Lady Bulldogs defeat Vilonia for their 8th state title.
The Lady Bulldogs pulled off one of the most incredible seasons in school history and capped it with winning their third State Championship in a row. In front of a rowdy crowd of 2,944 at Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs, Seniors Anna Trusty, Brooklyn Woolsey, and Carley Sexton capped their careers at Greenwood High School avenging an earlier season loss to the Vilonia Eagles. The win gives Clay Reeves his 11th State Title including 3 that were won in Greenland.
Greenwood finished their season 28-4 overall with a 12-1 league record in 5A-West play. The state title is the 63rd in school history after Cheer, Cross Country and Football won theirs in the first half of the year. It marks the programs 8th state title, In a season that saw Coach Reeves win his 800th game and Anna Trusty become the All-time leading scorer for the Lady Bulldogs. Junior Izzy Smith and Sophomore Kylah Pearcy were integral parts of the Greenwood scoring machine throughout the season.
The real strength of the Lady Bulldog team came from the players rotated in. Seniors Mckenzie Thomas and Kaci Dedmon, Juniors Jenna Honkala, Pate Jones, Piper Pitts, Keelie Dolan, Halie Key, Hailey Spearman and Alissa Gray. Sophomores Journey Clements, Ashlin Rose, Trinity Spicer, Addison Bridges, Honor Zuress, and Eva Booth. The unsung heroes of the Lady Bulldogs were Assistant Coach, Ryan Lensing and Managers Julian Oliver, Fallen Van Lare, and Joslyn McBride.
Greenwood would strike first with a three-point basket from Senior Brooklyn Woolsey at the 7:47 mark. Vilonia got on to the board after a free throw from Sidni Middleton. Greenwood Junior Izzy Smith and Vilonia’s Lexi Heston traded baskets before Greenwood went on a 6-0 with baskets from Woolsey, Anna Trusty, and Kylah Pearcy. It pushed the Lady Bulldog lead to 8 with five minutes left in the 1st period. Vilonia pulled within 2 one last time on a Brooklyn Burnham 3-point basket with 4:14 in the first. From there it was all Lady Bulldogs as they out ran the Lady Eagles to a 27-15 1st period score. Brooklyn Woolsey led Greenwood with 11 points, Kylah Pearcy had 6 points, Anna Trusty and Izzy Smith both had 5 points. Vilonia had 4 turnovers that Greenwood converted to 9 points.
The 2nd period saw a closer game between the two State Championship hopefuls, although the closest the Lady Eagles would get to Greenwood is by 11 points. It was back and forth between the two teams as they traded points. The Lady Bulldogs shot 63.6% from the field, but were one for four from the three point line. It was enough to extend the lead to 44-29 as the halftime buzzer sounded. Kylah Pearcy led the scoring with 6 points, Izzy Smith added 5 points to her total. Seniors Carley Sexton, Brooklyn Woolsey, and Anna Trusty each had 2 points.
Vilonia came out of the half with a 6-0 run on Greenwood’s defense getting them within 9 of the Lady Bulldogs. It would the two minutes three seconds into the half before Greenwood put points on the board from a Kylah Pearcy layup inside the paint. Greenwood held Vilonia to shots from the foul line before going on another 6-0 run with scores from Anna Trusty and 3-point basket from Brooklyn Woolsey. Greenwood extended their lead to as much as 19-points in the 3rd, with a period ending score of 61-43. Pearcy capped the 3rd with a 2-point basket at the buzzer. Brooklyn Woolsey had 8 points, followed by Pearcy with 6 points, and Trusty with 3 points.
Starting the 4th, Vilonia began chipping away at the Lady Bulldogs cutting the Greenwood lead to 14, and that would be the closest they would get. Greenwood would have two 7-0 runs in the fourth period pushing their lead to 26 points. Kylah Pearcy would go out of the game with 5 fouls, bringing in Junior Jenna Honkala. Senior starters Woolsey, Sexton, and Trusty would leave the court one last time to a standing ovation from the Greenwood crowd. Carly Sexton and Anna Trusty scored their last points as Lady Bulldogs in the 4th period as well. Senior McKenzie Thomas scored the points for Greenwood putting the score 77-51. Anna Trusty had 8 points, Carley Sexton had 4 points, Izzy Smith and McKenzie Thomas had 2 points each.
Greenwood Lady Bulldogs win the 2024 Class 5A Girls State Championship. Senior Anna Trusty was the State Championship game MVP.
“I thought our players came to play. They played great. They played a really good first half.” Coach Clay Reeves said after the win “Probably the first time I’ve ever went in at halftime and said ‘Ya’ll played a good first half.’ haha”
“Great kids to coach, they always work hard. They’re always there. They put up with me coaching them” Coach Reeves said with a laugh.
Greenwood bussed down 150 students to cheer on the Lady Bulldogs to their third Championship in a row. Senior Brooklyn Woolsey commented on the support, “It means a lot to us, the atmosphere is great. I think that really helps us play.”
The Lady Bulldogs have made it to the State Championship game four times of the last five, only missing out in the 2020-2021 season losing in the Quarterfinals to eventual State Champion Jonesboro. Which also was Anna Trusty’s Freshman year, and something she reflected on in the post-game press conference. “It’s been awesome. Lots of people go through out their high school career without even going to one. To be able to go for three is awesome.”
