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Greenwood Bulldog Football TV Show
Greenwood vs Central Arkansas Christian 11-11-11
Hosted By: Darin Drennan
With Head Coach Rick Jones
Produced By: Troy Jarrell
Copyright: BFI. Inc 2011
Used With Permission
Bulldog's Begin March Back To The Rock
Greenwood 42, CAC 7
11-11-11
Photos By: Brian Vaughn, Charlie Caster, Trey Caster & Kim Singer
Game Recap By: Richard White
Click Scoreboard For Offical Greenwood Game Stats
Photos Below By: Charlie & Trey Caster
Bulldog Radio & TV
Player Of The Game
Daniel Fritsche
OL/DL 6' 1", 195
Senior
For a higher quality and larger show visit: www.gogwbulldogs.com
Photos Below By: Charlie & Trey Caster
Photos Below By: Kim Singer
Photos Below By: Kim Singer
Bulldogs win post-season opener; await Wynne Yellowjackets
By Richard White
If someone dissected the 2011 football season for the Greenwood Bulldogs, it would divide neatly into three parts. First, the Bulldogs went 3-0 in non-conference play. Then they went 7-0 in 5A West Conference play, completing an undefeated regular season at 10-0. And finally, last Friday night, they won their first round playoff game at home against the Mustangs of Central Arkansas Christian in convincing fashion, 42-7. If all goes as expected, the third and final portion of Greenwood's season will last exactly four weeks, ending in Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium on December 3rd with the Class 5A state championship game. The Bulldogs are the favorites to repeat as state champs.
But GHS head coach Rick Jones has not allowed his team to look ahead all season, determined to keep their focus riveted on their next opponent. That focus will fall this week on the Wynne Yellowjackets, who visit Smith-Robinson Stadium Friday night for a quarterfinal rematch of two familiar post-season foes. Following a few years of mediocrity, the Jackets have returned to prominence under new head coach Chris Hill, formerly of Greenwood and numerous other stops over the past 10 years. Hill last coached in Greenwood as part of Ronnie Peacock's staff, before Peacock departed for Rogers in 2001. Yet despite his wandering ways, including stints at Morrilton and Van Buren, Hill has a consistent record of winning football. His Yellowjackets are 8-3 this season after posting a 28-6 win over Monticello last Friday night.
Wynne finished second in the 5A East behind Batesville, and have won this season by throwing the football. Wynne and Greenwood have met several times before in the state playoffs, but two games became instant classics. Wynne defeated Greenwood for the state title in 2004, but the Bulldogs got revenge in 2005 with a thrilling come-from-behind victory at Wynne in the semi-finals, en route to their first state championship under Coach Rick Jones. While this year's version of the 'Jackets likely aren't as tough as those teams, Friday's game will not only be nostalgic, but could turn into an offensive shootout.
Of course, the GHS defense will have a lot to say about that - a defense that has given up just 147 points this season, or just over 13 points per game. However, many of those points were surrendered by the reserves, with the first team defense standing on the sideline in the second half of several blowout victories. The frontline defense has surrendered less than 10 points per game in 2011.
After ending the 2010 season with 10 straight wins, the Bulldogs earned their 21st consecutive victory with their 42-7 win over the Mustangs. It was also the 90th victory for Coach Rick Jones at Greenwood. Unofficially, the 'Dogs rolled up 428 yards in total offense, with 226 coming through the air and 202 on the ground. The Bulldogs led 27-0 at the half, then quickly invoked the mercy rule early in the third quarter, leading 35-0. They led 42-0 after three periods, and coasted to the lopsided victory, with the second team defense giving up a single touchdown late in the game.
The Mustangs appeared to have a pretty good offensive plan to start the contest, driving from their own 20 to the Greenwood 18-yard-line in nine plays, including a fake punt call that netted a first down and kept the drive alive. But the GHS defense rose up and stopped CAC when a fourth down pass fell incomplete in the end zone. Taking over at their own 19, the Bulldogs then marched 81 yards in just six plays for their first touchdown. Senior quarterback Hayden Smith completed passes to junior receivers Drew Morgan and Jansen Stein, and two tosses to senior running back Justin Sunde. He also carried the ball twice, including the 9-yard touchdown run. The extra point kick by Adam McFain was good, and with 4:44 remaining in the opening stanza, Greenwood led 7-0.
A nice punt return by Justin Sunde set up the next GHS score. Catching the ball at the Greenwood 46, Sunde dodged and dashed his way to the Mustangs' 25-yard-line. Two snaps later, Sunde got the call again from the 19, taking the handoff and finding running room around left end for the touchdown. McFain's kick was good with 3:04 left in the quarter and the Bulldogs led 14-0.
When CAC head coach Tommy Shoemaker boldly (or recklessly) decided to disdain the punt on fourth-and-six, the GHS defense sacked quarterback Benjamin Shields at the Mustangs' 27-yard-line. From there it took only four plays for the Bulldogs to score. After three rushing plays netted 11 yards to the 16, Hayden Smith tossed a TD pass to Jansen Stein on the first play of the second quarter. The kick was good, giving Greenwood a commanding lead at 21-0.
After trading punts, the Bulldogs received a gift late in the half when Shields lost a fumble at the Greenwood 25-yard-line with 2:24 remaining before the break. It took eight plays to score. Justin Sunde ran four times for 31 yards and Hayden Smith ran once for five yards. He also passed three times, completing two of them for 31 yards. Drew Morgan caught both passes, the last one covering 24 yards for the touchdown. The play was well defended in the end zone, but the pass was perfect and Morgan's concentration unbroken. With 27 seconds left in the first half, Adam McFain's extra point try was wide, and the Bulldogs went to the locker room leading 27-0.
Needing eight points to trigger the 35-point mercy rule, the Bulldogs received the opening kick of the second half. CAC chose to squib kick the ball and Greenwood covered it at its own 42-yard-line. The drive began inauspiciously when Smith was sacked on first down at the 37. But Sunde got 12 yards on second down and seven more on third down to move the chains, putting the senior tailback over 100 yards for the game. Six plays later, the Bulldogs found themselves facing third and long following a QB sack by a blitzing CAC defense. Needing 18 yards to move the sticks, Smith took the snap, scrambled to buy time and avoid the pressure, then found Justin Sunde for a completion near the 30. But the GHS running back wasn't satisfied with just catching the ball, turning the short reception into a 34-yard touchdown play. Smith then passed to Drew Morgan for the two-point conversion, making the score 35-0 and invoking the mercy rule, running the clock and shortening the second half considerably.
The Bulldogs lost a fumble midway through the third quarter, but the Mustangs were unable to turn the recovery into points. From their own 27, the Bulldogs then drove for their final score, using up the final minutes of the third period. Smith completed a second down pass to Drew Morgan for 19 yards, then passed to junior Cole McAlister, who made a nice shoe top catch at the CAC 43. Four rushing plays moved the ball to the 33, from where Smith reconnected with McAlister to the 12-yard-line. From there Sunde ran for the touchdown with 28 seconds left in the quarter. McFain's kick was good and the Bulldogs led 42-0.
GHS reserves played most of the fourth quarter, and the defense did allow the Mustangs a late touchdown after an eight-play drive that covered 59 yards. Running back Eric Simmons scored from five yards out, making the final score 42-7. The Bulldogs used both backup quarterbacks in the final minutes of the game. But neither junior Houston Kennedy or sophomore Jabe Burgess were called upon to do much more than hand off and protect the football, as Coach Jones milked the final seconds off the clock. When the horn sounded, the Bulldogs were 11-0 and one step closer to repeating as state champs.
Officially, The Bulldogs rolled up 455 yards of offense - 256 rushing and 199 passing. Justin Sunde finished the game with 17 carries for 132 yards. Hayden Smith completed 14 of 17 pass attempts for 199 yards. Drew Morgan had five catches for 73 yards, while Sunde had four receptions for 63 yards. The GHS defense surrendered some real estate, allowing CAC 111 yards through the air and 116 on the ground, but not much in the way of points. Remarkably, it was largely a penalty-free game, with only a handful of flags thrown.
"I was proud of the way we played," said Coach Jones in comments immediately following the win. "Defensively we gave them some yards, but we never let them in the [end] zone. I thought they had a great scheme offensively, and they made it tough on us. Coach Shoemaker does a great job and they have some guys that can really run. CAC is a good offensive football team and I was pleased with our defense." Jones was also quick to point out that it was a total team effort, and has been all season. "The word of the week was unity, and I've thought our kids have bought into that all year. I'm so proud of the way they play. They are unselfish and don't really care who gets the credit."
As for the looming contest with the Wynne, Jones gave new Yellowjackets' coach Chris Hill due respect. "Chris does a great job and we've played [Wynne] quite a bit. Of course, he's coming home because he used to coach here with Ronnie [Peacock]. We're just excited to still be playing." The Bulldogs have already played one monumental game against a Chris Hill coached team. In 2005, Greenwood and Morrilton met in the state championship game, won by the Bulldogs 35-32.
Kickoff Friday night is at 7:30 p.m. A victory would propel Greenwood into the semi-finals against the winner of the Camden Fairview - Beebe game. If Beebe upsets the favored Cardinals, then the Bulldogs will get one more game at home. But a Camden victory means that Greenwood must make the long trip south to Camden the day after Thanksgiving, the same day Arkansas will play top-ranked LSU on national television. A similar scenario worked out well for the 'Dogs and the Hogs in 2007. Arkansas upset number one ranked LSU in overtime, while Greenwood defeated Camden Fairview that night, before going on to win its third consecutive state title. Let's hope that history repeats itself.
By Richard White
If someone dissected the 2011 football season for the Greenwood Bulldogs, it would divide neatly into three parts. First, the Bulldogs went 3-0 in non-conference play. Then they went 7-0 in 5A West Conference play, completing an undefeated regular season at 10-0. And finally, last Friday night, they won their first round playoff game at home against the Mustangs of Central Arkansas Christian in convincing fashion, 42-7. If all goes as expected, the third and final portion of Greenwood's season will last exactly four weeks, ending in Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium on December 3rd with the Class 5A state championship game. The Bulldogs are the favorites to repeat as state champs.
But GHS head coach Rick Jones has not allowed his team to look ahead all season, determined to keep their focus riveted on their next opponent. That focus will fall this week on the Wynne Yellowjackets, who visit Smith-Robinson Stadium Friday night for a quarterfinal rematch of two familiar post-season foes. Following a few years of mediocrity, the Jackets have returned to prominence under new head coach Chris Hill, formerly of Greenwood and numerous other stops over the past 10 years. Hill last coached in Greenwood as part of Ronnie Peacock's staff, before Peacock departed for Rogers in 2001. Yet despite his wandering ways, including stints at Morrilton and Van Buren, Hill has a consistent record of winning football. His Yellowjackets are 8-3 this season after posting a 28-6 win over Monticello last Friday night.
Wynne finished second in the 5A East behind Batesville, and have won this season by throwing the football. Wynne and Greenwood have met several times before in the state playoffs, but two games became instant classics. Wynne defeated Greenwood for the state title in 2004, but the Bulldogs got revenge in 2005 with a thrilling come-from-behind victory at Wynne in the semi-finals, en route to their first state championship under Coach Rick Jones. While this year's version of the 'Jackets likely aren't as tough as those teams, Friday's game will not only be nostalgic, but could turn into an offensive shootout.
Of course, the GHS defense will have a lot to say about that - a defense that has given up just 147 points this season, or just over 13 points per game. However, many of those points were surrendered by the reserves, with the first team defense standing on the sideline in the second half of several blowout victories. The frontline defense has surrendered less than 10 points per game in 2011.
After ending the 2010 season with 10 straight wins, the Bulldogs earned their 21st consecutive victory with their 42-7 win over the Mustangs. It was also the 90th victory for Coach Rick Jones at Greenwood. Unofficially, the 'Dogs rolled up 428 yards in total offense, with 226 coming through the air and 202 on the ground. The Bulldogs led 27-0 at the half, then quickly invoked the mercy rule early in the third quarter, leading 35-0. They led 42-0 after three periods, and coasted to the lopsided victory, with the second team defense giving up a single touchdown late in the game.
The Mustangs appeared to have a pretty good offensive plan to start the contest, driving from their own 20 to the Greenwood 18-yard-line in nine plays, including a fake punt call that netted a first down and kept the drive alive. But the GHS defense rose up and stopped CAC when a fourth down pass fell incomplete in the end zone. Taking over at their own 19, the Bulldogs then marched 81 yards in just six plays for their first touchdown. Senior quarterback Hayden Smith completed passes to junior receivers Drew Morgan and Jansen Stein, and two tosses to senior running back Justin Sunde. He also carried the ball twice, including the 9-yard touchdown run. The extra point kick by Adam McFain was good, and with 4:44 remaining in the opening stanza, Greenwood led 7-0.
A nice punt return by Justin Sunde set up the next GHS score. Catching the ball at the Greenwood 46, Sunde dodged and dashed his way to the Mustangs' 25-yard-line. Two snaps later, Sunde got the call again from the 19, taking the handoff and finding running room around left end for the touchdown. McFain's kick was good with 3:04 left in the quarter and the Bulldogs led 14-0.
When CAC head coach Tommy Shoemaker boldly (or recklessly) decided to disdain the punt on fourth-and-six, the GHS defense sacked quarterback Benjamin Shields at the Mustangs' 27-yard-line. From there it took only four plays for the Bulldogs to score. After three rushing plays netted 11 yards to the 16, Hayden Smith tossed a TD pass to Jansen Stein on the first play of the second quarter. The kick was good, giving Greenwood a commanding lead at 21-0.
After trading punts, the Bulldogs received a gift late in the half when Shields lost a fumble at the Greenwood 25-yard-line with 2:24 remaining before the break. It took eight plays to score. Justin Sunde ran four times for 31 yards and Hayden Smith ran once for five yards. He also passed three times, completing two of them for 31 yards. Drew Morgan caught both passes, the last one covering 24 yards for the touchdown. The play was well defended in the end zone, but the pass was perfect and Morgan's concentration unbroken. With 27 seconds left in the first half, Adam McFain's extra point try was wide, and the Bulldogs went to the locker room leading 27-0.
Needing eight points to trigger the 35-point mercy rule, the Bulldogs received the opening kick of the second half. CAC chose to squib kick the ball and Greenwood covered it at its own 42-yard-line. The drive began inauspiciously when Smith was sacked on first down at the 37. But Sunde got 12 yards on second down and seven more on third down to move the chains, putting the senior tailback over 100 yards for the game. Six plays later, the Bulldogs found themselves facing third and long following a QB sack by a blitzing CAC defense. Needing 18 yards to move the sticks, Smith took the snap, scrambled to buy time and avoid the pressure, then found Justin Sunde for a completion near the 30. But the GHS running back wasn't satisfied with just catching the ball, turning the short reception into a 34-yard touchdown play. Smith then passed to Drew Morgan for the two-point conversion, making the score 35-0 and invoking the mercy rule, running the clock and shortening the second half considerably.
The Bulldogs lost a fumble midway through the third quarter, but the Mustangs were unable to turn the recovery into points. From their own 27, the Bulldogs then drove for their final score, using up the final minutes of the third period. Smith completed a second down pass to Drew Morgan for 19 yards, then passed to junior Cole McAlister, who made a nice shoe top catch at the CAC 43. Four rushing plays moved the ball to the 33, from where Smith reconnected with McAlister to the 12-yard-line. From there Sunde ran for the touchdown with 28 seconds left in the quarter. McFain's kick was good and the Bulldogs led 42-0.
GHS reserves played most of the fourth quarter, and the defense did allow the Mustangs a late touchdown after an eight-play drive that covered 59 yards. Running back Eric Simmons scored from five yards out, making the final score 42-7. The Bulldogs used both backup quarterbacks in the final minutes of the game. But neither junior Houston Kennedy or sophomore Jabe Burgess were called upon to do much more than hand off and protect the football, as Coach Jones milked the final seconds off the clock. When the horn sounded, the Bulldogs were 11-0 and one step closer to repeating as state champs.
Officially, The Bulldogs rolled up 455 yards of offense - 256 rushing and 199 passing. Justin Sunde finished the game with 17 carries for 132 yards. Hayden Smith completed 14 of 17 pass attempts for 199 yards. Drew Morgan had five catches for 73 yards, while Sunde had four receptions for 63 yards. The GHS defense surrendered some real estate, allowing CAC 111 yards through the air and 116 on the ground, but not much in the way of points. Remarkably, it was largely a penalty-free game, with only a handful of flags thrown.
"I was proud of the way we played," said Coach Jones in comments immediately following the win. "Defensively we gave them some yards, but we never let them in the [end] zone. I thought they had a great scheme offensively, and they made it tough on us. Coach Shoemaker does a great job and they have some guys that can really run. CAC is a good offensive football team and I was pleased with our defense." Jones was also quick to point out that it was a total team effort, and has been all season. "The word of the week was unity, and I've thought our kids have bought into that all year. I'm so proud of the way they play. They are unselfish and don't really care who gets the credit."
As for the looming contest with the Wynne, Jones gave new Yellowjackets' coach Chris Hill due respect. "Chris does a great job and we've played [Wynne] quite a bit. Of course, he's coming home because he used to coach here with Ronnie [Peacock]. We're just excited to still be playing." The Bulldogs have already played one monumental game against a Chris Hill coached team. In 2005, Greenwood and Morrilton met in the state championship game, won by the Bulldogs 35-32.
Kickoff Friday night is at 7:30 p.m. A victory would propel Greenwood into the semi-finals against the winner of the Camden Fairview - Beebe game. If Beebe upsets the favored Cardinals, then the Bulldogs will get one more game at home. But a Camden victory means that Greenwood must make the long trip south to Camden the day after Thanksgiving, the same day Arkansas will play top-ranked LSU on national television. A similar scenario worked out well for the 'Dogs and the Hogs in 2007. Arkansas upset number one ranked LSU in overtime, while Greenwood defeated Camden Fairview that night, before going on to win its third consecutive state title. Let's hope that history repeats itself.
