The Greenwood Bulldogs squashed the Sheridan Yellowjackets last Friday night, 54-0, to improve their season record to a perfect 9-0. Greenwood also remained unbeaten in 6A West conference play (6-0) with one game remaining, this coming Friday at Lake Hamilton. Game time is at 7 p.m.
Head Coach Rick Jones and his team are trying to complete their third straight unbeaten regular campaign, having gone 10-0 in each of the last two years. In both seasons they posted 12-0 marks before losing in the state championship game, to Pine Bluff (2015) and Russellville (2016). The Bulldogs remain as clear favorites to win it all this year. The 6A title game will be Friday, December 1st, at 7 p.m. at Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium.
The Sheridan Yellowjackets are currently on the other end of the spectrum, having now lost 18 games in a row. New Head Coach Lance Parker was hired to turn things around for the ‘Jackets, and he has a strong resume as a successful offensive coordinator at both Bryant and Russellville, both winning programs. But it will take time, patience, hard work, and a strong commitment by the players and community.
To speed up the process, Sheridan started numerous sophomores against the Bulldogs, and to their credit the Yellowjackets never quit, despite being clearly outclassed and outplayed by top-ranked Greenwood. The ‘Dogs scored on their first six offensive possessions and added a defensive touchdown as well, leading 48-0 at the half.
As it has throughout the season, the GHS defense set the tone, forcing a quick punt after Sheridan received the opening kickoff. The kick was a poor one, sailing out-of-bounds at the visitors’ 41-yard-line, giving Greenwood excellent field position. The Bulldogs needed just four plays to score.
On first down, quarterback Connor Noland passed for 13 yards to receiver Josh Barlow, reaching the 29. Running back Kenny Wood then carried to the 23 before Noland passed again to Peyton Holt at the 11. Wood scored the touchdown on the next snap. Kicker Grant Ennis added the extra point for a 7-0 lead (9:46).
Holt set up Greenwood’s next score less than 90 seconds later with a 47-yard punt return from mid-field. He dove for the goal line at the pylon, but was ruled out-of-bounds at the Sheridan 2-yard-line. Kenny Wood scored on the next play, with Ennis adding the extra point (7:59).
After Sheridan’s third punt, the GHS offense went back to work from its own 46. After making a first down, the Bulldogs found themselves facing fourth-and-five at the visitors’ 35, too far away for a field goal try. Going for it, Noland passed to Kade Orlicek at the 27, moving the sticks for a fresh set of downs. Noland then completed a sideline pass to Orlicek, who side-stepped a tackle and raced to the end zone (4:05). The PAT was good (21-0).
Greenwood’s next series started at the Sheridan 44. Noland connected with Orlicek for 12 yards on first down, then launched a deep pass down the left side of the field into the waiting arms of Josh Barlow in the front corner of the end zone for the touchdown. Ennis added the kick for a 28-0 lead (2:08).
The Yellowjackets finally earned a first down on their next possession, but still had to punt as the game transitioned to the second quarter, giving Greenwood the ball again at the Bulldogs’ 30 after a penalty on the return. One play later the score was 34-0 after Kenny Wood caught a swing pass from Noland and galloped down the visiting sideline for the touchdown. Ennis added the extra point.
Literally seconds later, after the kickoff, Greenwood safety Dylan Vota picked off a Yellowjackets’ pass and returned it 50 yards for a defensive touchdown. The kick failed, leaving the score at 41-0.
After yet another short Sheridan punt was fair caught at the Yellowjackets’ 39, another abbreviated drive resulted in Greenwood’s sixth offensive touchdown on a 30-yard run by Kenny Wood (7:50). The kick by Ennis was good, making the score 48-0.
Coach Jones then pulled his first team offense and sent in the second wave, led by senior quarterback Easton Barrett. Greenwood scored the game’s final touchdown in the third quarter when senior running back Jackson Webb exploded through the middle for an 83-yard scamper to the end zone. With Grant Ennis on the sideline, the extra point kick failed, making the final score 54-0.
Statistically, the Bulldogs’ offense gained 415 total yards, 135 rushing and 280 passing, despite sitting the first unit for over half the game. Kenny Wood got a much-needed respite, rushing just four times for 43 yards, though he also had two pass receptions for 85 yards. Jackson Webb also had four carries for 85 yards.
Connor Noland padded his season stats with a near perfect performance, completing 11 of 13 passes for 219 yards and three touchdowns. After Wood’s 85 yards, Josh Barlow had four catches for 70 yards and Kade Orlicek had five receptions for 56 yards. Five other receivers caught passes of 20 yards or less.
Defensively, Nick Vota, Eli Martin, and Camden Beshears all had seven tackles each. Vota had three solo stops, while Martin and Beshears had two solo tackles each. Travis Cox had five stops while Sam Sandifer and Garrett Newman had four tackles each. Luke Johnson, Hunter Webb, and Cole Erwin had three tackles each.
“Our kids played really well,” said Coach Jones after the game. “I was really proud of them. We went out Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, our full pad practice days, and they were focused. They concentrated. If we just keep building on this and keep getting better, we’re going to be okay.
“We were efficient and smooth. The defense got after [it]. We played smart. We didn’t have a lot of penalties. We didn’t turn it over until right there at the end. [We] just have to do it every day.
“We’ve got a share of the conference title wrapped up,” added Jones when reminded that his Bulldogs had locked up the #1 seed from the 6A West, giving them a bye in the first round of the playoffs starting November 10th. But the coach refused to look too far ahead. “We’re going to focus on Lake Hamilton,” he said.
Jones also complimented the Yellowjackets for their heart and courage in the face of mounting losses. “Sheridan does a nice job. They’ve been fighting everybody,” said the coach. “They battled to the end. It doesn’t matter what the score is. I was impressed with them. But we got some momentum on them, and it was enjoyable.”
Asked to put the victory in perspective as it relates to his team’s season goals, Jones said, “That was a big win because it guarantees us the #1 seed, and a share of the conference title. I don’t know that anybody is going to be excited about having to share that thing, but we can take care of that next week. It gives you a bye and home field advantage, and we’re proud of that. We just need to get better and better.”