The “G” train just keeps on rolling along in week four of the high school gridiron season as the Greenwood Bulldogs improved to 5-0 with yet another lopsided win on the road over the Van Buren Pointers, 61-17. After opening the season in week zero with a 49-21 win over Stillwater, OK, Friday’s win was the fourth straight mercy rule victory for the blue-n-white. The GHS offense is averaging about 54 points per game, despite playing backup quarterbacks the last two weeks since the injury to starter Kane Archer, who took snaps and practiced during the week, but did not play Friday night.
Archer’s left wrist is mending, and he is available for action, but with an open date (October 6) after next week’s home game against Greenbrier, it’s likely he will remain a spectator until the October-November stretch drive against Lake Hamilton, Russellville, Pulaski Academy, and Little Rock Christian. Sophomore Cooper Goodwin and emergency backup QB Scott Holland, a junior, have played well in Archer’s absence, allowing the GHS offense to score 116 points over the last two games.
After missing most of the previous contest with a sore hip, Goodwin returned to action at Van Buren and promptly threw for over 300 yards and several touchdowns in less than three quarters of play. His favorite target was junior receiver Grant Karnes, who had a big night with nearly 200 yards in catches and a pair of TDs. Senior receiver L.J. Robins also had a nice game with over 90 yards and a score, while senior running back Brayedan Davis ran for nearly 100 yards and three scores, all in limited action.
The GHS defense, stellar all season, set the tone early with a quick three-and-out on Van Buren’s first offensive possession. Minutes later, the GHS offense scored its first touchdown after a 15-snap drive that covered 72 yards, mostly on the ground. Davis got the call on eight of the 15 touches, including seven rushes and a great leaping pass reception at the 7-yard-line to set up his own scoring play two snaps later. Along the way, a TD pass to L.J. Robins was nullified by a GHS penalty. Davis finally scored from two yards out, but senior kicker Bodey Steinfeldt’s extra point attempt was blocked for a 6-0 GHS lead (7:32).
After the two squads traded punts, the Bulldogs’ next score was set up by a pass interception by Greenwood’s Brady Mackey. The senior D-back was assisted by junior defensive end Cash Archer, who deflected the pass behind the line-of-scrimmage and into the waiting arms of Mackey at the 9-yard-line, returning the pick to the Greenwood 35. Two snaps later and the Bulldogs were in the end zone again. Mackey’s pick was the first of five interceptions between the two teams, three of them for touchdowns.
The first play was a pass from Goodwin to Karnes, with the latter rambling to the Pointers’ 34 after the catch. Goodwin then hit Karnes over the middle on a slant route near the 15 and in for the score. This time Steinfeldt’s kick was good for a 13-0 GHS lead at the one-minute mark of the opening quarter, and the rout was on. Greenwood would lead 27-0 before the home team got on the scoreboard with a field goal. The Bulldogs led 34-10 at the half before invoking the mercy rule in the third quarter.
As the game moved into the second period, the visitors got the ball in great field position at their own 44 after another Van Buren punt. On first down, Goodwin and Karnes hooked up again, this time on a deep throw down the left sideline. The throw and catch were good, reaching the Pointers’ 10-yard-line. Brayedan Davis then ran to the seven before Goodwin flipped the ball to L.J. Robins for a gain to the one, from where Davis scored on the next snap. Steinfeldt’s kick made it 20-0 (9:54).
Just over a minute later, the Bulldogs scored their fourth touchdown after a quick three-and-out by the Pointers, still trying to decipher the GHS defense. The subsequent punt went out-of-bounds at the home 44-yard-line. Goodwin then completed consecutive passes to Karnes and Robins for 12 and 15 yards, respectively, reaching the Van Buren 17. The GHS quarterback took the drive’s third snap and found Karnes in the end zone for a leaping catch over a defender for the touchdown. The extra point try was good, and the Bulldogs led 27-0 (8:34).
The Pointers finally found some offensive traction on their next possession, driving from their own 20 to the Greenwood 19, with the aid of a facemask penalty against the Bulldogs. But when the series eventually stalled, kicker Derek Kelley boomed a 36-yard field goal to put his team on the scoreboard, 27-3, with just over four minutes left before the halftime break.
But the Bulldogs weren’t done scoring in the first half, needing just six plays to hit pay dirt after a solid kick return by Karnes of 20 yards to the GHS 29. But the possession didn’t start out well. Facing third-and-13 at the 26, Goodwin connected with Robins over the middle for a first down at the Van Buren 46. Two snaps later the GHS quarterback passed to Karnes for 33 yards to the Pointers’ 12. Davis then weaved his way through the middle of the Van Buren defense for the touchdown. The extra point made the score 34-3 with 1:53 left in the half.
Eager to put the mercy rule in play, the Bulldogs hoped to score again after getting the football back moments later following a Van Buren punt to midfield. But Goodwin’s errant pass attempt to Karnes ended up in the hands of Pointers’ defensive back Peyton Pschier, who returned it 85 yards for a touchdown. The PAT made the score 34-10 at the intermission.
When play resumed, the Bulldogs made quick work of things with three unanswered touchdowns in less than five minutes, invoking the mercy rule and shortening the game with a running clock the rest of the way. The first score came on a deep pass and catch from Goodwin to Robins. The possession was set up by an excellent kick return of 22 yards by senior Braden Skaggs, reaching the GHS 47. Next, Brayedan Davis carried to the home 39 and again to the 34. Goodwin then found a wide-open Robins near the 5-yard-line for the catch and score. The extra point was good by Steinfeldt for a 41-10 GHS lead (11:08).
A QB sack by Greenwood’s Zack Zitzmann at the Van Buren 8-yard-line then gave the Bulldogs excellent field position at the home 35 after a short punt and fair catch. What followed next was a wild flurry of three interceptions that led to two more GHS scores. The first pick was by Van Buren’s Landon Evans, but his long return was mitigated by a blocking penalty, putting the ball at the home 34. Then on the next snap, GHS defensive back Braden Skaggs snagged a Van Buren pass at the 30-yard-line and scored. The point after was good for a 48-10 Greenwood lead, starting the mercy rule at the 8:13 mark of the third quarter.
But the fun wasn’t over for the GHS defense. After the Pointers were pinned deep in their own territory after a poor kick return and a penalty, Greenwood’s Kaylor Jasna made a nifty grab of a Van Buren pass, crossing the field before taking contact near the 10, then bulling his way into the end zone with the help of some of his teammates pushing the pile over the goal line. The kick by junior Hudson Meeker was off the mark, leaving the score at 54-10 (7:18).
With the starters now on the sideline, the Bulldogs gave up their only defensive touchdown of the game on Van Buren’s next possession, an 80-yard drive in 14 plays, the last one a 5-yard touchdown pass. The point after kick trimmed the GHS lead to 54-17 early in the fourth quarter with the clock ticking down fast.
But there was just enough time for the Bulldogs’ #2 offense to have another crack at the end zone, led by quarterback Scott Holland, the hero of last week’s win over Siloam Springs. Starting from their own 20, the ‘Dogs marched across midfield to the Van Buren 46, where they faced third down and 17. Holland then dropped back and found sophomore receiver Benton Hossley wide open running down the left sideline. Hossley hauled in the catch near the 15, stumbling but managing to stay on his feet for the touchdown. The extra point was good by left-footed sophomore kicker Sebastian Fernandez. The clock expired moments later on the 61-17 GHS victory.
After the win, GHS Head Coach Chris Young was effusive in his praise of his offensive stars, Cooper Goodwin, Brayedan Davis, Grant Karnes, and L.J. Robins. Goodwin finished with 17 completions in 26 attempts for 324 yards and three touchdowns. “Our backup sophomore quarterback is playing so well,” said the coach of Goodwin. “I'm so proud of him. It was a good win.
"We've got a full starting lineup on injured reserve it seems like," Young said. "Luckily our defense is playing so well. It starts with preparation. Coach [Jason] Gill and our defensive staff do such a great job. They work all week to put our guys in a good position. We still have some guys missing on that side of the ball, but we have guys stepping up making plays, too. Anytime you can find a way to win [while] missing guys, that's special."
As for Karnes and Robins, Young added, "Grant has been banged up a little bit and we’ve been trying to get him healthy. We have moved him around a little as well. Everybody is focused on Grant and L.J., but both those guys had big nights. The thing I love to see is both those guys running down on special teams trying to get tackles. They are team players and will do whatever it takes to win." Karnes had 10 catches for 197 yards and two scores, all in the first half. Robins had eight receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown. Braydean Davis rushed 20 times for 94 yards and three scores. All stats are unofficial.
"He’s just a great football player that has earned it," Young said of his senior running back. "He changed his body in the weight room. He worked his tail off this summer. I'm so proud and happy for him. We felt pretty good early in the game, so we didn't want to give him a whole lot of touches. It's a long season for a running back. We protected him a little bit, but he is just a great football player."
Next Friday the Bulldogs return home to Smith-Robinson Stadium to play the Greenbrier Panthers (3-1) with wins over Vilonia, Siloam Springs, and Van Buren, and a loss to Farmington. The Panthers did not play this past Friday night. Greenwood’s win over the Pointers not only improved their season mark to 5-0, but boosted their 6A West conference record to 3-0, likely keeping them atop the 6A state rankings with Little Rock Christian moving up to #2 after a surprising 55-13 mercy rule win over Pulaski Academy on Friday.