After an unplanned open week, the Greenwood Junior Bulldogs jumped all over the visiting Darby Rangers last Thursday night at Smith-Robinson Stadium, winning 41-0 to improve their record to 5-1 overall and 3-0 in River Valley Conference play. Due to the mercy rule, the game lasted just over an hour.
All conference games were cancelled a week earlier due to thunderstorms and lightning that moved through the area on October 10th. Those games will not be made up.
The Bulldogs have three contests remaining, including next week’s big conference showdown at Harrison against the unbeaten Golden Goblins. The winner of that game will be in the driver’s seat for the league title. Due to travel issues, the game next Thursday will kick off at 6 p.m.
The Darby Rangers struggled to compete with the Bulldogs throughout Thursday’s action. In particular, the visitors had a great deal of trouble fielding kicks and often found themselves deep in their own territory.
For their part, the ‘Dogs scored on their first six possessions in the opening half, even though their longest possession last just four plays. With the mercy rule in play, the second half lasted less than 20 minutes.
Darby began the game by fumbling the opening kickoff, giving Greenwood the ball at the visitors’ 3-yard-line. Storm Scherrey scored around left end on the next snap and J.T. Stanfill added the extra point.
Moments later Scherrey picked off a Darby pass with a diving interception at the Rangers’ 23-yard-line. But he wasn’t done. On the first offensive snap by the Bulldogs, Scherrey threw a touchdown pass to receiver Aiden Kennon, making the score 13-0 less than a minute into the game. The extra point was blocked.
With the home defense suffocating the Darby offense, the Greenwood offense hardly had to break a sweat on a pleasant October evening. Back on the field after a Rangers’ punt, the Junior ‘Dogs needed just four plays to score again.
On third down from the Greenwood 44, running back Javon Williamson rambled 54 yards to the Darby 2-yard-line, setting up his own touchdown run on the next snap. Kicker Steven Duran booted the extra point.
Leading 20-0 with 2:37 left in the first quarter, Greenwood was just getting warmed up. After another Darby punt the Bulldogs took over at their own 36. Williamson then took the handoff and sprinted down the visitors’ sideline for a long touchdown run. Duran added the PAT for a 27-0 lead early in the second period.
Following yet another Rangers kick, the Bulldogs struck again like lightning. On first down from their own 38, quarterback Hunter Houston lofted a deep pass for receiver Brett Wood, who bobbled the ball momentarily before hauling it in and sprinting for the score. The kick was good by Duran.
The Bulldogs then forced and recovered a Darby fumble on the Rangers’ next series. Hunter Stockton fell on the ball for the home team at the visitors’ 35.
Two snaps later Storm Scherrey rolled out to his right and passed to receiver Tanner McKusker, who caught the ball and raced down the Greenwood sideline for the game’s final touchdown. The kick by Duran was good and the Bulldogs led 41-0 with 3:22 remaining in the first half.
Head Coach Shannon Rhea called off the ‘Dogs at the end of the half, choosing not to try to score again, and cleared his bench in the second half while milking the clock and keeping the ball exclusively on the ground.
“We got the job done,” said Coach Rhea after the win. “We had some concentration [lapses] and we’ve got to improve on that. [But] we didn’t get anybody banged up and we’ve got a big game next week.”
Asked about changing kickers on extra points, Rhea said, “J.T. [Stanfill] wasn’t kicking very good in pre-game [warmups], and Steven [Duran] has been pretty accurate, so I gave him a shot and he did [well].”
The coach was also pleased to be able to play everyone on his roster. “It was good to get those guys in there. Our coaches did a good job of subbing everybody in.
“[Steven] Duran ran the ball hard there at the end. We’ve got guys like Caden Erskine who’s been doing a good job on the scout team, and Maverick Graham. It was good to get those guys in and let them play.”
As for next week’s visit to Harrison, Rhea said, “We’ve seen [the Jr. Goblins] and they are really competitive. Their coaches do a good job and their kids hustle and fight, so it’s going to be a good game. We’ve got to go up there and play smart football.”
Asked about the impact of the game on the league standings, Coach Rhea said of the winning team, “They will definitely be in the driver’s seat. We [still] have to go to Van Buren and we’ve got Alma coming here. Those are rivalry games and we’re going to get their best shot. [But] the team that wins next week will be in real good shape.”