Good ol' Billy ball: Dawson, Cyclones seize trophy from Bulldogs

Russellville players celebrate with the championship trophy after defeating Greenwood in the Class 6A championship game Saturday night at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. The Cyclones claimed their first state title since the Arkansas Activities Association instituted its modern playoff system in 1968.
Russellville players celebrate with the championship trophy after defeating Greenwood in the Class 6A championship game Saturday night at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. The Cyclones claimed their first state title since the Arkansas Activities Association instituted its modern playoff system in 1968.

The Russellville Cyclones are bringing a state football championship trophy to South Knoxville Avenue.

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Russellville’s Ryan Talley (3) intercepts a pass intended for Greenwood’s Drew Dundee in the fourth quarter.

The Cyclones earned a 37-23 victory over Greenwood on Saturday night in the Class 6A state championship game in front of an announced crowd of 4,348 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

It's the first state championship for Russellville (12-1) since the modern era of playoffs began in 1968 and the fourth for Coach Billy Dawson, who arrived at Russellville before the 2015 season with three state titles on his resume, at Nashville in 2005-2007.

"What a remarkable group of kids who played their tails off all year," Dawson said. "Here we are, man. Who would've dreamed it?"

Josiah Woodard, a senior running back and defensive back, praised Dawson for getting the Cyclones program to the top of Class 6A.

"I've always wanted to win a state ring since I was a little kid," Woodard said. "Now it's finally true."

The Cyclones are state champions in the state's second-largest classification in part because of the play of senior quarterback Cale Fulsom and an aggressive defense that held Greenwood (12-1) to seven points in the second half.

Fulsom, the game's most outstanding player, completed 18 of 24 passes for 249 yards and 2 touchdowns. Both touchdown passes went to senior wide receiver Caleb Stokes, who finished with 8 receptions for 160 yards.

Woodward rushed 22 times for 99 yards and 1 touchdown, and he led the Cyclones with six tackles.

Russellville, which yielded 248 yards in the first half and trailed 16-13 at halftime, limited Greenwood to 7 yards in the third quarter and 114 yards overall in the final two quarters. The Cyclones forced two turnovers in the second half.

Greenwood Coach Rick Jones said the Cyclones were the aggressors against the Bulldogs, who have won seven state titles since 2000 and six since Jones took over the program in 2004.

"They got after us," Jones said. "They played really well. We didn't execute as well as we needed to. We weren't as crisp and clean as we should have been.

"They just did a great job. Their defense made stops when they needed to make stops. Our defense didn't. That was the difference."

Greenwood defeated Russellville 27-24 in the teams' first meeting Oct. 14, and it eventually earned the Bulldogs the No. 1 seed from the 6A-West Conference over the Cyclones.

Dawson said Russellville gained confidence in that game if they were to face the Bulldogs again.

"Our kids learned we had a chance to play with them," Dawson said of his team, which trailed 21-3 at halftime. "We went through a half over there and didn't know we belonged.

"That game taught us we belonged."

The Cyclones' offense went to work after the teams traded punts to start the second half.

Fulsom ran 19 yards to the Greenwood 3, then two plays later Drake Adkins scored from the 1 to give the Cyclones a 20-16 lead with 5:31 left in the third quarter.

Greenwood punted again and Russellville extended its lead to 23-16 with 10:15 remaining on senior Nate Turner's 19-yard field goal, which was set up by Fulsom's 19-yard run on 3rd-and-16 earlier in the drive.

The Cyclones defense picked up a turnover when senior defensive lineman Layton Bicanovsky sacked junior quarterback Connor Noland and forced a fumble. Bicanovsky grabbed the loose football from Noland with his right arm and recovered it for the Cyclones.

Woodard scored on a 15-yard run three plays later to extend Russellville's lead to 30-16 with 8:41 remaining.

Greenwood cut the lead to 30-23 with 7:18 left on senior running back Kenny Wood's 9-yard run, but Russellville responded. Fulsom found Stokes along the right sideline for a 77-yard touchdown and a 37-23 advantage with 6:28 remaining.

The Bulldogs attempted to come back, but Noland was intercepted by junior defensive back Ryan Talley at the Russellville 37.

Noland completed 12 of 25 passes for 207 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. Wood rushed for 100 yards and 1 touchdown on 11 carries. Senior wide receiver Drew Dundee caught 4 passes for 135 yards and 2 touchdowns (52 and 53 yards).

Sports on 12/04/2016

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