In 2023 the Greenwood Junior Bulldogs went to Harrison and endured a controversial 15-14 loss to the freshmen Goblins. That game featured several questionable calls or no-calls by the officiating crew that ejected Head Coach Luke Hales, who apparently protested too much while standing up for his players. It was a spooky night, but water under the bridge, right?
The next time the two teams met in 2024, at Greenwood’s Smith-Robinson Stadium, the freshmen Bulldogs absolutely stomped the Jr. Goblins, 51-0. This past week, the same teams met again just weeks before All Hallows’ Eve, and once again the Bulldogs blasted the Goblins, 41-14. Last Thursday’s contest was played near Crooked Creek, and the hometown Goblins looked good early, even leading 14-13 for a short time in the first half before the visitors went on a 28-0 scoring run. Greenwood led 21-14 at halftime.
The visitors got on the scoreboard first, the culmination of a 65-yard drive in eight plays, three of them passes thrown by recently promoted eighth-grade quarterback Bentley Renick. He also played the week before against Farmington, splitting time with Ben Clark, but he took almost all the snaps at Harrison and played well.
After the opening kick sailed out-of-bounds, the Jr. Bulldogs started their first possession at the 35-yard-line. On first down, Renick threw to Ty Karnes, who made a nice one-handed catch to move the chains at the 45. Wyatt Elliott then rumbled to the Harrison 45 for another first down. Renick then completed two short throws to Ryan Ross and to Elliott, reaching the 34. Two snaps later, Elliott carried for six yards to the 28 then again to the 24. Brandon Jarrels then found running room around left end for the touchdown. However, a bobbled snap foiled the extra point try and Greenwood led, 6-0 (5:52).
But that lead was short-lived after a long kick return by the Goblins put the football at the Greenwood 33. The Goblins did their best to shoot themselves in the foot, drawing two penalty flags, but still took the lead after scoring on a nicely executed throwback pass and run for a touchdown. The extra point put the home team on top, 7-6, with 2:58 showing on the clock.
That was enough time for the Bulldogs to score again on their second possession and take a 13-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. Starting from their own 37 after a short kick return, Renick completed another pass to the 43 then ran a QB keeper to the 48. Elliott carried to the 42 before Renick ran to the 36 and passed to another Bentley – Bentley Neece – reaching the 24. Elliott then exploited a lane around the left side for the score. This time Grayson Cobbler’s extra point try was good.
The second quarter began with the Goblins at their own 27 before advancing to midfield, where they later faced a fourth-and-six situation. But a 13-yard pass completion moved the chains at the Greenwood 38. Eight snaps later, the Harrison quarterback scored on a 3-yard run. The extra point put the Jr. Goblins back on top for the last time, 14-13 (4:09).
Greenwood used most of the remaining time in the first half to retake the lead and set themselves up for a big second half with a defensive touchdown. Aysen Dawson got the process started with a long kick return to the Harrison 29, a 40-yard run. But then the wheels came off when the home defense dominated the next several snaps, pushing the visitors back to the Greenwood 40 after three consecutive plays for lost yardage. That forced a punt to the Harrison 21.
But just as the Goblins pushed the Bulldogs back with great defense, the visitors returned the favor, knocking the home offense back to the 17 before a penalty pushed them back further to the 8-yard-line. Then the game changed for good two snaps later when Greenwood’s Ozzie Rogers read the play and jumped the route, picking off a Harrison pass at the 6-yard-line without breaking stride, racing into the end zone for the touchdown. Bentley Renick then passed to Ty Karnes for the two-point conversion, giving Greenwood a 21-14 advantage at the half. Harrison did get close enough to try a desperation pass into the end zone as the half ended, but the ball fell incomplete.
Harrison received the opening kick of the second half and drove 63 yards to the Greenwood 17 before the possession ended with a failed fourth down pass with 2:55 left in the quarter. But it took only 1:08 for the visitors to expand their lead. After moving from their own 20 to the 42, Bentley Renick connected with Wyatt Elliott on a short swing pass that turned into a 58-yard touchdown gallop. Grayson Cobbler’s extra point kick was good for a 28-14 lead (1:47) and the second half rout was on.
The visiting defense took charge of the game on Harrison’s next offensive possession, giving up just one first down before stopping a fourth down play at the Greenwood 40 early in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs quickly took advantage of by scoring their fifth touchdown must moments later.
On first down, Wyatt Elliott rumbled for nine yards to the 49. Bentley Renick moved the chains moments later with a short carry to the Harrison 48, just before he executed a perfect QB draw up the middle for a touchdown. Cobbler’s extra point kick was good again, giving Greenwood a 35-15 lead with 6:15 left to play.
The visitors’ final score came partly as a result of another defensive play on Harrison’s next possession, a second interception, this time by Joey Young, who returned the ball 13 yards to the Goblins’ 31. Wyatt Elliott then carried twice to the 16 before a loss back to the 25. But Bentley Renick scored his second touchdown on a QB keeper around the right side. Cobbler’s kick never got off the ground after a bad snap exchange, leaving the final score at 41-14.
The next day, Head Coach Luke Hales talked about the victory and quarterback Bentley Renick, whose older brother is now starting at receiver for the varsity Bulldogs. “We’ve been struggling on offense and not putting up many points,” said Hales. “We’ve switched guys around at multiple positions, not just at quarterback. We’ve switched guys on the offensive line and at running back, and those were keys to the game last night at Harrison. We were able to run the ball and get movement, and Bentley Renick did a good job with his legs as well. The offensive line was really the key to the game, and Ty Karnes blocking as an H-back as well. He is dominant as a blocker.”
Hales mentioned the names of several offensive linemen who performed well as individuals and as a unit against the Goblins. “Hudson Golden moved over to center and did a great job. Brickston Lambe is a guy that’s rotating at multiple spots on the offensive line. Kingston Kelly and Alex Coward played a lot, and Tayden Mills is playing on both sides of the ball on the D-line and O-line. There are about four eighth graders that are on the roster, and one of them played the whole game at right tackle. His name is Brayden Duncan, and he did a great job as well. All those guys did a really good job,” said Hales.
Asked if Renick will remain at quarterback for the remainder of the season, Hales said, “We’re going to take it week-to-week. We’ve got a big [game] this week against Shiloh Christian, but we scored five times and had a pick six [against Harrison]. We moved the ball better and found a little bit of a rhythm and got some movement on offense, so we’ll try to continue that against Shiloh. [Bentley] did great. He did awesome. He handled the load. He ran the ball and threw it and did a really good job all around,” said the coach.
“I was really pleased with our defense and how well they tackled,” Hales added, giving Coach Brandon Godfrey and his players a lot of credit, noting the two interceptions by Ozzie Rogers and Joey Young. “[Joey] played some free safety for some guys who are going both ways, and he also played a little at receiver and made a big play. Ozzie Rogers had the pick six in the first half. He jumped the route just in time and was in the end zone before [the Goblins] knew what hit them.”
As for this week’s game against the Saints, Coach Hales said, “It’s at home and this is going to be a big game for us. It’s for a shot at the conference championship. Both teams are undefeated in conference play, so it’s going to be a big game and we need as many folks as possible to come to the game and be real loud on Thursday night. Earlier this season the Jr. Bulldogs traveled to Springdale and defeated Shiloh Christian in non-conference play, 14-6. Kickoff Thursday is set for 7 p.m.