Lucas’ words on the money for Bruins
Pulaski Academy Coach Anthony Lucas stood on the sideline at Smith-Robinson Stadium in Greenwood six weeks ago and told the team’s fans and his players that they would see the Greenwood Bulldogs again and that the outcome would be different. They did and it was. “When we played them on October 28, I told our fans and our people that we would see Greenwood in the state championship game and that it would be a different ball game,” Lucas said. “I said it confidently. I’m not an arrogant person, but I was very confident. I know some of the obstacles we had to face and what went on during that game.”
Pulaski Academy won the rematch 42-35 on Saturday night at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock to win the Class 6A state title after losing to Greenwood 33-23 during the regular season in 6A-West play.
On Saturday, Greenwood scored three touchdowns in the first quarter and led 2112. After that, Pulaski Academy’s defense allowed just two touchdowns over the final three quarters.
“We made some adjustment on some things they were doing,” Lucas said. “We were able to trigger when they were able to do this or do that. They’re a powerful football team and very explosive. We made the adjustments and the kids listened.”
Greenwood scored 17 points in the fourth quarter in the first meeting to rally for the win.
Pulaski Academy’s defense was bound and determined not to let that happen again.
“This time, we just played a little bit harder,” defensive lineman Romelo Bell said. “We cut down on the deep stuff and the short stuff because the short stuff was what they were killing us on last time.”
Bell ended Greenwood’s opening drive of the second half with a fourth-down sack.
“We just took it one game at a time,” Bell said. “We wanted to get our revenge. We didn’t want to send me and our seniors out with a loss in the championship game.”
Offensively, Pulaski Academy leaned on junior running back Kenny Jordan, who ran for 192 yards and touchdowns of 3, 1, and 17 yards and earned the game’s Most Valuable Player award.
“This means the world to me, but I couldn’t have done this without the whole team,” Jordan said. “The O-line, the defense, they’re the reason why I could get this trophy. I just want to give a big shout out to them, the coaches and the fans. I’m so thankful to them.”
Jordan ran for 183 yards in the first meeting against Greenwood and three touchdowns, but Saturday’s game meant more to him.
“It does,” Jordan said. “To send the seniors out on the right note. We lost to them in the regular season, we knew we would see them here again and that it would be a different outcome. I wanted to do all I could to send them out on the right note.”
Jordan’s 17-yard scoring run with 8:20 left in the game put Pulaski Academy up for good at 34-28 right after Greenwood had tied the game at 28-28 on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Hunter Houston to L.J. Robins.
“Kenny did an outstanding job,” Lucas said. “I told him just to keep protecting the ball. They came out the first couple of plays yanking at the football. I told him to just run hard and take care of the football. I’m happy for him getting the MVP. Kenny is a workhorse.”
Pulaski Academy’s offense scored four second-half touchdowns on Saturday and was a perfect 4-for-4 on fourthdown attempts after converting 2 of 9 in the first meeting.
“What I really emphasized was the offense has to play better,” Lucas said. “That was the big emphasis was the offense has to play better. I watched the film when we played October 28, the defense gave us so many opportunities. The offense, we just have to play better. The biggest thing was offense.”
The championship is the first for Pulaski Academy after moving up to Class 6A from Class 5A due to the competitive equity factor. The state championship is also the 11th, breaking a tie with Greenwood for the most in the modern playoff era, which began in 1968.
“It says a lot,” Lucas said. “Our kids bought in. We knew we were going into 6A and that Greenwood was the team to beat. Our kids were excited about the challenge. Everybody wanted to know if we can succeed in 6A. I said we’ll be ready. It means a lot. I’m so thankful and so blessed.”