The #1 ranked Greenwood Bulldogs are piling up winning streaks right and left this season and continued to do so last Friday night with an unstoppable passing attack led by senior quarterback Kane Archer. Arkansas’ top-ranked Class 6A squad moved to 7-0 on the season after a convincing 42-10 mercy-rule victory on the road at Lake Hamilton, also extending their current multi-season unbeaten streak to 33 while sitting on a remarkable 73-game winning streak at Smith-Robinson Stadium.
Another key to Archer’s success against the Wolves was the return of senior receiver Champ Davis, who has missed much of the season due to recurring injury concerns. But a healthy Davis adds another sensational pass catcher to Greenwood’s already deep stable of capable receivers like Cooper Bland, Brayden Renick, Benton Hossley, Brayden Brewer, and others, including some top freshmen receivers just promoted to the varsity squad. Freshman Ty Karnes saw limited action in the game but did not have a catch. He is the younger brother of former GHS star receiver Grant Karnes, now an Arkansas Razorback.
The GHS aerial attack featured five scoring strikes of 25, 48, 23, 30, and seven yards, with senior Cooper Bland responsible for three of those touchdown catches. Bland has also battled injuries this season. After giving up a field goal on Lake Hamilton’s game-opening drive, the Bulldogs scored 42 unanswered points before the Wolves added their only touchdown of the game in the second half against Greenwood’s #2 defense. The Bulldogs now have three regular season conference games remaining against Van Buren, Fort Smith Southside, and Mountain Home, the first two of which will be at Smith-Robinson Stadium.
As for the status of the 6A West conference race, Greenwood sits comfortably atop the league, the clear favorite to run-the-table and earn the #1 seed from the West and a first-round bye in the playoffs as they pursue a third consecutive state championship in December. Still unbeaten in conference play, the Van Buren Pointers (5-2, 4-0) are technically tied with the Bulldogs before the two teams meet this coming Friday. While anything is possible, a Van Buren victory seems improbable. Both the Shiloh Christian Saints and Mountain Home Bombers are 3-1 in league play, with Greenwood already owning a win over the Saints. At 6-1 overall, the Bombers are having one of their best seasons ever but also seem unlikely to upset the Bulldogs. The top six conference teams will make the playoffs with Russellville and Siloam Springs both still winless at 0-4.
The Wolves received the opening kickoff last Friday night and marched 72 yards before settling for a 34-yard field goal and an early 3-0 lead over the Bulldogs. But that was all the Lake Hamilton offense could muster against Greenwood’s improving first-team defense coming off their only shutout of the season a week earlier against Siloam Springs, 42-0. The reconstituted unit has been getting better week-to-week under the guidance of GHS defensive coordinator Jason Gill and his staff.
After that 3-point hiccup by the Wolves, the Greenwood offense scored on its first five offensive possessions to lead 35-3 at the half. The first score came at the end of a 68-yard drive that began with a kick return by Lawyer Thornsberry to the GHS 32. After Kane Archer scrambled to the 43 for a first down, he threw to Benton Hossley at the Lake Hamilton 43, moving the chains again. Archer then found Champ Davis for 18 yards to the Wolves’ 25 before connecting with Cooper Bland, who was wide open down the right sideline, cradling the football securely before running into the end zone (4:31).
After kicker Landon Franklin nailed the extra point for a 7-0 GHS lead, the Wolves picked up a pair of first downs, crossing into Greenwood territory before punting into the end zone. Back on offense, Archer and company began the possession with a short catch and long run by Cooper Bland, but the play was muted by a holding penalty that brought the ball back to the 21. Archer then found Brayden Renick for six yards to the 28, then again at the 32. Next, the GHS quarterback dumped the ball off to Champ Davis, reaching the 35. A Kane Archer scramble was then nullified by a penalty back to the 25. Another penalty moved the ball back to the 20, bringing up second-and-22 for the Dogs.
Regrouping, Archer found Bland again at the 33, Davis at the 39, and on fourth-and-3 he connected with Brayden Renick for a first down at the 48, keeping the drive alive for one more play. That play was a rollout to the right and a long heave downfield to a waiting Champ Davis near the 15-yard-line. The wide-open receiver made the catch and easily sauntered into the end zone for the score. Franklin’s extra point kick was good for a 14-3 GHS lead with just two seconds left in the first quarter.
On their next possession, the Wolves turned the ball over on downs at their own 47, losing on a fourth-and-3 gamble when their quarterback was flushed out of the pocket and tackled shy of the first down. It took only five plays for the Bulldogs to cash in on the short field. On second down, Archer passed to Champ Davis at the Wolves’ 36, then again to the 27. The state’s top QB then uncorked an amazing circular scramble that netted just four yards but was a thing of beauty for fans. Archer finished the possession with a 23-yard strike to Cooper Bland, all alone on the right side of the end zone. Franklin’s kick made the score 21-3 with 8:39 left in the first half.
But the Bulldogs weren’t done scoring, getting three more chances before the half ended, making good on two of those opportunities. Greenwood’s next score came after a quick three-and-out by the Wolves, thanks to the GHS defense forcing a punt to the visitors’ 38-yard-line. Six snaps and a Lake Hamilton facemask penalty later the Bulldogs hit pay dirt on another touchdown strike from Kane Archer to Cooper Bland, this one for 30 yards and six points.
Archer’s first offering of the possession went to Champ Davis for eight yards to the 46. Two snaps later, Mario Dunbar carried to the 49 for a first down. Two plays after that Archer connected with Brayden Renick, a play that drew a flag for a flagrant facemask penalty, moving the ball to the Wolves’ 30. Archer then found Bland down the right sideline just inside the 10-yard-line for the catch, cruising past a would-be tackler for the touchdown. Landon Franklin’s PAT kick was good (6:12).
Leading 29-3, the Bulldogs scored again after a Lake Hamilton fumble was recovered by linebacker Jayden Foster at midfield. From the Wolves’ 49, Wesley Raggio carried twice to the 36, moving the sticks for a first down. Archer passed to Bland at the 29 on the next snap then found Champ Davis at the 22 two plays later. Mario Dunbar ran to the 19 and Brayden Renick caught a pass at the 12. Dunbar carried again to the seven, setting up the short TD toss from Archer to Brayden Brewer. Franklin’s kick made the score 35-3 with just 38 ticks left on the first half clock. But there was more to come.
Another Lake Hamilton fumble at midfield gave the Bulldogs a chance to invoke the mercy rule before halftime, but only if they could score in 19 seconds. Greenwood defensive end Cody Johnson dislodged the football and linebacker Drew Dickinson recovered it at the home 47-yard-line. But after completing a first down pass to Brayden Renick at the 37, Archer’s next two passes were incomplete, the second one in the end zone. With just two seconds remaining, the Bulldogs completed a pass to Lawson Leath, who then flipped it to a trailing Brayden Renick, but the ball came loose and was recovered by the Wolves as time expired.
The second half featured singular scores by both teams, first by Greenwood then by the Wolves after the mercy rule was in place. But the Bulldogs’ first possession after the second half kickoff ended with a pass interception. But Lake Hamilton couldn’t move the football and punted to Lawyer Thornsberry, who turned in a 20-yard return to the Wolves’ 31.
Kane Archer then ran to the 23 before passing to Champ Davis at the 9-yard-line. After an incompletion, Archer handed off to running back Wesley Raggio, who scampered around left end for the score. Landon Franklin’s final extra point kick was good again, boosting the score to 42-3 at the 6:52 mark of the third quarter, initiating the 35-point mercy rule over the final 18:52.
Kane Archer departed the game at that point, replaced by junior backup Cruz Coatney, who later guided the Bulldogs into Lake Hamilton territory before a fumble cost them a chance to score. The #2 defense gave up a touchdown to the Wolves on the final play of the third quarter on a 4-yard run, and the PAT accounted for the final score of 42-10. Neither team scored in the fourth quarter as the clock continued to run non-stop.
Statistically, Kane Archer had one of his best performances of the season, throwing for 339 yards on 26 completions and 37 attempts with five touchdowns and one interception. Cooper Bland had three of those touchdowns amid his five catches for 98 yards. Champ Davis was the team’s leading receiver with nine grabs for 130 yards and one score. Brayden Renick had eight catches for 65 yards and Brayden Brewer had two receptions for 16 yards and a touchdown. Mario Dunbar ran for 33 yards on eight carries. All stats are unofficial.
After Friday’s contest, Head Coach Chris Young addressed his troops on the field then spoke with Dog Pound sideline reporter Richie Cagle. The Top Dog was pleased with most of what he saw, but as usual found areas of concern that need improvement as the team heads into the final stretch of three regular season games prior to the playoffs.
Cagle’s first topic was the play of the GHS defense. “They made some good adjustments, obviously, and they do a good job of that,” said the coach. “But we’ve got to come out with a little more fire on that first drive. We can’t give up a seven-minute drive at the first of the game. But [the defense] made some good adjustments and played well after that. I was a little disappointed that the second defense gave up a touchdown. That was their opportunity to show us what they can do.
Then offensively, we were really good until we turned the ball over,” continued Young. “We fumbled three times, the wide receivers, and that’s on me. We’ve got to do a better job of protecting the ball. We had one interception and three fumbles, and in a close game that will get you beat.”
The coach was then asked about the return of Champ Davis to the lineup. “Champ and [Cooper Bland] both, we were going back-and-forth about whether to play them, and they didn’t start. But we didn’t get off to a real fast start, so we got them in pretty quick, and both those guys are special, so it was good to have them back. Obviously, we missed Braxton [Canada] tonight and need him back, but some other guys stepped up to make some plays. And it’s going to help us in the long run with a lot of guys getting a lot of valuable minutes on Friday night, but it’s good to have your “dudes” back too.”
Greenwood has suffered an unusual number of injuries this season, especially to its receiving corps. Thankfully, that was one of the team’s deepest areas of talent in the pre-season. Still, the loss of Champ Davis for an extended period hurt the GHS offense while allowing a player like Brayden Renick to shine. Bland’s injury issues have cost him time in recent weeks, and the loss of super sophomore receiver Braxton Canada will certainly be felt until he hopefully returns later this season. Other injured Bulldogs include senior defensive back Cooper Goodwin and junior defensive end Jacob Berry, both starters who are out for the remainder of the season. They also recently lost senior lineman Landon Billy perhaps for the rest of the 2025 campaign. Those losses have forced other players to grow up fast as the team chases yet another state championship.