud of them. This is a good bunch. They were fun to coach and they competed. We felt like we were getting about all they've got. They bust their butts trying to do what we ask them to do."
Against Alma, Coach Thornton agreed that having running back Cameron Palmer available this time around made a big difference. "What's the best thing we do?" asked the coach rhetorically. "We hand the ball to Cameron and run behind our offensive line. We took one of our receivers out and put another offensive lineman in, flipped a guard, and had a bunch of guys at the point of attack, and it worked. We're proud of our kids. They played their tails off."
Thornton was also high on some of his players making an early impression on the varsity team next season. "I think Korban [Waldemar] is as good a ninth grade player as I've ever been around," said the coach. "He plays offensive and defensive line and he never slows down. He never stops. He goes as hard as [he] can go. He's already big and he's only 14-years-old, so he's only going to get better. Nick [Houston] is big, and any time you can kick the ball like Kevin [Jones] and you're as heady as he is, you've got a chance to contribute. They're going to be all right in high school. Cameron [Palmer] reminds you of a young [Justin] Sunde. He's tough as nails. He's got good vision and he runs low to the ground. There are kids all over the field that can probably contribute. There's going to be a bunch of holes to fill on the [varsity] offensive line. They're a bunch of seniors. So I've been telling my kids that we've gone on to page two and three stuff, for the simple fact that I think they can handle it. They understand what we're doing. The things that I teach and Coach [Josh] Nation teaches are identical." The coach also pointed out that several of his top players are multiple sport athletes, competing in basketball and baseball. "They'll lift [weights] when they can," he said.
By Richard White
While the 2011 season didn't live up to its full potential, the Greenwood Junior High Bulldogs did close out the season in strong fashion with consecutive victories over two area rivals, Shiloh Christian and Alma. Last Thursday's 21-6 win over the Jr. Airedales was especially sweet, because it avenged Greenwood's loss at Alma in the season opener. In the first game the Jr. 'Dogs made too many mistakes and Alma was able to capitalize for a 30-13 non-conference victory. But the second time around it was Greenwood taking advantage of Alma turnovers in building a 21-0 lead before the visitors scored late in the game.
Last week's contest was the season and River Valley Conference finale for both squads. With the league title already secured by Van Buren Coleman, Greenwood and Alma were mostly playing for pride and bragging rights. The Jr. Bulldogs also wanted to prove that their earlier loss at Alma was just a fluke - the result of too many turnovers, penalties, and the absence of star running back Cameron Palmer. But the freshman tailback was healthy and available for last Thursday's action, and would make his presence felt in the game.
Alma returned the opening kickoff to near the midfield stripe at their own 48, giving them excellent field position. But three snaps later they faced fourth down and 21 yards to go to move the chains, and were forced to punt. Likewise, the Jr. 'Dogs were ineffective on offense with their first possession, and kicked the ball away. A quarterback sack by the Greenwood defense and an incomplete pass on third down forced the visiting Jr. Airedales to punt once again, giving Greenwood the ball at its own 41 after a short return. There was 2:07 showing on the scoreboard clock when the Jr. 'Dogs took possession of the ball.
Electing to keep the football on the ground and run behind the strong blocking of the offensive line, the Bulldogs marched steadily down the field and deep into Alma territory. Cameron Palmer ran seven times on the drive for 40 yards. Kevin Jones ran three times for seven yards, plus the 'Dogs received a 5-yard bonus when Alma was called for an incidental facemask penalty. The final eight yards and the touchdown came on the drive's only pass play, a completion from quarterback Reid Wheeler to receiver Tanner Cooper, who made a nice leaping catch for the touchdown. Jones added the extra point for a 7-0 Greenwood lead with 6:15 remaining in the second quarter.
On Alma's next possession, the Jr. Airedales started from their own 33 after the kick return, and used a successful flee flicker pass play for a huge gain on first down, reaching the Greenwood 15-yard-line. But that's where the Jr. 'Dogs went to work on defense. After stopping the next play for no gain, then giving away five yards to the 10 on a penalty, the defense gave up just four more yards on two runs, bringing up fourth-and-one near the 5-yard-line. The Airedales then returned the earlier favor when they were also flagged, moving the ball back to the 10. A pass attempt into the end zone was then well played by Greenwood linebacker Andrew Wise, resulting in an incompletion and a change of possession. Just over 3 ½ minutes later both teams headed to their respective locker rooms with Greenwood still leading 7-0.
Neither team was able to score in the third quarter, though Greenwood's offense controlled the football for the first 5:52 of the period, driving from its own 36 to the Alma 5-yard-line. But a fourth down rushing attempt by Kevin Jones came up inches short of a first down, and the ball changed hands with 2:08 showing on the scoreboard clock. Alma used up the remainder of the quarter and moved to near midfield, but the drive stalled at the Alma 48 when Kevin Jones wisely knocked down a fourth down pass attempt rather than going for the interception.
Greenwood took over on downs and quarterback Reid Wheeler gave the ball to Cameron Palmer on first down. Actually, it was the only down, as Palmer found a seam in the defense and sprinted 52 yards straight up the middle of the field for the touchdown. Kevin Jones added the extra point, and with 6:49 left to play in the game, Greenwood led 14-0.
Moments later, the Jr. 'Dogs put the game away for good with a defensive touchdown. On third down from their own 32-yard-line, the Jr. Airedales attempted a pass behind the line of scrimmage. The ball fell incomplete, but the pass was ruled to be a lateral and was scooped up by Greenwood linebacker Garrett Miller and returned for a touchdown. Kevin Jones kicked the extra point, making the score 21-0 with 5:19 remaining to play.
After the kickoff, the Airedales turned it over again, this time on a great, leaping interception by Kevin Jones at the Greenwood 33. After the Jr. 'Dogs punted, Alma finally mounted its only scoring drive of the game, but did so against Greenwood's prevent defense. The touchdown came on the sixth play of the drive, a 24-yard TD pass to Colton Battles. A two-point pass attempt fell incomplete, keeping the score at 21-6. An onside kick was recovered by Alma at the Greenwood 45-yard-line with just over a minute left to play. The Jr. Airedales reached the 25, but three consecutive failed passes ended the threat and secured the win for Greenwood, which ended the 2011 campaign with a 7-3 record.
Sitting at 5-3 after two tough back-to-back losses to Fort Smith Ramsey and Van Buren Coleman, Greenwood head coach Kenneth Thornton and his staff reminded their players that they could finish the season at 5-5, 6-4, or 7-3. They obviously opted for 7-3. "Yes they did," confirmed Thornton in his post-game interview last Thursday. "We were real proud of them. This is a good bunch. They were fun to coach and they competed. We felt like we were getting about all they've got. They bust their butts trying to do what we ask them to do."
Against Alma, Coach Thornton agreed that having running back Cameron Palmer available this time around made a big difference. "What's the best thing we do?" asked the coach rhetorically. "We hand the ball to Cameron and run behind our offensive line. We took one of our receivers out and put another offensive lineman in, flipped a guard, and had a bunch of guys at the point of attack, and it worked. We're proud of our kids. They played their tails off."
Thornton was also high on some of his players making an early impression on the varsity team next season. "I think Korban [Waldemar] is as good a ninth grade player as I've ever been around," said the coach. "He plays offensive and defensive line and he never slows down. He never stops. He goes as hard as [he] can go. He's already big and he's only 14-years-old, so he's only going to get better. Nick [Houston] is big, and any time you can kick the ball like Kevin [Jones] and you're as heady as he is, you've got a chance to contribute. They're going to be all right in high school. Cameron [Palmer] reminds you of a young [Justin] Sunde. He's tough as nails. He's got good vision and he runs low to the ground. There are kids all over the field that can probably contribute. There's going to be a bunch of holes to fill on the [varsity] offensive line. They're a bunch of seniors. So I've been telling my kids that we've gone on to page two and three stuff, for the simple fact that I think they can handle it. They understand what we're doing. The things that I teach and Coach [Josh] Nation teaches are identical." The coach also pointed out that several of his top players are multiple sport athletes, competing in basketball and baseball. "They'll lift [weights] when they can," he said.