CHARLESTON – The Franklin County Feud trophy sat in the Charleston press box until the start of the fourth quarter Friday Night, until Charleston High School Principal Rachel Fisher reluctantly carried it down to the sidelines. The trophy will spend the next year North of the Arkansas River in Ozark after a 57-7 Hillbillies victory on Friday night.
Looking at the final score of tonight’s game, you would think the game was out of reach for the Tigers from the first half, but Charleston certainly had their chances to keep the game within reach.
Ozark took the opening kick and went straight to the ground with running backs John Skolarski and Easton Fox. Skolarski carried for five times for 20 yards, and Fox carried four times for 52 yards. Despite the success on the ground, Ozark did face a 3rd and 9 in Charleston territory, but Fox broke off a 24-yard run, followed by a 1-yard touchdown run to take an early 8-0 lead.
Charleston then showed some success running the ball on their first possession, but that early momentum quickly escaped with a bad snap over quarterback Lukas Burleson’s head. Unfortunately, this would be a common theme on the night.
Ozark scored on the next two possessions, the first being a 6-yard QB keeper from Cade Kapp, and the second a 2-yard rush from Skolarski, to go up 22-0 with 4:33 left in the first half.
On their next possession, Charleston would finally get on the board with a 45-yard touchdown pass from Burleson to Matteo Gaona to cut the score to 22-7. But this would be the only time Charleston saw the end-zone on the night.
Ozark would take the kickoff with 1:38 remaining in the half. The Hillbillies then attempted two passes, both of which fell incomplete, stopping the clock. After a short carry, Ozark was forced into a 4th-and-8 situation, and once again Ozark had an incomplete pass. Charleston took the ball over with 55 seconds left in the first half, and a chance to cut into that 22-7 lead, but was unable to move the ball and went into the halftime locker room with the score still 22-7.
Charleston would get a second chance to cut into that lead after receiving the ball first in the second half, and the drive started well. Burleson had runs of 23 yards and 4 yards, but that momentum didn’t last long, as Charleston attempted a direct snap to running back Finn Schmalz, but the snap was off again and Ozark recovered the fumble with 9:44 remaining the third quarter.
Ozark would then go back to the ground game, led by Skolarski with a 26-yard carry down to the Charleston 9. The drive ended with another QB Capp keeper for 6 yards, to put Ozark up 28-7.
Charleston gained 5 yards on the next possession, but on 4th-and-5, had yet another bad snap, giving Ozark the ball back at the Charleston 30. Skolarksi quickly followed with a 35-yard touchdown run to go up 34-7, and the route was on.
Ozark would go on to score 23 more points on a Fox run, an interception return, and a blocked punt return for a touchdown.
For Charleston Head Coach Ricky May, the story of the second half was mistakes and missed opportunities.
‘We just struggled getting it together in the second half. Missed opportunities on offense before half then right after. Just can’t have the mistakes we made against a quality team.
On the night, Skolarski ended with 159 yards on 13 carries, and Fox added 129 yards on 16 carries. Charleston finished with just 109 total yards on offense. Finn Schmalz led the Tigers in tackles with 11.
Charleston is now finished with their brutal tour of three straight opponents from the 4A-4 conference. Combined, the Tigers opponents are 8-0 in the season and will all likely be favored to make the playoffs in 4A. The loss puts Charleston at 0-3 for the first time since 2019. The Tigers will travel to former 4A-4 school Clinton next week, to try to avoid 0-4 for the first time since 1975. Clinton is 0-2, and is also in a rebuild similar to Charleston after losing 20 seniors of their own from last season.
4th annual Franklin County Feud Field Goal Kicking Contest
The night wasn’t a total loss for the Charleston faithful. Before the game, there was a field goal kicking contest between staff representatives from the two schools. Ozark came in with a 2-1 advantage in the contest, but Charleston middle school teacher Ryan Davis kicked a 30 yard field goal that bounced up and over the crossbar to bring the trophy back to Charleston. The Ozark attempt sailed wide left and short.
All photo credits to Ronni Tate Young of RNN. To see more, visit team press pass on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamPressPass/
