Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
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Step up no problem for Pulaski Academy
Anthony Lucas, with tearfilled eyes, tried to take in all his team had accomplished shortly after Pulaski Academy beat Greenwood 42-35 in the Class 6A state title game Saturday night at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
“It says a lot. Our kids bought in and we were excited [about moving up to 6A],” Lucas said. “We knew we were going into 6A, and we knew about Greenwood, of course, they’re the team to beat. Our kids were excited about the challenge. … It means a lot. I’m just so grateful and so blessed that I get to lead these guys at PA.”
Pulaski Academy ( 12-1) won its fourth straight state title Saturday and its 11th title since 2003.
The Bruins lost the first 2022 matchup, 33-23, on Oct. 28, and less than four minutes into Saturday’s matchup the Bulldogs had a lead. Greenwood ( 11- 3) running back Brayedan Davis found the end zone on a 4-yard run, making the score 7-0.
The teams traded touchdowns the rest of the first quarter to bring the score to 21-12 with the Bulldogs in the lead.
The Bruins added two touchdowns in the second quarter to make it 25-21 at halftime. Quarterback Kel Busby and running back Kenny
Jordan, the game’s Most Valuable Player, each rushed for their second touchdown during the quarter.
While the Pulaski Academy offense couldn’t find much success in the third quarter, punting on both of its drives, it held Greenwood scoreless for the second consecutive quarter. After scoring three times in the first quarter, Greenwood punted twice and turned the ball over on downs three times in the next two quarters.
“We made some adjustments on things,” Lucas said. “[Greenwood is] a high-powered football team, and they’re explosive as well. We made the adjustments on what they were doing and our kids listened.” The Bruins opened its fourth quarter with John Steven Goodwin making a 33-yard field goal to make it 28-21.
Maybe more than any trend from Pulaski Academy’s 20-year dominance under Kevin Kelley, and now Lucas, has been the team’s reluctance to kick. Whether that be traditional kickoffs, punting, extra points, or field goals, Pulaski Academy has almost always opted for something else.
When Lucas took over, he said he wanted to keep that tradition but also play as smart as he knew how.
“I said, ‘I’m not going to change much, but I am going to be smart,’ It’s always the flow of the game for me. That’s what I look at. I look at the flow of the game and the way each series goes.”
Pulaski Academy punted three times, made one field goal and one extra point and went with traditional kickoffs for the entirety of the second half. And it paid off with Greenwood starting inside its 35-yard throughout the second half.
With 8:20 left in the fourth quarter, Greenwood quarterback Hunter Houston connected with LJ Robins on a 38-yard touchdown to make it 28-28.
On Pulaski Academy’s next drive, Greenwood was called for pass interference in the end zone to put the ball at its 17-yard line. One play later, Jordan rushed for his third score to make it 35-28.
Jordan finished with 35 carries, 208 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Just as Pulaski Academy had taken the lead, things went from bad to worse for Greenwood. Houston threw an interception to Bruins’ safety Patton Whicker on the first play of the following drive. Two plays later, Busby rushed 5 yards to make it 4228.
“I don’t think there [could be] a bigger gut punch,” Greenwood Coach Chris Young said. “I mean, that was obviously a turning point in the football game.”
Greenwood scored 22 seconds later on a 44-yard touchdown pass from Houston to Robins. The Bulldogs got the ball back once more, trailing 42-35 but turned the ball over on downs with 3:14 remaining.
With a 6A title added to the trophy case, Pulaski Academy won its 11th state championship, the most in the state since the playoff era began in 1968.