Pulaski Academy stops late conversion to edge Greenwood

Pulaski Academy 35, Greenwood 33

LITTLE ROCK — Caleb Sullivan threw four touchdown passes, and Pulaski Academy stopped Greenwood’s late two-point attempt before securing a 35-33 victory Friday at Joe B. Hatcher Stadium.

Greenwood scored first when quarterback Cruz Coatney followed Bailey Thibodeau’s interception with a 3-yard touchdown run at 7:35 of the first quarter. Sullivan answered with touchdown passes of 3 yards to Chase Hancock and 82 yards to Myles McDaniel, giving Pulaski Academy a 14-7 lead.

Thibodeau’s second interception gave Greenwood possession at its 4. Mario Dunbar’s 1-yard run tied it with 5:40 before halftime. Braxton Canada’s 63-yard reception and Brayden Brewer’s 29-yard catch set up the score.

Pulaski Academy then stopped Greenwood on fourth down at the 1. Sullivan led a 99-yard drive capped by a 22-yard touchdown pass to Slade Kentner with 22 seconds left for a 21-14 halftime lead.

Rhett Holloway’s 35-yard touchdown run tied it early in the third quarter. Coatney’s 14-yard touchdown pass to Canada put Greenwood ahead 27-21 with 1:26 left in the period. Pulaski Academy stopped the conversion after a mishandled snap.

Hancock’s 36-yard touchdown reception and Sullivan’s kick restored the Bruins’ lead, 28-27, with 7:18 remaining. Hancock had kept the drive alive with a 12-yard catch on fourth-and-10.

Pulaski Academy recovered an offensive fumble in the end zone to extend its lead to 35-27 at 3:14.

Coatney extended the Bulldogs’ final touchdown drive with an 8-yard keeper on fourth-and-2. Canada caught another 14-yard touchdown with 1:37 left. Pulaski Academy defended the conversion pass and recovered the onside kick.

Sullivan’s ensuing punt pinned Greenwood inside its 5. The Bruins stopped Coatney short on fourth-and-10 with 44 seconds remaining and ran out the clock.

Canada finished with 10 catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns. Greenwood linebacker Bryer Hackler recorded 11 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble.

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter

Greenwood — Cruz Coatney 3-yard touchdown run (Landon Franklin kick), 7:35. Greenwood 7, Pulaski Academy 0.

Pulaski Academy — Chase Hancock 3-yard touchdown pass from Caleb Sullivan (Sullivan kick), 5:11. Tied 7-7.

Pulaski Academy — Myles McDaniel 82-yard touchdown pass from Sullivan (Sullivan kick), 2:27. Pulaski Academy 14, Greenwood 7.

2nd Quarter

Greenwood — Mario Dunbar 1-yard touchdown run (Franklin kick), 5:40. Tied 14-14.

Pulaski Academy — Slade Kentner 22-yard touchdown pass from Sullivan (Sullivan kick), 0:22. Pulaski Academy 21, Greenwood 14.

3rd Quarter

Greenwood — Rhett Holloway 35-yard touchdown run (Franklin kick), 10:31. Tied 21-21.

Greenwood — Braxton Canada 14-yard touchdown pass from Coatney (conversion pass failed after a bad snap), 1:26. Greenwood 27, Pulaski Academy 21.

4th Quarter

Pulaski Academy — Hancock 36-yard touchdown pass from Sullivan (Sullivan kick), 7:18. Pulaski Academy 28, Greenwood 27.

Pulaski Academy — Offensive fumble recovered in the end zone for a touchdown, scorer unconfirmed (Sullivan kick), 3:14. Pulaski Academy 35, Greenwood 27.

Greenwood — Canada 14-yard touchdown pass from Coatney (two-point pass failed), 1:37. Pulaski Academy 35, Greenwood 33.

Players Who Stood Out

• Caleb Sullivan, Pulaski Academy, quarterback: Four touchdown passes — 3 and 36 yards to Hancock, 82 yards to McDaniel and 22 yards to Kentner. Added five extra points and a late punt downed inside Greenwood’s 5.
• Chase Hancock, Pulaski Academy, wide receiver: Two touchdown receptions, covering 3 and 36 yards. His 12-yard catch on fourth-and-10 extended the drive that put Pulaski Academy ahead 28-27.
• Braxton Canada, Greenwood, wide receiver: 10 catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns, both from 14 yards. His 63-yard reception helped set up Greenwood’s second-quarter touchdown.
• Bailey Thibodeau, Greenwood, safety: Two first-half interceptions. Greenwood scored touchdowns on the possession following each interception.
• Bryer Hackler, Greenwood, linebacker: 11 tackles, one interception and one forced fumble. Intercepted a third-quarter pass and forced a fumble on Pulaski Academy’s possession following Greenwood’s final touchdown.