After Greenwood’s convincing 58-33 gridiron victory at Pulaski Academy last Friday night, the stage is now set for the culmination of the 2023 regular season prior to the start of the playoffs. The Bulldogs (9-0, 7-0) accomplished several things with their triumph over the Bruins, avenging last year’s loss in the state finals and ending P.A.’s 86-game home winning streak among them. Pulaski Academy last lost at home in 2013 and the Bruins are moving up to Class 7A next season. With the win, the Bulldogs also earned a first-round bye in the playoffs and will have an open date on November 10th.
Last Friday’s GHS victory eliminated the Bruins (7-2, 5-2) from contending for the conference title and sets up the season finale at Smith-Robinson Stadium against Little Rock Christian (8-1, 7-0) this coming Friday night. The winner of that game earns the league title and home field advantage through the semifinals. The 6A state finals will be held at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on Friday, December 1st, at 6:30 p.m.
Greenwood and Pulaski Academy met twice last fall with the Bulldogs winning in the regular season before losing to the Bruins in the state championship game. The two schools entered Friday’s contest tied at 3-3 in their history, all of them high-scoring contests, most of them playoff games. Depending on seedings and the playoff bracket, the two schools could meet again this fall in the post-season.
Friday’s game featured a little of everything from two of the state’s top gridiron programs, including plenty of onside kicks, turnovers, penalties, passing, and more. A dozen penalty flags were thrown in the first half and all four of the Bruins’ turnovers happened in the second half, allowing the Bulldogs to build an insurmountable lead, nearly invoking the mercy rule. Also, because of P.A.’s many onside kicks and the GHS offense working with a shortened field, the Bulldogs’ offensive stats were somewhat muted except for quarterback Kane Archer, who accounted for over 350 yards, scoring multiple touchdowns.
The Bruins received the opening kick which sailed into the end zone. Four snaps and a pair of incomplete passes later, the Bulldogs took over on downs at the P.A. 24-yard-line. With the short field, the GHS offense needed just two plays to score the game’s first touchdown. Kane Archer threw to Grant Karnes on first down for 15 yards. But even after a penalty moved the ball back to the 14, Archer scrambled out of the pocket and found running room to the left all the way to the pylon for six points. However, a poor exchange foiled the extra point try and Greenwood led 6-0 (11:06).
The Bruins then countered with a quick strike score, completing a 69-yard pass down the sideline for the tying touchdown before the extra point kick gave the home team a 7-6 advantage (10:08). It was the first time all season the Bulldogs had trailed an opponent, but the P.A. lead didn’t last long as Greenwood scored 17 unanswered points and led 23-7 after one quarter.
Grant Karnes fielded the next onside kick, but a penalty pushed the ball back to the GHS 31. Seven plays later the Bulldogs regained the lead – a lead they would not relinquish again. Archer ran a QB keeper on first down, picking up significant real estate to midfield and drawing a flag for 15 additional yards to the Bruins’ 34. But after Archer was sacked plus a penalty, the Bulldogs found themselves back at the P.A. 49.
Archer then threw to senior L.J. Robins for a big gain to the 28, before executing a QB draw to the 22 for a first down. Three snaps later, Archer found Isaiah Arrington on the left side for a 17-yard completion that turned into a touchdown after a nice spin move by the junior receiver, opening a path to the end zone. Kicker Bodey Steinfeldt added the extra point for a 13-7 GHS lead (6:37). The Greenwood defense, a team strength all season, then shut down the Bruins’ offense for the remainder of the period, allowing the GHS offense to build a 16-point lead.
After forcing a rare punt by the Bruins, Greenwood started its next scoring drive from its own 42, yet another short field and a quick possession. Running back Brayedan Davis got five yards on first down before Archer reconnected with Arrington on a slant pattern to the Bruins’ 20-yard-line. The GHS sophomore quarterback did the rest with his feet on a keeper to the end zone. Steinfeldt’s kick was good, and the visitors led 20-7 with 4:45 left in the first quarter.
Still struggling offensively against Greenwood’s defense, the Bruins punted again, but the kick was blocked by junior defensive end Cash Archer and recovered by Landon Nelms, returning it a short distance to the home 16-yard-line. But a holding penalty later forced the Bulldogs to settle for a field goal attempt, and Steinfeldt’s 25-yard kick was good for a 23-7 GHS lead (1:10).
The Bruins finally broke through offensively early in the second quarter, engineering an 11-play drive aided by a pass interference penalty on the Bulldogs. The touchdown came on a 12-yard pass reception on a fade route into the back corner of the end zone. The extra point kick was good, trimming the Pulaski Academy deficit to 23-14 with 8:58 left in the period.
Undeterred, the GHS offense went back to work and responded with a five-play scoring drive after a penalty on the onside kick attempt gave Greenwood the ball at the P.A. 44-yard-line. Archer ran for 14 yards on first down, moving the sticks, but three snaps later the Bulldogs faced fourth down at the Bruins’ 26. Archer then found L.J. Robins open over the middle for a touchdown strike. The extra point kick was good, making the score 30-14 at the 7:08 mark.
The two squads then traded scoreless possessions and the Greenwood punt gave the ball back to the Bruins at the home 33-yard-line. On third down, P.A. quarterback Brandon Cobb completed a deep pass to the GHS 20, setting up the touchdown three plays later on a 19-yard pass (:38). But the extra point was blocked by Greenwood’s Brady Pettigrew, keeping the score at 30-20 at the half.
When play resumed, the Bruins were finally successful in recovering an onside kick at their own 49, allowing them to drive for their fourth touchdown, cutting the GHS lead to just three points. It came on the sixth play of the possession, a 10-yard quarterback keeper by Cobb, and the extra point made it 30-27 at the 1:29 mark of the third period. But if the home fans thought their team was back in the game, those thoughts proved fleeting as the Bulldogs went on a 28-0 scoring run over the next nine minutes, aided by a series of Pulaski Academy turnovers.
Greenwood recovered the next onside kick by the Bruins, starting their possession at the GHS 49. Three plays later a pass interference penalty moved the ball to the home 36 before Kane Archer scrambled out of the pocket and found Isaiah Arrington in the end zone for his second touchdown reception. Bodey Steinfeldt’s kick was good, and the GHS lead increased to 37-27 (10:06).
The GHS defense set up the next Bulldogs’ touchdown, forcing a Bruins’ punt, giving Greenwood the ball at the home 46-yard-line. Brayedan Davis rambled for 19 yards on first down to the 27, then two snaps later Archer lobbed a ball into the end zone, allowing Grant Karnes to outjump a defender for the catch and the touchdown. The play covered 26 yards and the extra point kick made the score 44-27, as the Bulldogs began to pull away.
Another GHS touchdown soon followed after Grant Karnes and Junior Deleon combined to strip the Bruins’ ball carrier on the kickoff return with Eli Whitaker making the recovery for Greenwood at the P.A. 25-yard-line. Davis then rumbled for 18 yards to the seven before Archer kept the ball to the three. After a QB sack at the 10, Archer then found L.J. Robins in the far right corner of the end zone for six points. Steinfeldt’s kick was good again, and Greenwood led 51-27, with 6:14 left in the quarter.
GHS senior Josh Allen intercepted a Bruins’ pass on P.A.’s next possession, but the Bulldogs stumbled offensively and were forced to punt. But another interception by Caden Nelms, a diving catch of a deflected pass, thwarted any hope of a Bruins’ comeback. From the home 42, the Bulldogs then scored their final touchdown after a five-play drive. On third down, Archer completed a pass to Brayedan Davis for 38 yards, reaching the 5-yard-line. Two snaps later, Archer scored from one yard out, and the extra point made the score 58-27 (1:36).
As the contest finally reached the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs got one more turnover, another interception, this one by Braden Skaggs, but the GHS offense was stymied over the final 12 minutes, interested more in burning the clock than scoring additional points. After Skaggs’ interception, the Bulldogs turned the ball over on downs at the Bruins’ 29. Six plays and two long pass plays later, Pulaski Academy added its final score on a 3-yard pass, but the extra point failed.
Also of note, late in the game several GHS players went down with leg cramps due to the warm, humid conditions and the fact that almost none of Greenwood’s starters had played a whole game all season due to the high number of blowout victories. The Bulldogs are known as some of the best conditioned players in the state, in part due to the FASDOGS program each summer, but their high-scoring offense and mercy rule victories have come with a price.
Unofficially, Kane Archer dominated the offensive stats for the Bulldogs, rushing for 81 yards on 12 carries while passing for 272 yards on 17 completions. Brayedan Davis ran 12 times for 70 yards, adding to his stellar senior season of more than 1,000 yards rushing. Isaiah Arrington led the GHS receivers with six catches for 91 yards and two touchdowns, L.J. Robins had four receptions for 66 yards and two touchdowns, and Grant Karnes had four catches for 53 yards and a score.
Following the game, GHS Athletic Director and Head Coach Chris Young talked with Dog Pound sideline reporter Richie Cagle, offering praise for the Pulaski Academy program. “Not only are they a great program and good football team, they are well coached, and playing here is tough. There’s a reason they won 86 games in a row. They do a great job. You’ve got to tip your hat to what they’ve been able to accomplish here. And I think we’re going to see them further down the road, because they are going to beat a lot of teams [in the playoffs].
“Fortunately, we got some [defensive] stops when we needed to and [our] offense was really good for three quarters. But our kids battled. We haven’t had to play a full game all year, and you could tell we were tired. We’ve got to get in better shape, because we’ve got a big challenge coming up next week [with Little Rock Christian]. Those guys are undefeated in conference, so we’ll battle for the conference championship next week against one of the best teams in Arkansas.”