There are so many storylines relating to last Friday’s 45-35 GHS victory over the Patriots of Little Rock Parkview, it’s hard to know where to start. But let’s begin with Greenwood’s 48-game home winning streak mentioned by Tim Terry and broadcast partner Kevin Jones during their pre-game setup for the live stream. That streak now stands at 49.
The Bulldogs haven’t lost a home game at Smith-Robinson Stadium since they were beaten 24-14 in the playoffs by the El Dorado Wildcats in November of 2014. Ironically, it is El Dorado (10-2) that awaits Greenwood (9-3) in the 6A state championship game. The Wildcats easily defeated Marion in the other 6A semi-final, 60-27. The two surviving teams will meet next Saturday at noon in Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium.
That’s the venue the Parkview Patriots (10-3) call their regular season home, and they were hoping to make an appearance there themselves in the title game after beating the Bulldogs earlier this season, 48-28. But that was a different Greenwood team than the one Parkview faced this past Friday night. Back in September the Bulldogs were riddled with injuries to key players, including starting quarterback Hunter Houston, a pair of key defensive linemen, their #2 running back, and more.
But with most of those players recovered and back in action, the post-season version of the Bulldogs was more than the talented Patriots could handle, despite a wealth of Division-I college talent on their roster. But by no means was it an easy win for Greenwood, which trailed 14-0 and 21-7 in the first quarter before roaring back with 35 unanswered points. When the dust settled, the Bulldogs led 42-21 midway through the third quarter before Parkview scored its last two touchdowns and Greenwood added a field goal, making the final score, 45-35.
Another intriguing storyline from Friday’s game involved the GHS defense shutting down all that college-bound talent lined up across from them. Greenwood’s defense entered Friday’s contest having not allowed a point since week eight of the regular season, or 12 consecutive scoreless quarters. No one expected them to hold Parkview scoreless, but they needed to improve on their earlier performance against the Patriots, and they did.
James Jointer, the Arkansas running back recruit who rushed for over 260 yards against Greenwood back in September, was hardly a factor Friday night. In fact, almost all of Parkview’s points came on big plays of 24, 80, 77, and 79 yards. Two of those were long pass plays and another was a defensive score after an interception. They had only two sustained offensive drives in the game against the Greenwood defense, one for 13 plays and another for six plays. While giving up 35 points, the GHS defense was great in the second and third quarters, shutting down the visiting offense.
The Pats were physically talented, fast, and explosive on offense, but it wasn’t enough. On the other side of the ball the Parkview defense simply couldn’t handle Greenwood’s multi-faceted hurry-up offensive attack led by a healthy Hunter Houston and running back Javon Williamson, a bevy of quality receivers, and a deadly short passing game, all protected by a solid offensive line. It’s the same winning formula Greenwood has relied on for years.
The Patriots received the opening kick and started their first scoring possession at their own 20. It would be their longest sustained drive of the night. Their touchdown came on a 24-yard run by Willie Eackles on the 13th play of the series and the point after was good for a 7-0 Parkview lead (6:32).
Hoping to match the Patriots early score, the Bulldogs marched 58 yards on their opening possession, reaching the visitors’ 22-yard-line before Parkview’s Tayvion Haney picked off a Hunter Houston pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown. The extra point kick was good again, putting the Pats on top, 14-0, with 4:06 showing on the scoreboard clock.
But it was still early, and the Bulldogs kept their cool. Javon Williamson returned the ensuing kickoff 21 yards to the GHS 29, and Houston led his teammates on their first scoring drive of 71 yards in 12 plays to cut the Parkview lead in half. Key plays included a 14-yard pass completion to freshman receiver Grant Karnes on third-and-ten; a 15-yard toss to L.J. Robins for a first down at the Parkview 40; a 16-yard screen pass to Aiden Kennon that reached the Pats’ 20; and a throwback pass to Williamson good for 23 yards to the 2-yard-line. Houston then scored on a QB keeper and Ben Moy’s extra point kick was good, making the score 14-7 with 1:11 remaining in the first quarter.
But Parkview would scored again before the period ended, and it took just over a minute to do so. From their 23-yard-line, quarterback Jaylon White, and Ole Miss recruit, fired a pass deep down the visitors’ sideline to receiver Kendall Love, who made the catch and outran his pursuit to the end zone. The kick put the Patriots back up by 14 points again, 21-7.
But it would be the last points Parkview would score in the half as the Bulldogs rallied to lead 27-21 at the break. In fact, the Greenwood defense held the explosive Patriots scoreless for the next 21-plus minutes, long enough for the GHS offense to scored 35 unanswered points and build a 42-21 lead midway through the third quarter. Parkview’s only three possessions in the second quarter ended with a punt, an interception, and a failed fourth down play.
Grant Karnes returned the Parkview kickoff to the GHS 37, and on first down Hunter Houston passed to Aiden Kennon for 13 yards to midfield before the quarter expired. But moments later a holding penalty had the ‘Dogs facing second-and -21 at their own 39. A 17-yard pass to Karnes followed and a short run by Williamson moved the ball to the visitors’ 41.
Houston carried for a yard to move the sticks on fourth down then passed to Kennon to the 23 to move them again. After a nine-yard scramble, Houston threw to receiver Bryce Caldwell near the sideline for the touchdown. However, the kick by Moy was wide of the mark, leaving the score at 21-13 with 9:50 left before halftime.
A quick three-and-out followed by the Patriots, giving the ball right back to a red-hot GHS offense after a punt to the Greenwood 17-yard-line. But the possession seemed doomed from the start after a penalty to the 12 and a quarterback sack at the 28 four plays later, leaving the Bulldogs with a third-and-14 situation that prompted Head Coach Chris Young to call a timeout at the 6:47 mark.
The resulting play was a pass to L.J. Robins to the 44-yard-line, more than enough for the first down. Houston then scrambled to the 50 and Williamson ran to the Parkveiw 44. After a penalty pushed them back to the 49, the ‘Dogs got a pass-and-catch from Houston to senior Luke Brewer to the 38 and another run from Williamson to the 33 for a first down. The junior tailback then ran twice more, the first time to the 27 and the second time for the touchdown, finding a hole on the right side of the GHS line. Moy’s kick was good this time, pulling Greenwood to within one point at 21-20.
With 5:26 still remaining in the first half, Parkview had plenty of time to mount an offensive threat, and seemed to be doing so when Greenwood sophomore defensive back Landon Nelms intercepted a Patriots’ pass near the GHS 25 and returned it to the 37 with four minutes left in the half, forcing a weary and winded Parkview defense to return to the field once again.
Williamson then ran for 16 yards to the visitors’ 47 and again to the 45. Houston passed to Caldwell at the 38, but a run for no gain left the Bulldogs two yards short of a first down with one snap remaining. After another strategic timeout by Coach Young, Hunter Houston earned the first down with a hard run to the 36, keeping the possession alive. He then passed to Williamson for another first down at the 20 then to Aiden Kennon for the touchdown (1:10). Moy’s kick was good, putting Greenwood ahead for the first time at 27-21, a lead they would never relinquish.
The Bulldogs’ received the opening kick of the second half and continued their offensive assault on the Parkview defense, driving 73 yards in nine plays for their fourth consecutive touchdown. Houston completed passes of 12, 11, and six yards to start the possession, reaching the visitors’ 44-yard-line. Williamson ran four times to the 29 before a loss back to the 32. Houston then found Aiden Kennon downfield at the 20 before the junior receiver eluded a couple of would-be tacklers inside the 15-yard-line and continued on for the touchdown. Ben Moy’s extra point made the score 34-21.
With 9:07 left in the third quarter and all the momentum on his side, Coach Young then made a gutsy call, asking Moy to execute an onside kick, which he did perfectly. The ball was aimed at the visitors’ sideline, and it bounced just right so that Greenwood’s Colin Daggett could corral it at the Parkview 49, putting the GHS offense back on the field once again and keeping the ball out of the hands of the Patriots.
Eight plays later the move paid off with Greenwood’s fifth consecutive touchdown and sixth overall, but it came with a heavy cost. On first down, Houston scrambled to the Parkview 43, but a penalty moved the ball back to the 48. Luke Brewer then made a sliding catch at the 42 and Williamson caught a pass for a short gain to the 39, but enough for a first down.
Kennon then caught a tunnel screen to the 28 and Williamson followed with a run to the 23. The GHS tailback also got the call on the next snap, but an illegal horse collar tackle brought him down from behind at the 18, except that Williamson didn’t get up after the play and had to be helped off the field by medical staff. It was later learned that he suffered a fractured bone in his lower left leg on the play, ending his season just as the Bulldogs are about to play for the title.
The penalty moved the ball to the 9-yard line, from where Houston connected with Kennon on a slate pattern at the goal line two plays later. Coach Young then called for a two-point conversion and Houston executed it perfectly, throwing a low pass than only L.J. Robins could catch with a diving, rolling effort. The play made the score 42-21 with 6:34 left in the third period.
Perhaps tempting fate one too many times, the Bulldogs tried another onside kick moments later, but this time the ball bounced out-of-bounds, giving Parkview possession at the GHS 49 after the penalty. Six plays later the Patriots finally got back on the scoreboard with an eight-yard run by Darien Bennett (4:44). The extra point pulled Parkview to within 42-28.
Greenwood wouldn’t dent the end zone again for the remainder of the game, but Moy did drill a 27-yard field goal with 7:33 left in the fourth quarter. The kick came at the end of a long possession of 17 plays that took over nine minutes off the clock, keeping the visiting offense on the sideline. With Williamson out, Hunter Houston was the driving force behind that critical series, running five times for 42 yards and completing three passes to Kennon, Robins, and Brewer. Senior running back Cameron Krone also contributed four runs for nine yards. The field goal moved the score to 45-28.
Parkview’s final touchdown came moments later on a short pass from Jaylon White to Parker Perry near the visitors’ sideline, but what should have been a modest gain turned into a 79-yard scoring romp when Perry slipped past two GHS defenders. The extra point made it 45-35 with 7:17 left to play. But the Patriots never got the football back on offense.
A failed onside kick followed, giving Greenwood the ball at the Parkview 47, recovered by Aiden Kennon. The Bulldogs then ran nearly a dozen plays and picked up three first downs with the clock running. Parkview Head Coach Brad Bolding had two timeouts remaining, no doubt hoping to save them for his offense, but never got the chance.
The biggest play of the drive was a third-and-12 pass completion over the middle to Luke Brewer to sustain the possession. From inside the Pats’ 10-yard-line, after Parkview expended their final timeout, the Bulldogs finally pulled the plug and took a knee on the victory. Incredibly, despite scoring twice, the Patriots only ran seven offensive plays in the entire second half.
Comparatively, Greenwood amassed 570 yards of offense on an amazing 101 snaps, gaining 39 first downs along the way. Coach Young acknowledged those facts among his post-game comments to the media, saying, “How about that. We were able to drive the ball, make first down, and execute on third downs. We were really good in critical situations, offensively. That’s how you win big ball games like this.”
From the opposing sideline, Parkview’s Brad Bolding, a former GHS assistant coach in the late 1990s, was somewhat more reserved in his post-game comments. “We didn’t play hard enough to win, that’s all I’ve got to say,” he offered. According to reliable sources, Little Rock Parkview is dropping down to Class 5A next season, so Bolding and his Patriots will certainly be heard from again.
Asked about containing Parkview’s explosive offense, Coach Young said, "You're going to give up big plays against great athletes, and that's what happened. Obviously, there's some stuff we have to clean up [defensively]. I'm disappointed in the touchdowns we gave up late.
"Our guys respect them," Young said of the Patriots. "They whipped our tail the first time we played them. There's no talking around it. But our guys weren't scared. Greenwood kids aren't afraid to play anybody. They showed that tonight. I’m just so proud of our kids. I really don’t know what to say. We started off [2-2], but we’ve got a lot of people that believe in us and that’s what we need in Little Rock. We just beat a heck of a talented football team. Give Parkview credit. Their kids played hard. They’re good football players. They’re so athletic and so fast, and I think we’re going to see the same thing next week [against El Dorado].”
Asked about quarterback Hunter Houston, who missed the first game with Parkview, Young said, “The guy is a flat-out baller. He came out and got it done. He made play after play, [along with] our receivers, our offensive line, and our running back. I’m just so proud of our guys. This was a heck of a win for our program, for our kids, and our coaching staff. We’re going to celebrate this one and hug on them a little bit.”