At the end of every season, every team but one can look back and talk about what if. El Dorado won four games in a row to close the season before falling at Greenwood in the second round of the 6A playoffs.
The Wildcats (7-5) carried a No. 4 seed into the playoffs. What if El Dorado hadn’t committed five turnovers in a 34-28 loss to Marion in Week 5?
“We talked after the Marion game. I said that’s going to come back to haunt us. It did,” said El Dorado coach Chris Hill. “I felt like we should’ve won that game. I feel like we still had a chance in the Catholic game. We were close in a couple others that would’ve given us nine wins. Seven wins in the conference we play in and the changes and everything, our guys are winners. They carry themselves like winners. They play like winners.”
El Dorado will graduate just 12 seniors and will welcome a 9th grade class that went undefeated.
Smith said the loss at Greenwood could pay dividends for the future.
“Greenwood’s outstanding. It didn’t happen overnight,” Hill said. “That program has been growing and developing for the last 20-30 years. It’s a process. I think our kids understand now, ‘O.K. here’s what the number one team in the state looks like. Here’s where we’re at. What can we do to get there?”
The Wildcats averaged 34.5 points per game while surrendering 31.2 points, according to statistics provided by KIX 103 statistician Bill Evans. El Dorado was outscored 114-72 in the first quarter but won the third quarter by a total of 118-56.
Offensively, junior quarterback Cannon Jacobs completed 113-of-215 passes for 1,525 yards with 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Jeremy Samuel rushed for 1,203 yards and 15 touchdowns on 225 attempts. AJ Gilmore had 42 receptions for 836 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Defensively, Bretaveon Brown led the team with 82 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss. Jakori Lumsey recorded 70 tackles in nine games with 12 tackles for loss. Gilmore had 64 tackles with seven interceptions and two defensive touchdowns. Defensive end Jervalen Junior had 47 tackles with 15 tackles for loss. Cornerback Jarondy Williams had 44.5 tackles with two interceptions and 10 pass break ups. Defensive tackles Tahmahdi White and Josiah Crosby each had 40 tackles.
El Dorado was 54-of-54 on extra points, including 50-of-50 by senior Cooper Henry, who kicked 2-of-6 field goals with a 47 yarder.