Thursday’s junior high football game between the Bearcats and Ozark had about everything you might expect or even want in a rivalry game, especially for the visitors from Bearcat land as they claimed a 22-20 win.
There were vicious collisions starting from the opening kickoff, that one involving Dalton Schmidt. The yardage totals were similar though there were big plays, because there were methodical drives. There was an injury necessitating a next-man-up. There would also be determining play late in the game.
It was the home team with the big plays in terms of yardage. Ozark led 6-0 after the first play.
It was the Bearcats (2-0) being deliberate, keeping the ball the next 13 plays, scoring on a 12-yard fourth down carry by Sadler Miller to tie it at 6-6 with 7:14 left in the first half.
Miller, who ran 11 times for 52 yards, had converted a fourth down earlier in the drive. The Bearcats were a perfect four-for-four on fourth down.
Likewise, Ozark also converted both times they kept the offense on the field for fourth down, including a 25-yard deflected pass 2:05 before halftime and it would 12-6 at the intermission.
But first, following the touchdown the Hillbillies got the first break of the game when a fair catch signal was not detected and a fumble gave Ozark the ball.
The momentum was fleeting because a snap issue caused Ozark to fumble as well and Braxton Hubble was there to recover it.
Hayden Daniel started the second half with a 19-yard kickoff return. He was in for a big second half.
Six plays later it was fourth-and-4 from the Ozark 32 and Daniel (shown after spinning out a grab for the ball) went for a touchdown to tie it.
Daniel also added the two-point conversion for the lead at 14-12 with 3:46 left in the third quarter.
Ozark took three plays to answer and with a successful two-point conversion pass it was 20-14.
By the end of the quarter the Bearcats had reached the Ozark 18 but quarterback Drake Brackney suffered an injury on the second play of the quarter.
Daniel, who got six yards on the play on which Brackney went down, took over at quarterback but before running a play Ozark jumped offside for a first down.
Daniel carared twice more, picking up a first down again at the 1 and scored two plays later to tie it. He added the go-ahead conversion run for a 22-20 lead with 4:06 to play.
Daniel ran for 61 yards on eight carries and accounted for 16 points, but it was Callen Montalvo who led the way with 73 yards on six attempts.
After the kickoff Ozark moved the chains on a fourth down pass and took a time out with the ball at the Bearcat 41.
A pass attempt, which Hubble pressured, was then picked off by Brackney at the 5 and after two kneel downs it was over.
The Bearcats will play their home opener next Thursday against Paris. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
IN GAME FITTING OF RIVALRY, JUNIOR HIGH BEARCATS TOP OZARK 22-20
