SPRINGDALE — Greenwood has a chance to finish its dream season as the undefeated Class 5A state champion.
All the reigning state champion Bulldogs (13-0) have to do is beat Batesville (11-2) tonight at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
That task is enough to overshadow any grand accomplishments in the minds of the Bulldogs.
Greenwood Coach Rick Jones said he has heard talk all year about how this is the program’s greatest team with an impressive combination of a high-scoring offense, a shutdown defense and strong special teams. All the heady praise may be proved true, but it can only happen on the field tonight against a powerful Pioneers team with its own share of play makers.
“If you really think about the big-picture implications, it’d drive you crazy,” Jones said. “We’re just trying to win a football game. When you’re in the middle of the hunt, you don’t think about what it will feel like when the hunt is over.
“All we want to do is when it is over, good or bad, we want to walk off the field and be able to say we did our best.”
The Bulldogs reached the state title game for the sixth time since 2004 behind an offense that is averaging 43.9 points per game and a defense that yields less than 14 points per game.
“They are probably the premier program in 5A football in the state of Arkansas the last 10 years,” Batesville Coach Dave King said. “We don’t have a fear of Greenwood, but we have great respect for them. This is a great opportunity, and life is about opportunity.”
Greenwood is led by quarterback Hayden Smith, running back Justin Sunde and receiver/linebacker Drew Morgan. Smith has passed for 2,770 yards and 35 touchdowns with only 2 interceptions. Sunde has 962 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, while Morgan has 1,183 yards and 19 touchdowns receiving in addition to other work.
Morgan has made 63 tackles, 4 1/2 sacks and returned 2 interceptions for touchdowns.
There have been two close calls for Greenwood along the way. Alma, Greenwood’s longtime 5A-West Conference rival, pushed the Bulldogs in a 23-20 loss, and last week Greenwood had to rally for 17 points in the fourth quarter to beat Camden Fairview 34-31 in the semifinals. The Cardinals had 462 yards of offense, including 244 rushing, only the second time this year Greenwood has allowed more than 167 yards rushing in a game.
Running the ball is Batesville’s bread and butter with junior tailback Jordan Childress and a big offensive line. Childress has rushed for more than 2,100 yards and 28 touchdowns this year, and Jones is understandably concerned Batesville will line up and mash the small but fast Bulldogs defense.
“They have several running backs who can hurt anybody they play,” Jones said. “We have to play with passion and fire and low pads. If we don’t play with low pads, we’ll be on our back side and passion and fire won’t do a whole lot of good.”
King said establishing the run will be a key against Greenwood, but the Pioneers also will have to be able to pass to keep the Bulldogs from stacking the line of scrimmage against Childress. A year ago, the Bulldogs shut down Batesville’s running game in a 38-13 semifinal victory.
“They’ve been good offensively as long as I can remember, but now their defense is equally impressive,” King said.“Last year, they just shut us down totally. Their defense is as good as I’ve ever seen it.
“Sometimes you worry too much about the opposition. They’re a good defensive football team, but I wouldn’t expect anything different in the state championship game.”
At a glance Greenwood (13-0)
DATE OPP. RESULT
Sept. 2 at Sallisaw, Okla. 49-21, W
Sept. 9 St. Louis Lift for Life 43-8, W
Sept. 16 Shiloh Christian 55-0, W
Sept. 23 Siloam Springs* 42-6, W
Sept. 30 at Morrilton* 41-17, W
Oct. 7 at Huntsville* 42-7, W
Oct. 14 Harrison* 54-14, W
Oct. 21 Vilonia* 45-15, W
Oct. 28 at Greenbrier* 59-35, W
Nov. 4 at Alma* 23-20, W
Nov. 11 CAC# 42-7, W
Nov. 18 Wynne# 42-7, W
Nov. 25 at Camden FV# 34-31, W
*5A-West game #Playoff game
COACH Rick Jones, eighth season, 92-16
ASSISTANTS Chris Young, offensive coord., wide receivers; Kenneth Chick, co-defensive coord., defensive backs; Jacob Cox, co-defensive coord., linebackers; Jordan Huckeba, running backs, special teams; Matt Neissl, defensive line; Josh Nation, offensive line; Larry Shuck, defensive backs MASCOT Bulldogs
CONFERENCE 5A-West
RECORD 13-0, 7-0 5A-West, first
RANKING No. 1 in Class 5A
ENROLLMENT 798 (based on 2010-2012 classification cycle; fourth among 32 Class 5A schools) PLAYERS TO WATCH QB Hayden Smith, 5-11, 157, Sr.; RB Justin Sunde, 5-11, 161, Sr.; WR/OLB Drew Morgan, 6-0, 170, Jr.; ILB Brandon Boerjan, 5-9, 184, Sr.
OFFENSIVE/DEFENSIVE FORMATION Spread/3-4
LEADING RUSHER Justin Sunde, 152 carries, 962 yards, 15 touchdowns
LEADING PASSER Hayden Smith, 192 of 254, 2,770 yards, 35 touchdowns
LEADING RECEIVER Drew Morgan, 71 receptions, 1,183 yards, 19 touchdowns
LEADING TACKLER Brandon Boerjan, 32 unassisted, 91 assisted
Batesville (11-2)
DATE OPP. RESULT
Sept. 2 Newport 55-15, W
Sept. 9 at Searcy 37-22, L
Sept. 16 Mountain Home 27-20, L
Sept. 23 at Nettleton* 42-7, W
Sept. 30 Paragould* 41-13, W
Oct. 7 at Forrest City* 46-0, W
Oct. 14 Wynne* 37-8, W
Oct. 21 at Blytheville* 56-21, W
Oct. 28 Greene Co. Tech* 56-20, W
Nov. 4 at Beebe* 28-14, W
Nov. 11 Hel.-W.H. Central# 40-6, W
Nov. 18 Greenbrier# 16-6, W
Nov. 25 White Hall# 47-26, W
*5A-East game
COACH Dave King, 16th season, 131-53-2
ASSISTANTS Stuart Smith, defensive coordinator, linebackers; Kevin Miller, offensive coordinator, wide receivers, defensive backs; Gary Rhodes, offensive line, defensive ends; Tim Howard, offensive line, linebackers; T.J. Stroud, tight ends, strong safeties
MASCOT Pioneers
CONFERENCE 5A-East
RECORD 11-2, 7-0 5A-East, first
RANKING No. 2 in Class 5A
ENROLLMENT 625 (based on 2010-2012 classification cycle; 24th among 32 Class 5A schools) PLAYERS TO WATCH WR/SS Cody Vaughn, 5-10, 180, Sr.; TB Jordan Childress, 5-7, 182, Jr.; QB Jacob Hardin, 5-11, 164, Jr.; LB Joey Rodriguez, 5-9, 179, So.
OFFENSIVE/DEFENSIVE FORMATION I/50
LEADING RUSHER Jordan Childress, 289 carries, 2,175 yards, 28 touchdowns
LEADING PASSER Jacob Hardin, 49 of 92, 683 yards, 5 touchdowns
LEADING RECEIVER athan Dockery, 11 receptions, 291 yards, 3 touchdowns
LEADING TACKLER Joey Rodriguez, 69 unassisted, 78 assisted
Sports, Pages 30 on 12/03/2011