This year's Class 6A title game features Greenwood and El Dorado teams that found the same end-of-season destination on quite different journeys.
The Wildcats have been on a tear from the onset, scoring at a high rate and blowing out teams with an explosive offense. Since a Week 4 loss to Jonesboro, they've won eight consecutive games, doing so by an average margin of 29.3 points. The Bulldogs, the defending state champions, have won at whatever cost following a 2-2 start. Since a 48-28 loss to Little Rock Parkview in Week 4, they've had just one loss, a 41-40 defeat to Benton, despite a bevy of injuries.
"We're really grateful for the opportunity to play against a quality team in Greenwood," El Dorado Coach Steven Jones said. "[They're] a powerhouse, and we're just fired up."
Much like their 2021 seasons, the Bulldogs and Wildcats also share rather different histories when it comes to title games.
For Greenwood (9-3), December at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock is old hat of late. The Bulldogs are playing for their 11th state title today, and it'll also be the sixth time they've played in the title game since 2013.
Despite the recent success, the Bulldogs' year has felt a little more uncertain mainly due to the injuries; the biggest of those being quarterback Hunter Houston, who missed three games early in the season, which included two of Greenwood's three losses.
Houston returned against Siloam Springs, but it doesn't mean the Bulldogs aren't without other injuries. Left tackle Corben Webb tore his ACL in their first bout with Parkview. Safety Storm Scherrey tore labrums in both shoulders, which required season-ending surgery. Both Greenwood's starting and second-string running backs, Jake Glover and Javon Williamson, are out for the remainder of the year with broken legs.
Young did say that, despite so many injuries, there's been some silver linings.
"It gave us the opportunity to develop some depth," Young said. "Some guys that played early on that maybe wouldn't have played, and they're able to help us now."
For El Dorado (10-2), the last time the Wildcats played in a title game was 2013, winning their ninth championship and ending an impressive run of four titles in a 5-year span. The success of this season, following a 5-5 finish a year ago, has been highlighted by one of the state's best offenses.
"We had, when I got here, a great sophomore class that had a lot of opportunities to play early in their careers," El Dorado Coach Steven Jones said. "They've been better and better as we've moved through the last three years and they're a big part of why we're here."
The seniors have indeed paved the way for the Wildcats, most notably quarterback Sharmon Rester, who's third in the state in passing yards, and his top targets, Kam Bibby and Jackie Washington, both of whom have 1,000-plus receiving yards.
Jones was also complimentary of his offensive line this week, which he said was the team's biggest question mark at the start of the year. It has three new starters this season in Japhen Baker, Cameron Davis and Jaamal Green. Baker, who starts at center, converted from defensive line.
"[Offensive line coach Kris Borosvskis] took a group of guys that we didn't really know where they would fit and he mixed and matched, and I feel like did a good job of getting them in the right position."
Not only has the offensive line paved the way for a high-flying passing attack, but it's also done so for junior running back Shadarious Plummer, El Dorado's lone 1,000-yard rusher this season.
"With our philosophy of taking what the defense gives us, it's extremely vital," Jones said in reference to having a good run game. "When they put extra guys over the top of our explosive receivers and remove a guy from the tackle box, it makes it critical that we can run the football."
While the Wildcats will bring high-powered offense, it's clear their opponent will bring whatever it can to win. The Bulldogs have found themselves in blowouts, shootouts and close calls this year. And as of late, their defense has been stout, posting three shutouts in the past four games. In those three shutouts, they allowed an average of 137.7 yards per game.
Whatever the case, Young feels his team is ready for whatever's thrown at them.
"We've gone into games thinking we had to score 50 and it was a 14-7 game, and we've gone into games like last week with Parkview and you thought there might be a little bit less scoring with two good defenses, and it was a high-scoring game," Young said.
At a glance
GREENWOOD VS. EL DORADO
WHAT Class 6A state championship
WHEN Noon
WHERE War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock
TV Arkansas PBS
TICKETS $7, available online at gofan.co/app/school/AAA
RECORDS Greenwood 9-3; El Dorado 10-2
COACHES Greenwood: Chris Young; El Dorado: Steven Jones
El Dorado (10-2)
DATE OPPONENT RESULT
Sept. 2 Camden Fairview W, 40-36
Sept. 10 Cabot L, 41-35
Sept. 17 Magnolia W, 50-30
Sept. 24 Jonesboro L, 31-20
Oct. 1 Pine Bluff W, 70-28
Oct. 8 Sheridan W, 48-0
Oct. 15 Marion W, 36-7
Oct. 22 Sylvan Hills W, 51-23
Oct. 29 Searcy W, 52-51
Nov. 4 West Memphis W, 63-23
Nov. 19 Lake Hamilton* W, 48-27
Nov. 26 Marion* W, 60-27
*Class 6A playoffs
COACH Steven Jones (19-14 in third season)
MASCOT Wildcats
CONFERENCE 6A-East
RANKING No. 4 Class 6A (at the end ofregular season)
PLAYERS TO WATCH QB Sharmon Rester (Sr., 5-10, 190); RB Shadarious Plummer (Jr., 5-7, 170); WR Jackie Washington (Sr., 5-9); WR Kam Bibby (Sr., 6-2, 175); WR Deandra Burns Jr. (Jr. 5-11, 142) Greenwood (9-3)
DATE OPPONENT RESULT
Aug. 27 Muskogee (Okla.) W, 63-21
Sept. 3 FS Southside W, 54-48
Sept. 10 FS Northside L, 29-20
Sept. 23 LR Parkview L, 48-28
Oct. 1 Mountain Home W, 31-7
Oct. 8 Siloam Springs W, 54-17
Oct. 15 Russellville W, 35-7
Oct. 22 Benton L, 41-40
Oct. 29 Van Buren W, 42-0
Nov. 5 Lake Hamilton W, 35-0
Nov. 19 Mountain Home* W, 42-0
Nov. 26 LR Parkview* W, 45-35
*Class 6A playoffs
COACH Chris Young (23-3 in second season)
MASCOT Bulldogs
CONFERENCE 6A-West
RANKING No. 9 overall, No. 3 Class 6A (at the end of regular season)
PLAYERS TO WATCH QB Hunter Houston (Jr., 6-2, 195); WR Luke Brewer (Sr., 6-1, 185); WR LR Robins (So., 5-10, 150); DB Colin Daggett (Sr., 5-11, 165); NG Landon Kilgore (Sr., 6-2, 267)