It wasn’t pretty and didn’t follow the pre-game script that many people expected, but the Greenwood Bulldogs survived what is likely their toughest road test of the regular season, defeating the Shiloh Christian Saints last Friday night, 28-17. The game was the 6A West conference opener for both teams and puts the Bulldogs in the drivers’ seat in the race for the league title and a #1 seed in the playoffs. Greenwood will host Russellville this coming Friday night for homecoming.
The unbeaten Bulldogs (3-0) entered last weeks’ contest as the #1 team in Class 6A while the Saints (2-1) were ranked #3. The game was billed as the “Game of the Week” by Hooten’s Arkansas Football and both teams had an open date before last Friday’s appointment at Springdale. Shiloh Christian lost its #1 quarterback to injury in a win over Little Rock Christian and the Bulldogs would lose QB starter Kane Archer late in the first half against the Saints.
The conditions were warm, clear, and windy as the Bulldogs kicked off to start Friday’s game and the Saints began their opening drive at their own 24-yard-line. Making a statement early, they scored just four plays later with the aid of a 15-yard penalty against the Bulldogs. The touchdown came on a 42-yard pass play down the right sideline with the receiver shaking a would-be GHS tackler inside the 10-yard-line for the score. The extra point followed, making the score 7-0 (10:31).
But the visitors responded with an 11-play scoring march of their own to tie the score. After trailing for the first time this season, Greenwood received the Saints’ kick with Grant Karnes reaching the GHS 33-yard-line. Kane Archer then completed two of his first three pass attempts, both to Karnes for a first down at the 48. A pass to Isaiah Arrington advanced the rock to the Shiloh 43 and Archer ran to the 40 for another first down. Two more tosses to Arrington reached the Saints’ 31 before Wesley Raggio carried for a short gain to the 29. Archer then connected with Champ Davis over the middle to the 6-yard-line. After a penalty to the 11, Archer passed to Arrington on the left side near the five. The shifty receiver then juked his way into the end zone for six points. Kicker Hudson Meeker added the extra point (8:09).
After the defense forced a quick and poorly executed punt by the Saints, the GHS offense took over again at the Shiloh Christian 44-yard-line. On second down, Archer threw to Karnes for 15 yards to the home 41. A penalty then moved the ball to the Saints’ 36. Two snaps later, Archer carried to the 27 before completing a pair of short tosses to Champ Davis, reaching the 20-yard-line. After a play for no gain, the Greenwood QB lobbed the ball into the right side of the end zone, allowing Grant Karnes to make a leaping catch over the Shiloh defender. Meeker’s right foot made the score 14-7 with 3:43 left in the first quarter.
On their next possession, the Saints took advantage of a pass interference call on the Bulldogs to reach the GHS 36 before the drive stalled and died on a failed fourth down play at the visitors’ 40-yard-line. But Greenwood gave the ball back to Shiloh in short order when Archer threw an interception at mid-field. But several snaps later big brother Cash Archer sacked the Shiloh quarterback for a big loss on fourth down at the GHS 30, giving the ball back to Greenwood.
But that promising possession ended badly when Isaiah Arrington caught a pass from Kane Archer and appeared headed for a touchdown before being hit and losing control of the football at the 1-yard-line, recovered by the Saints in the end zone. Yet, midway through the second quarter the GHS defense rose up and stopped the Saints cold in three plays, forcing a punt. But after picking up a quick first down, the game changed when Kane Archer was sandwiched between two tacklers and went down flat on the turf. Fortunately, after being tended to by the GHS training staff, the junior QB was able to jog off the field, but did not return to action though he was cleared to do so by the medical staff. Head Coach Chris Young didn’t want to expose his prize quarterback to further injury. Backup Cooper Goodwin played the rest of the way, leading the Bulldogs to victory.
Shiloh Christian’s final possession of the first half ended with a touchdown and PAT to tie the score at the half, 14-14. The score came on a one-yard run at the end of a 77-yard drive in 15 plays, burning most of the last five minutes off the clock. But with both teams led by their #2 quarterbacks in the second half, it was the GHS defense that really shined, holding the Saints to just three points while Cooper Goodwin overcame a couple early mistakes to guide his teammates to a pair of touchdowns, accounting for the final score of 28-17.
After Greenwood punted on its first series of the third quarter, the Saints drove inside the GHS 25 before trying and missing a 38-yard field goal. The Bulldogs’ next two possessions ended quickly on interceptions by Shiloh, with the Saints finally cashing in with a 24-yard field goal to temporarily take the lead at 17-14 late in the third period.
After a lethargic third quarter marred by a pair of turnovers, the GHS offense came back to life, marching 65 yards in just four plays bookended by the athletic prowess of senior Grant Karnes. First, he returned the Shiloh kickoff to the 35-yard-line. Wesley Raggio then ran twice to the 50 and Goodwin ran a QB keeper to the Saints’ 44. He then threw to Karnes over the middle, who caught the short pass and weaved his way through the defense, avoiding tacklers all the way to the end zone on the first snap of the fourth quarter (11:45). Meeker added the PAT to put the visitors back on top for good, 21-17.
The Saints marched into Greenwood territory on their next possession but stalled out at the 30-yard-line when Isaiah Arrington, playing on defense, broke up a fourth down pass attempt, giving the ball back to the GHS offense midway through the final period of play. The Bulldogs then drove 70 yards in a dozen plays, a series interrupted by several penalties on both teams. But key to the success of the drive was over 45 yards rushing by Wesley Raggio, including a six-yard touchdown romp. Cooper Goodwin also completed two passes and scrambled twice, including an apparent touchdown that was nullified by a penalty. The score came with 2:44 remaining and Meeker’s extra point made the final score, 28-17.
After the win, Head Coach Chris Young talked with Dog Pound sideline reporter Richie Cagle. “We were sloppy tonight,” said Young. “But you’ve got to give [Shiloh] credit. They’re a good football team on both sides of the ball. They do some crazy stuff on defense, and we knew if we weren’t careful, we could throw some interceptions, and we threw [three] tonight. We can’t do that. Early on we had a chance to go up 21-7 and dropped the ball on the 1-yard-line, and that was a killer. And then losing Kane [Archer]. I’m really proud of how Cooper [Goodwin] came back after those two picks. We wanted to get him moving because he’s such a good athlete. I thought he made some big plays with his legs and made some good decisions. Kane was cleared to play in the second half, but we didn’t want risk it. I hate it for him because he was dying to get back in the game. But it was the best thing for our football team, and our guys found a way to win.”
Young also responded to a question about the play of senior Paul Brixey, part of Greenwood’s reconstructed defense with many players having never started before. “I’m really proud of how our defense responded,” said the coach. “[Paul] is one of those players who has been in our program for six years and didn’t start last year but played some. He’s getting better every time he steps on the field, and it’s just game experience, and I expect he will continue to improve. Him and Cash Owenby and other guys who haven’t played a whole lot, but every game they keep making more plays, and I’m proud of them.”