After meeting for the first time last year, the Greenwood Bulldogs had this season opener circled on the calendar. If you are looking for storylines for a matchup and why several media outlets were looking towards this game as well it was easy to see. Greenwood lost to Stillwater in Stillwater 41-27 in 2022 and the Bulldogs wanted to even up the series. The highly publicized Greenwood offense was starting a Sophomore QB, with Kane Archer, for the first time since the late 90’s when Brooks Coatney helped put Greenwood on another level. The Greenwood Defense was returning a lot of starters from last years State Runner-Up team. Then there are the streaks, the home opener streak was at 14, the home game winning streak was at 56, and coincidentally Stillwater was also riding a 14 game winning streak of their own.
All of those questions and storylines would be answered early as Greenwood would defer and Stillwater would receive the opening kick-off. The Greenwood defense would make their presence known early, after two rushing attempts were stopped near the line of scrimmage, Stillwater would take to the air and Senior Brady Mackey would intercept the pass at midfield and take it back to the Pioneer 26 yard line. Four plays later Kane Archer finds Senior L.J. Robins in the endzone for the Touchdown. Senior Bodey Steinfeldt’s kick would be good and with 9:19 in the 1st quarter Greenwood is up 7-0. Stillwater would punt on their next drive after stops from the Greenwood defense from Juniors Zak Edwards and Zack Zitsman. This time it would take just one play for Archer to find Robins again for the Touchdown. The Steinfeldt kick made is 14-0 with 6:50 left in the 1st. A sack from Sr. Brenden Chick and Junior Cash Archer on Stillwater’s first play resulted in a changing of Quarterbacks for Stillwater, Senior Chance Acord would be replaced by junior Parker Edwards. Stillwater would attempt a fake punt on fourth down deep in Greenwood territory and it would be broken up by Seniors Braden Skaggs and Caden Nelms. Greenwood and Stillwater would exchange punts on the next two drives. On Greenwood’s next drive, Kane Archer would find an open Junior Isaiah Arrington down the home sideline for the Touchdown, Steinfeldt’s point after was good with 1:06 left in the first quarter. Greenwood on top 21-0 to end the first quarter.
Opening the 2nd quarter Stillwater would find themselves at 4 and 20 situation after a sack by Cash Archer and Junior Mark Garretson. A bobbled punt kick by Stillwater would set Greenwood up at the Stillwater 6 yard line. Archer would call his own number for the touchdown and with the Steinfeldt kick it’s 28-0 with 11:13 in the 2nd. A long return by the Pioneers, saved by a Grant Karnes tackle, revitalized the Pioneers setting up a one play touchdown pass, kick was good 28-7 10:51 in the 2nd. Greenwood would get a long return of their own from Grant Karnes close to midfield, Greenwood would stall out and punt. Stillwater’s Tan Booth would find the end zone on a 28 yard run, kick was good 28-14 7:34 left in the half. Greenwood would punt on their next possession and Stillwater would be stopped on 4th down. On Greenwood’s next possession Archer would escape a would be sack and get the first down to set up a touchdown pass to Grant Karnes. Kick was good pushing the Greenwood lead to 35-14 with 4:11 in the half. Stillwater would get into Greenwood territory but would get stopped at the 25 on fourth down. With just over a minute left in the half Greenwood would march down to the 28 yard line as time would expire.
On the first possession of the 2nd half Stillwater would intercept a tipped pass. Senior Landon Nelms would break up passes on two consecutive downs and Caden Nelms stopping the Running Back behind the line, shutting the Pioneers down. The Bulldogs would just need one play for Senior Brayedan Davis to take it 67 yards for the touchdown, Steinfeldt would get the PAT making it 42-14 with 6:51 in the 3rd quarter. With 33 seconds left in the third quarter Stillwater would make it into the endzone with the PAT being good. 42-21 in the 3rd. Greenwood would finish out the quarter.
Greenwood would march down the field with Brayedan Davis punching it in for the final touchdown of the game, kick was good making it 49-21 with 7:53 in the 4th. Stillwater would punt on their possession. Greenwood would take over to finish out the game with runs from Sophomores Cooper Goodwin and Wesley Raggio. On fourth and long junior Hudson Meeker made a catch for the first down sealing the game.
“Really happy with defense first quarter, we got tired and that’s on me. We gotta get in better shape so they can finish, because when we are in shape we play really well.” Head Coach Chris Young said after the game. “That’s a big physical football team, they’re good and they’re going to win a lot of games this year.” Coach Young said about Stillwater.
“Offensively we were really good sometimes, we have got to get more consistent. We made a couple silly plays, but overall you score 49 points on a team like that you have got to be happy.” said Coach Young
With the win the Bulldogs stretch their home opener streak to 15 which dates back to when this group of Sophomores were learning to walk. The home game win streak now stands at 57 and that goes back to November 21, 2014.
Next week the Bulldogs are on the road against Fort Smith Northside. Kickoff is 7pm at Mayo-Thompson Stadium in Fort Smith.
