On the day before Halloween, the Greenwood Bulldogs quickly took care of business against the visiting Clarksville Panthers, winning 58-0 to extend their home winning streak at Smith-Robinson Stadium to an incredible 81 games. But even more importantly, the team remained unbeaten in 5A West conference play (6-0) heading into the regular season and conference finale next Friday against the rival Alma Airedales. That game will also be played at Smith-Robinson Stadium starting at 7 o'clock p.m.
Bulldogs have dominated the Airedales
Prior to the turn of the century, Greenwood and Alma played each other annually, with the Airedales having the upper hand under legendary head coach Frank Vines. But things began changing when Ronnie Peacock became the Bulldogs’ head coach in the 1990s. The two schools haven’t faced each other in conference play since the Bulldogs moved up to Class 6A in 2012, but they have met several times in non-conference play, all Greenwood victories. The Airedales’ last win over Greenwood came during Head Coach Rick Jones’ first season with the Bulldogs in 2004. But after Alma cancelled the series following the 2017 season, fate has dictated that the two long-time gridiron foes meet once again in conference play.
Fortunately for the Airedales, they have already secured a playoff berth with recent wins over Harrison and Morrilton. Those two teams will play next Friday with the loser being shut out of the post-season. The winner will be the #4 seed from the West. Greenwood’s win over Clarksville gives the Bulldogs the top seed from the West and a win next Friday over Alma will earn Greenwood the outright conference championship with an unbeaten record of 7-0. So, the Bulldogs still have much to play for, not the least of which is a chance to dominate their long-standing rivals from Crawford County.
A lopsided mismatch
Last Friday’s match-up with the Clarksville Panthers was really a mismatch. Clarksville entered the game winless (0-8), having scored just 49 points on the season, or barely six points per game while giving up nearly 40 points per game defensively. The Bulldogs have allowed the fewest points (128) in the conference while scoring the most (339) after Friday’s lopsided victory.
Greenwood’s sideline was well-populated with nearly 100 bodies in uniform while the Panthers had but 35 players on their roster, and three of those were injured and unavailable to play. Not to mention that for the past 14 years Greenwood played in Class 6A while Clarksville moved up from 4A, also in 2012. Since then, the Panthers have won only 20 games while the Bulldogs have won 172, including six state championships while playing for several others. It was one of those unfortunate scheduling mismatches that can’t be avoided in conference play. But it happens a lot where the Bulldogs are concerned.
The difference between the two squads was evident on paper before the game but quickly manifested itself on the field after kickoff. Clarksville managed to make just one first down in the entire first half while the Bulldogs ran up and down the field at will, leading 21-0 after one quarter and 44-0 at the half. Two more second half touchdowns by the GHS reserves accounted for the 58-0 final, Greenwood’s highest scoring output this season, but they could have scored much more. Many of the Bulldogs’ starters played less than two quarters of football.
First half ends with mercy rule in force
Greenwood’s Landon Franklin kicked off into the Clarksville end zone to start the action, but the Panthers could make just two yards on offense before punting to their own 46 with no return. Quarterback Cruz Coatney then passed to Ty Holt at the 40 before running back Mario Dunbar got a yard to the 39. Next, a flip pass to Holt reached the 33, moving the sticks for a first down. Holt also caught the next pass to the 22 before Rhett Holloway carried to the 12-yard-line. Coatney then found Braxton Canada near the right sideline inside the five before the junior receiver carried into the end zone. Franklin’s PAT was good (8:42).
Leading 7-0, Franklin launched another kick into the end zone, giving Clarksville the ball at its own 20. But once again the Panthers were hapless against Greenwood’s defense, losing a yard before having to punt, this time to their own 37. Mario Dunbar ran twice to the 27 before Coatney reconnected with Canada at the 16. The senior QB then passed to Ty Holt on the left side for the game’s second TD. Franklin’s kick was good again for a 14-0 GHS lead (5:35).
Another kickoff into the box put the ball at the Panthers’ 20 and they went backwards to the 12 before punting again to their own 48 with no return by the Bulldogs. Dunbar then ran to the 37 before a determined Rhett Holloway fought his way to the 16. Next, Cruz Coatney found Ty Holt again on the right side before Holt turned the corner and reached the end zone. The extra point kick made it 21-0 with 2:48 left in the opening period.
The visitors returned Greenwood’s next kickoff, but a penalty moved the ball back to the Clarksville 4-yard-line. Desperate to make something happen, Panthers’ head coach Mitchell Powers called for a daring fake punt from his own 2-yard-line, and it worked, a completed pass to the 17 for a first down. But another punt soon followed to the Panthers’ 48.
On first down, Coatney passed to fellow senior Brayden Brewer for an apparent touchdown, but the play was called back due to a holding penalty, putting the ball at the home 42-yard-line. Another penalty moved the ball back to the 37 before Coatney passed to Brewer again at the 42. Senior Cooper Webb was the next target at the Clarksville 49 before Coatney found Holt again at the 36 for a first down. Rhett Holloway then burst through the line to the 21 before Coatney tossed to Brewer near the 20 for an easy touchdown gallop to the end zone. Franklin’s kick made it 28-0 with 10:28 left in the second quarter.
Greenwood’s next points came by a safety when the Panthers snapped the ball into their own end zone. In the mad scramble that followed the loose football was knocked out of play. That made it 30-0 and forced the visitors to kick the ball to Greenwood from their own 20. Mario Dunbar returned the free kick from the Greenwood 48 to the Clarksville 32, setting up the touchdown that invoked the mercy rule.
The scoring drive was short-lived, needing only two plays to score Greenwood’s fifth touchdown. Coatney threw to Brayden Renick on first down, with the tough receiver fighting hard after the catch to the Clarksville 12-yard-line. Rhett Holloway then scored on the next snap. Franklin’s extra point made the score 37-0 at the 8:42 mark of the second stanza. But more was to come before halftime.
Once again, the Panthers started at their own 20 after the kickoff, and once again they lost ground even with Greenwood starting to substitute some of its defensive reserves into the game. A Clarksville punt soon following giving the Bulldogs the ball at their own 36 after a long roll and no return. For the first time Greenwood was starting a drive on its own side of the 50. But it mattered little. The Bulldogs needed just five snaps and a Clarksville penalty to score again before halftime.
On first down, Coatney passed to Braxton Canada, who bolted ahead to the Panthers’ 41 before being dragged down from behind, drawing a penalty flag for a horse collar tackle, moving the ball to the 26. Coatney then handed off to junior reserve running back Drake Little, who ran hard to the 11-yard-line. Little ran again to the seven and a third time for no gain. On the next snap, Coatney tossed over the middle for a short completion to Brayden Renick in the end zone. The PAT followed (5:59).
That was all the scoring in the first half. Grayson Cobbler replaced Landon Franklin as kicker, just one of many junior varsity players who subbed into the contest, allowing the starters to rest and remain healthy for Greenwood’s upcoming playoff run. GHS sophomore defensive end Brayson Hunt soon recovered a Clarksville fumble, but the Bulldogs kept the ball on the ground with sophomore running back Mason Jordan getting the ball from backup QB Joey Young.
Reserves play well in second half
But the second half opened with a bolt of lightning as Greenwood sophomore Asyen Dawson showed his talent and potential by returning the opening kickoff 81 yards for a touchdown. He found running room near the GHS sideline before cutting back to the middle of the field and outrunning the pursuit until finally being dragged down as he crossed the goal line. Cobbler’s kick made the score 51-0.
With the clock running almost non-stop, the final two periods went by quickly. Late in the third quarter the Bulldogs got the football at their own 27 with senior backup Evan McClain at quarterback and Mason Jordan at running back. Mason carried four times for 20 yards before McClain passed to senior receiver Tyler Smith for a short gain, bringing up fourth down.
Landon Franklin, Greenwood’s #2 punter, then kicked the ball, which was mishandled by Clarksville and recovered by Greenwood’s Asyen Dawson at the visitors’ 20-yard-line. Sophomore Kole James then carried in for the touchdown on the next snap. The PAT made the final score 58-0 as the final seven minutes rapidly ticked away.
Postgame stats and comments
Statistically, the game was largely insignificant because Greenwood’s top skill players on offense were limited in their touches, except for quarterback Cruz Coatney, who started the game 14 of 14 passing in the first half. “That’s awesome,” said Head Coach Jason Gill after the game. “He’s doing a great job, and the receivers are catching the ball, and the O-line is protecting him. We couldn’t ask for a better offense right now.” Coatney threw for 175 yards and five touchdowns. All stats are unofficial.
Helping out Coatney in the backfield, Rhett Holloway had 58 yards on four carries and a touchdown, while Mario Dunbar also ran four times for 27 yards. In backup duty, Kole James had the one carry for 20 yards and a touchdown while Drake Little had three carries for 20 yards. Receiving, seven players caught passes for Greenwood, led by Ty Holt with six grabs for 67 yards and two scores. Braxton Canada had three receptions for 46 yards and a touchdown. Brayden Renick had two catches for 27 yards and a touchdown while Brayden Brewer had two receptions for 26 yards and a score. Cooper Webb had one catch for nine yards while Jace Brown caught a pass from Joey Young for nine yards, and Tyler Smith also caught a short pass.
Speaking to the media after the win, Coach Gill savored the chance to play a lot of kids, saying, “We got a lot of guys in there tonight. I think everybody on the team played, so that was awesome. Those guys practice all week, and our kids buy into that [philosophy]. They’re a part of the team. It’s just nice when we can get them all in. It was a great effort by everyone tonight.”
As for next week’s regular season finale with Alma, Coach Gill knows its importance. “We know who we’ve got on the schedule and it’s a big game [for us] and for them too. Coach [Jeremie] Burns is doing a great job over there and he’s got them back. They are a playoff team and he’s got them believing. It’s one of the games we will look forward to every year.”
Finally, Gill talked about the turnaround after the two opening losses to Bentonville-West and Pulaski Academy, both Class 7A schools. “Yeah, we knew going into our non-conference schedule it was going to be tough, and that’s how we looked at it. We got a lot better during those three weeks when we played those 7A teams. We’re kind of battle tested and that’s what I like. We’re executing both offensively and defensively and on special teams.”