Greenwood High School is back in the third round of the North 4A playoffs for the second straight year.
The homestanding Bulldogs knocked off defending state champion Noxubee County 20-0 Friday night on a sloppy field to move one step closer to a state championship. GHS (10-2) will play next week at Corinth, which defeated Rosa Fort 48-20 Friday. The winner will likely face Louisville in the North 4A championship. Louisville plays Pontotoc in the other North 4A semifinal matchup.
“We just knocked off the defending champs, our old nemesis, but we still have work to do,” said GHS coach Clinton Gatewood, whose team lost to Noxubee in the North State title games in 2014 and 2015.
Thanks to a couple of big plays in the passing game and a nasty defensive effort, the Bulldogs march on in the playoffs. Freshman quarterback DeAndre Smith had two touchdowns — a 37-yarder to Daylin Metcalf and a 94-yarder to Booker T. Chambers.
“Our freshman QB has grown a lot since the start of the season. Heck, our whole team has,” Gatewood said. “And it helps a young quarterback to have the weapons on the outside that we do.
“I am proud of this whole bunch. They just kept believing and kept working since we started this thing in August.”
The GHS defense was put in some tough spots due to turnovers in the muddy conditions, but it never gave in — making numerous stops in the red zone.
“Lights out again,” Gatewood said of his defense. “Our coaches have done a great job with that group.
“The harder you are; the harder they are going to be. We got a helluva defense, and they are coming for you.”
It was that defense that put the icing on the cake against Noxubee, which finishes the season at 7-6. Senior cornerback Carldaryl Johnson returned an interception 75 yards for a touchdown to put the game out of reach with 10 minuntes to play.
“I saw the comeback route and knew the safety had the deep post so I jumped the route,” Johnson said. “Once I got it I knew I had one man to beat.”
And he did — right down the Greenwood sideline. Gatewood got so excited that he was trying to keep up with the speedy senior.
“That was sweet right there. I almost knocked the referee down I got so wrapped up in the moment,” said the GHS coach.
