The Greenwood Junior High Bulldogs fell to visiting Shiloh Christian last Thursday night, losing 20-14 on a touchdown scored with just 14 seconds left in the game. It was Greenwood’s first loss this season, dropping the freshmen Dogs to 6-1 overall and 5-1 in conference play. However, the Greenwood-Shiloh winner was expected to run the table in league play to claim the championship. In their non-conference season opener, the Jr. Dogs defeated the Saints at Springdale, 14-6. Greenwood will be off next week before finishing its season at Siloam Springs on the 23rd and at home against Clarksville on the 30th.

Last Thursday’s contest began with the Bulldogs kicking the ball out-of-bounds, allowing the Jr. Saints to start at their own 35. Three snaps later a pass interference penalty on Greenwood advanced the ball to the home 49-yard-line. Three more snaps netted gains of six, 22, and 15 yards. The Shiloh QB then carried in from four yards out, but the two-point conversion pass attempt fell incomplete, keeping the score at 6-0 (6:19).

But the freshmen Bulldogs didn’t waste much time responding, driving 68 yards in just three plays. After Asyen Dawson returned the kickoff to the 32, Wyatt Elliott got two yards to the 34. Quarterback Bentley Renick then threw to receiver Ryan Ross for a first down at the 45 before connecting with Ty Karnes on the right sideline for a quick completion that the speedy receiver turned into a 55-yard touchdown run. But Grayson Cobbler’s extra point kick was blocked, keeping the game tied at 6-6 with 5:20 showing on the first quarter clock.

But the Saints’ offense wasn’t ready to cave, instead matching Greenwood’s 68-yard drive with one of their own. From their own 32 after the kick return, they needed nine plays to reach the end zone, scoring on an unconventional fourth down play. Needing just a yard for a first down from the 8-yard-line, they opted for a pass play and the touchdown. They also threw a pass for a successful two-point conversion, boosting their lead to 14-6 at the 2:25 mark.

Greenwood’s next possession ended at the Shiloh 8-yard-line after a failed fourth down pass attempt. But the Greenwood defense found its footing, forcing a quick Saints’ punt from the end zone with the ball downed at the visitors’ 34-yard-line as the game moved deeper into the second period.

The freshmen Dogs took over on offense with about five minutes left before halftime and immediately lost a yard to the 35. After Wyatt Elliott ran to the 32, Bentley Renick found Ty Karnes open on a tunnel screen that reached the 18. Karnes then took a direct snap and carried to the 10-yard-line. Elliott then ran off left tackle for the touchdown and Renick passed to Karnes for the two-point conversion to tie the score again, this time at 14-all with 3:25 left in the half. The visiting offense crossed midfield before the first half expired, but the drive died after two failed passes and a bad snap.

The second half was a defensive struggle with neither team able to score in the third quarter. Both squads did move the ball across the 50 into enemy territory, eating up the entire eight minutes-plus as Shiloh’s possession carried over into the fourth quarter. A penalty ended Greenwood’s possession at the Saints’ 36, followed by a punt. Starting at their own 20, the visitors marched deep into home territory before a penalty nullified a Shiloh touchdown run.

Getting the ball back on downs at their own 9-yard-line early in the fourth quarter, the Jr. Dogs picked up a first down at the 25, eventually reaching the 28 before lining up for a punt. But the kick was blocked by the Saints, who recovered the football at the 10-yard-line, posing a clear and present threat to the Greenwood defense with its back against the wall. But that’s when they shined the brightest, halting the Shiloh possession at the 6-yard-line when a fourth down pass fell incomplete in the end zone, giving the ball back to the home team with only a couple minutes remaining.

But the Shiloh defense wasn’t to be outdone and also prevented a first down, forcing a Greenwood punt that was returned to the home 34-yard-line with 51 seconds left to play. The Shiloh offense needed 37 of those seconds to score the winning touchdown. A 21-yard run was the key play in the possession, putting the ball at the home 1-yard-line before a short TD run. The two-point conversion try failed due to a poor snap, leaving the score 20-14 with 14 ticks left to play.

But the home team wasn’t ready to give up, despite the long odds against them. Asyen Dawson returned the Shiloh kickoff to the Greenwood 37 with eight seconds left. Bentley Renick then threw to another Bentley, Bentley Neece, reaching the Shiloh 42 before the home sideline called timeout with three ticks remaining. Needing a deep pass and a stronger arm to throw it, Ben Clark replaced Renick at quarterback and heaved the ball 40+ yards downfield where two home receivers hoped for a miracle while two defenders tracked the ball before coming up with an interception to end the game.

As one might expect, Greenwood Head Coach Luke Hales was none too happy with his team’s first loss of the season and expressed his displeasure during his postgame interview. “We didn’t play well and we didn’t coach well,” he began. “We got our tail beat tonight, and it’s frustrating to lose. It was a rough night. They ran the ball on us, and we didn’t move the ball [offensively]. We didn’t play very well tonight.”

Asked about individual players who might have excelled, Coach Hales said, “We’ll have to look at the film. But when you get beat 20-14 at home, not too many people played well. We’ve got to coach better. We didn’t call a very good game tonight. It starts with myself, but we’ve got to score more than 14 points to win the game. We’ve got to get better.”