It’s difficult to explain what happened last Thursday night at F. S. Garrison Stadium in Harrison without sounding bitter or angry. But fans of the Junior Bulldogs – mostly family members of players and coaches who made the long drive to Crooked Creek – have every right to their feelings of outrage after Greenwood’s 15-14 loss to the Junior Goblins.
The conference showdown between old rivals devolved into a flag-throwing contest by the officials in the second half, with the Freshman ‘Dogs coming out on the short end of the stick. For the game, Greenwood was penalized nine times for over 100 yards while the hometown Goblins drew five flags for just 35 yards. Four of the five Harrison flags were for offsides penalties, while none of Greenwood’s flags were for procedural infractions, including three holding calls, three personal fouls, one for pass interference, one for unsportsmanlike conduct, and another 15-yarder assessed on the Greenwood sideline near the end of the game.
From the start, Greenwood fans were not happy with the officiating, though only six flags came out in the first half, three against each team, though the visitors were assessed 33 yards in penalties to just 15 for Harrison. But Bulldogs’ fans were unhappy with what they perceived to be several non-calls which could have been made against the Goblins but were not. Still, fans will be fans and good sportsmanship requires that we give game officials the benefit of the doubt.
But things escalated significantly in the second half, and particularly in the fourth quarter when Harrison made its winning drive that included a crucial two-point conversion, all of it set up by three major penalties assessed against Greenwood in a span of less than a minute, advancing the football 30 yards down the field and setting up the two-point play after the touchdown. It was almost more than the Greenwood coaches, players, and fans could bear, believing the game had been taken from them in the final moments.
The first half ended in a 7-7 tie in what appeared to be largely a defensive struggle. The Bulldogs scored the game’s first touchdown midway through the second quarter and Harrison tied the score four minutes later. Greenwood then regained the lead early in the fourth quarter after a long possession and drive. Trailing 14-7, the Junior Goblins got the football two more times, first turning it over on downs before their fateful 76-yard drive that included multiple penalties against the visitors.
The game’s first score came at the 5:18 mark of the second period after a short possession and a long pass completion. Greenwood quarterback Brayden Brewer uncorked a deep throw to receiver Brayden Renick that reached the Harrison 8-yard-line. The play covered 36 yards, setting up Mario Dunbar’s scoring run on the next snap. The series began after a punt return by Ty Holt, giving the Jr. ‘Dogs a short field to work with on offense. The extra point kick by Landan Franklin was good.
But the Jr. Goblins scored on their last possession of the first half, driving 64 yards in half-a-dozen plays that also included a 15-yard facemask call on the Bulldogs. The point after was good, tying the score at 7-7. The visitors then made a valiant effort to score again before the half, sending Franklin out to attempt a 35-yard field goal that sailed left of the goal posts, leaving the game tied at the intermission.
The third quarter was scoreless, although Greenwood’s final scoring drive consumed most of the clock and resulted in a touchdown early in the fourth stanza. The possession lasted 17 plays and covered 65 yards, featuring a mix of passes and runs. Brewer completed all four of his pass attempts for about 20 yards while Mario Dunbar did most of the ground work, including the seven-yard touchdown run. The Jr. ‘Dogs appeared to be stalled at the Harrison 35 when punter Braxton Canada was upended, drawing a flag for roughing and keeping the ball in the hands of the visiting offense. Franklin’s extra point put Greenwood back on top, 14-7, early in the fourth quarter.
The visiting defense then held the Goblins on their next possession and Harrison turned the ball over on downs at its own 45-yard-line. But the Greenwood offense was stymied by a holding penalty and likewise turned the ball over on downs at the home 24-yard-line with just 2:27 remaining to play. Unfortunately for the Freshmen ‘Dogs, it was just enough time for Harrison to pull out a last-minute victory.
Facing third down at the home 46 and needing seven yards to move the sticks, the Jr. Goblins went to the air, lobing a deep pass over the middle that fell incomplete after what appeared to be a clean hit on the receiver by the Greenwood defensive back. But the play drew a flag for pass interference, then another flag for unsportsmanlike conduct, both from the same official. Since the second penalty came after the play, both penalties were assessed, moving the ball 30 yards down the field into Greenwood territory at the visitors' 25-yard-line.
Four snaps later the Goblins scored on a 1-yard run that also resulted in a late facemask penalty on the Bulldogs, moving the extra point from the 3-yard-line to the 1½, making the two-point conversion an easy choice for the Harrison coaches. But when the ball carrier appeared to be stood up and stopped short of the goal line, no one blew the whistle, allowing more Harrison players to arrive and push the pile over the goal line for the winning score.
Trailing 15-14 with 30 seconds left, a sideline penalty on Greenwood allowed Harrison to kick off from the visitors’ 45-yard-line, and Greenwood started its final possession at its own 13. A 13-yard pass play on first down was then negated by another facemask penalty, and two snaps later a desperation pass downfield was picked off by the Goblins to secure the win.
After the contest, Head Coach Luke Hales received verbal support from Greenwood fans for standing up for his players at the end and challenging the officials on some of their questionable calls, for which he also was penalized and ejected from the game. When things had calmed down, Coach Hales talked about the loss and looked ahead to next week’s opponent.
“It was a nailbiter,” said Hales, referring to the competitive nature of the contest. “Our defense played awesome all night long. They gave us chances to win. They tackled. They ran to the football. They played hard. Then on offense, we were able to run the ball. Our big boys up front got going. I was proud of our effort. What our kids showed out on the field tonight was really something special. I was proud of Coach [Brian] Sims getting our offensive line ready for the second half, and we ran the ball really well.”
Hales, a former quarterback himself for the Bulldogs and the University of Central Arkansas, also commented on his team’s passing game, saying, “We were a little spotty here and there. We hit a big play in the first half on third down. Brewer connected with Renick for a really long pass. [Brayden] Brewer is getting better every week.”
As for the nine penalties suffered by his team at the hands of the officials, some of which were certainly deserved, but perhaps not all, the coach said, “You’re going to get penalties when you play sloppy in junior high football, and that’s just something we’ve got to coach up. We’ve got to keep our hands inside. We’ve got to tackle them where we’re supposed to tackle them and let go when we’re supposed to let go. But our kids were fighting hard, so some of the effort penalties we’re okay with.”
The Bulldogs return home this coming Thursday to take on the Junior Panthers of Siloam Springs. “It should be a good one,” said Hales of the season’s seventh contest, their sixth in conference play. Greenwood is now 4-2 overall and 3-2 in league play with four games remaining. Kickoff Thursday is set for 7 p.m. at Smith-Robinson Stadium.