Greenwood just keeps pounding
Posted on Thursday, November 27, 2008
Greenwood is practicing on Thanksgiving.
Should anybody be surprised ?
If there is one difference in this now-familiar script, it’s how the Bulldogs arrived at the day of turkey and training.
Things weren’t easy.
“It’s always a struggle,” Bulldogs Coach Rick Jones said. “But this year seems like maybe a bigger struggle than normal.”
Jones said his normally efficient Spread offense has been inconsistent, and for the first time he believes the Bulldogs will finish with a negative turnover margin.
“We’re always a play here and a play there,” Jones said. “Luckily, they’ve gone our way, but it’s been a struggle.”
But tradition kicked in early last month, and now Greenwood is playing in the playoff semifinals for the fifth consecutive year.
Friday night at Smith-Robinson Stadium in Greenwood, the No. 4 Bulldogs (9-3 ) host No. 2 Pulaski Academy (11-1 ) in a Class 5 A matchup. The winner faces the Helena-West Helena Central-Monticello survivor for the state championship Dec. 6 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
Greenwood eliminated Pulaski Academy in the 2006 state championship game (56-55 ) and in last year’s playoff quarterfinals (57-50 ).
The Bruins have won 11 consecutive games since a season-opening loss at Helena-West Helena Central on Sept. 5.
The Bulldogs were just 2-3 after a 51-48 home loss to Harrison on Oct. 3. Greenwood hasn’t lost since, escaping against Vilonia (40-31 ), Siloam Springs (42-38 in double overtime ), Alma (40-36 ), Camden Fairview (24-12 ) and Batesville (24-20 ) in last week’s quarterfinals.
“Even at the very bottom, our kids kept working hard. They stayed hooked up,” Jones said. “That’s what you hope for. That’s why you work so hard in the off-season. The harder you work in the off-season, the harder it is to give up and give in. They just kept on plugging.
“ We call it pounding rocks. They just kept pounding the rock and eventually it got a crack.”
Jones said Greenwood’s turnaround began with junior Tyler Shook’s emergence at quarterback in early October. Shook has thrown for 2, 613 yards and 31 touchdowns this fall, including the game-winning 30-yard score late in the fourth quarter against Batesville.
Jones said inexperience at quarterback, running back and offensive line have factored into some of the offensive struggles, especially early in the season.
“It’s been spotty at times,” Jones said. “Our defense has carried us the last two weeks.”
Pulaski Academy presents Greenwood’s biggest defensive challenge this season. The Bruins have scored 63 points four times and haven’t scored fewer than 41 points since Week 2.
Senior quarterback Spencer Keith has thrown for 4, 549 yards and 65 touchdowns, the latter one of the highest single-season totals in national history.
Senior running back D. J. Daniel has rushed for 1, 452 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Senior wide receiver Carson McKnight is the state’s leading receiver with 111 receptions for 1, 692 yards and 17 touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Neal Barlow has 20 touchdown receptions.
“If we don’t turn the ball over, we’re really, really tough to beat,” Pulaski Academy Coach Kevin Kelley said. “In the state championship game against them, I think we turned it over six times. We just can’t do that type of stuff.”
Kelley said mistakes against Greenwood are magnif ied because winning is ingrained in the program. The Bulldogs have won 18 consecutive games in November and 14 consecutive in the postseason.
Jones is 17-1 in the playoffs at Greenwood, with the only loss coming to Wynne in the 2004 Class AAAA state championship game.
“Greenwood is a person that’s on top and a team that’s on top,” Kelley said. “If you want to measure yourself as a person or a player, you want to play against the best. The competition level is as good as it gets.”
Kelley led Pulaski Academy to the Class AAA state championship in 2003. Pulaski Academy at Greenwood WHAT Class 5 A semifinals WHEN 7: 30 p. m. Friday WHERE Smith-Robinson Stadium, Greenwood RECORDS Pulaski Academy 11-1; Greenwood 9-3 RANKINGS Pulaski Academy is No. 2 in Class 5 A; Greenwood is No. 4 in Class 5 A RADIO KZKZ-FM, 106. 3, in Greenwood; KARN-FM, 102. 9, in Little Rock INTERNET www. greenwooddogpound. com, www. fearlessfriday. com
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