CLEVELAND — In its biggest test of the season, Greenwood had its chances but was derailed by five turnovers and crucial penalties against a tough Cleveland East Side team.
The Trojan defense stuffed the GHS running game and intercepted four passes, one of which was returned for a touchdown, in a 30-20 homecoming victory here Friday night.
It was the first loss of the season for the Bulldogs, who slipped to 5-1 and will host division foe Humphreys County for homecoming this week. East Side improved to 5-1.
"This is a hard one to swallow because we had our chances," said first-year Greenwood head coach Clinton Gatewood. "We had too many mistakes, but they were mistakes that we can, and will, correct this week in practice. We will come back strong and get after Humphreys County."
The Bulldog defense, which came in allowing just eight points a game and forcing four turnovers a contest, was hit for 313 total yards by the Trojans, including 254 on the ground. The Dog defense didn't come up with a turnover for the first time in six games.
"We had a couple of chances to pick off passes, but we bobbled them and wound up dropping them," Gatewood said. "We had some bad alignments on defense that cost us against their running game."
The Bulldogs trailed 22-7 at the half after quickly jumping out to a 7-0 lead. GHS then dominated the third quarter to pull within two, 22-20.
On Greenwood's second possession of the second half, freshman quarterback Kwadre Griggs hit Sammy Epps with a 20-yard touchdown pass to make it 22-13.
Then after the Dog defense forced a Trojan punt on fourth-and-12, Griggs engineered a 71-yard touchdown drive to get his team right back in the game, capping the drive with a 19-yard scoring strike to Raheem Sanders.
With East Side pinned back at its own 4-yard line on its next possession, the GHS defense held the home team to three downs and a punt. The punt went out of bounds at the home team's 19, setting the Bulldogs up with an opportunity to retake the lead for the first time since the midway point of the first quarter.
But the East Side defense, which came in allowing just 9.4 points a contest, forced another big turnover to stay out in front. Michael Hurns' interception led to a 56-yard, six-play touchdown drive, capped on a 15-yard scamper by Laquavious Jones with 8:48 to play. Jamarcus Walker added the two-point run to make it 30-20.
Trailing by 10, Greenwood had one last chance to make things interesting with a first-and-10 at the East Side 20, but Walker came up with the fourth interception of Griggs at the East Side 1 to seal the deal.
"The DBs did a great job considering what we were up against," East Side head football coach Tavares Johnson said. "Greenwood is a heck of a ball club - that's why they were 5-0. They came in with a game plan. We also had one had one too, and that game plan was to run the football."
Jones led East Side's ground game with 112 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Greenwood started the game with a quick 60-yard touchdown drive. Griggs threw a 28-yard touchdown strike to Rashad Swims with 9:51 left in the first quarter. Alex Johnson booted the PAT kick for a 7-0 lead.
Griggs completed 13 of 23 passes for 231 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions. Sanders caught five passes for 99 yards, and Epps caught four passes for 89 yards.
Greenwood managed just 26 rushing yards on 16 carries. Byron Dirden led the way with 32 yards on 11 attempts.
n Contact Bill Burrus at bburrus@gwcommonwealth.com.
Greenwood High loses to East Side
