After a narrow 14-6 win in their season opener at Shiloh Christian, the Greenwood Junior High Bulldogs traveled to Alma last Thursday and turned up the heat offensively, scoring four touchdowns while the defense accounted for two more in a dominant 42-7 conference victory. Greenwood improved to 2-0 with the win and 1-0 in league play. They will host Pea Ridge next Thursday in their first home game at Smith-Robinson Stadium.

The contest started with a short Alma kickoff, returned 10 yards by a Greenwood upback, Bentley Neece. From the 44, quarterback Joey Young passed to Grady Garner in motion out of the backfield for a nice gain to the Alma 42. Ben Clark then replaced Young, and gave to Ty Karnes, who found running room around the right side to the 32. Garner carried to the 29, and after an incompletion, Clark threw to Karnes at the 21. Clark then rumbled to the 14 before being replaced by Young, who handed off to Aysen Dawson, who reached the 4-yard-line. Karnes then carried for two yards before Clark stepped back behind center and carried to the right front pylon for the touchdown. Grayson Cobbler added the extra point.

Leading 7-0, the Greenwood defense picked up right where it left off against Shiloh Christian a week earlier, slamming the door on the Jr. Airedales on their first possession, forcing a three-and-out punt that was downed at the visitors’ 35. The freshmen Dogs’ offense then returned to the field to take a 14-0 lead with their second touchdown.

With Young at QB, Grady Garner carried on three consecutive plays, reaching the Greenwood 48. Aysen Dawson ran to the Alma 49 before an incompletion and a penalty pushed the Jr. Dogs back to their own 46. Ben Clark then replaced Young and threw to Ty Karnes to the home 42. After missing on a deep ball, Clark connected with Ryan Ross at the 38 before passing to Karnes at the 32. Garner then carried to the 28 on the last play of the opening period.

Joey Young started the new quarter behind center and gave to running back Kim Rodgers, who bounced outside to the right and found running room all the way to the 7-yard-line. Ty Karnes then took the handoff and exploited a gaping hole around left end, tiptoeing his way untouched into the end zone. Cobbler’s kick was good again for a 14-0 Greenwood lead.

Alma managed to pick up a first down on its second possession with the help of a Greenwood penalty, but it didn’t help much, ending with a bad punt that sailed out-of-bounds at the home 49-yard-line. From there the Bulldogs’ offense needed just six plays to score again on their way to a 35-point rout.

On first down, Young dumped the ball off to Ty Karnes, who fought his way to the 35. Grady Garner then rumbled to the 31 before Young connected with Ryan Ross down the sideline to the Alma 6-yard-line. After two snaps for no gain and a loss back to the 15, Young lofted a pass to the right side in the direction of Ty Karnes, who got behind his defender and caught the ball at the 2-yard-line before crossing the goal line. The kick by Grayson Cobbler was good for a 21-0 Greenwood advantage.

After another Alma punt, the visitors started their next offensive possession at their own 25. On second down, Young threw to Ryan Ross at the 30, then passed to Ross at the 37 to move the chains. But the duo wasn’t done yet. Young then tossed a short pass to Ross at the 35 before the Greenwood receiver found daylight and raced unhindered down the left side of the gridiron all the way to pay dirt. Cobbler’s extra point try was good for a 28-0 lead very late in the half.

Early in the third quarter things got even worse for the home team as the Greenwood defense joined the party, scoring a pair of touchdowns on their own. The first one came in short order after the Airedales received the opening kickoff and moved past their own 40-yard-line. A quarterback keeper then ended with a loose football, stripped by Greenwood’s Brasier Duvall and scooped up by teammate Brooks Aishman, who sprinted 41 yards for the score. Cobbler’s kick made it 35-0.

But another defensive touchdown was right around the corner on Alma’s next possession. Starting from their own 19 after the kickoff, the Airedales’ quarterback got pressure from defensive end Taylor Goines, forcing a bad pass that was picked off by Greenwood’s Sebastian Snipes at the 30, returning it down the right side for a touchdown. Grayson Cobbler then added his final extra point to put the visitors up 42-0 early in the half.

Alma fumbled again on its next possession, also recovered by Greenwood. That gift led to a field goal try by Cobbler from 30 yards out. The kick appeared to have the distance but sailed wide to the right of the goal post. The kick occurred early in the fourth quarter with the mercy rule in force and the clock running continuously.

With time quickly draining away, the Airedales finally scored against Greenwood’s defensive reserves, getting a 75-yard touchdown run to spoil the shutout, plus the extra point to make the final score, 42-7. The contest ended with Greenwood’s offense on the field, keeping the ball on the ground to run out the clock.

Two days after the win, Head Coach Luke Hales talked about his team’s performance against Alma, starting with the offense. “We were proud of our efficiency,” he began. “Our offensive line played a lot more physical, and we ran the ball a lot better. [Receiver] Ty Karnes is a huge difference maker, and he blocks as well as he catches the ball. [Linemen] Hudson Golden and Alex Coward did a really good job on the edge and being physical, and we got movement up front.”

Just as at Shiloh the week before, Hales played two quarterbacks. As for starting QB Joey Young, the coach said, “Joey did great. He threw the ball well and managed the offense. [But] we rotated those guys,” a reference to #2 QB Ben Clark, who is a main cog on defense as well. “They both have different strengths,” the coach continued. “Ben is a great athlete. He does some different things on defense [and] he’s strong and powerful. We’re trying to develop as many guys at as many positions as possible. We want to start 22 kids. That’s the goal. [But] we also want to win a conference championship and put the best 11 on the field when necessary.” As for an injury report, “We’re pretty healthy for the most part,” he said.

Asked about next Thursday’s opponent, the Pea Ridge Jr. Blackhawks, Coach Hales said, “Pea Ridge played Shiloh this week and Gravette in week zero. They also have a good defensive line. But it’s our first home game, so we’re really excited about that.” Kickoff is set for Smith-Robinson Stadium after the conclusion of the seventh-grade game, or no earlier than 7 p.m.