The Ozark Hillbillies (2-0) and Charleston Tigers (0-2) enter Friday night’s matchup seemingly headed in opposite directions. Ozark has opened the season with two decisive victories, while Charleston has struggled to find consistency. The Tigers rallied late to make their season opener against Booneville interesting before falling 34-27, then struggled to find much of anything offensively in a lopsided loss to Pottsville. But records often mean little when these two rivals meet.
Historically, Charleston holds a 27-20 advantage over Ozark, with five ties. The two schools played off and on between 1938 and 1984, with several breaks in the series before meeting again in 2004. Since then, the teams have played every season, with Charleston holding a 15-6 advantage and one tie. Charleston head coach Ricky May is 3-4 against the Hillbillies.
The last two meetings have produced two very different results. In 2024, the teams battled in a back-and-forth thriller that Ozark ultimately won 35-34. A year later, Charleston returned the favor in emphatic fashion, overcoming an early 14-3 deficit before rolling to a 52-20 victory.
This year’s Charleston team will be looking to rediscover some of that offensive firepower. The Tigers have shown flashes of what they can do, particularly in the fourth quarter against Booneville. Charleston scored two touchdowns in the final six minutes of that game to make the final margin just seven points.
Against Pottsville, however, things never got going. Quarterback Lukas Burleson struggled to find open receivers, while running back Finn Schmalz had difficulty finding running room, managing just 10 rushing yards in the first half. Charleston also committed two first-quarter fumbles and had a punt blocked early in the second quarter.
For Charleston Head Coach Ricky May, the solution starts with eliminating the mistakes. “Number one, we have to stop turning the ball over, and don’t have dumb penalties,” May said. “I told the guys to relax, and have fun, stop worrying and putting undue pressure on yourself.”
While Charleston looks to get its offense back on track, Ozark enters the game with plenty of confidence. The Hillbillies have faced little resistance through their first two games. Ozark rushed for 401 yards against Maumelle while adding 33 yards through the air. Against Huntsville, the Hillbillies demonstrated that they are capable of more than simply pounding the football, finishing with 244 rushing yards and 191 passing yards.
Junior running back John Skolarski has been one of the biggest weapons for Ozark. He exploded for 279 rushing yards and three touchdowns against Maumelle. Quarterback Cade Capp showed his ability through the air against Huntsville, completing all 10 of his passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Easton Fox has also made an impact from the backfield, scoring two touchdowns against Huntsville. Fox, who anchors the Ozark linebacking corps, recently committed to Harding University.
Despite Ozark’s fast start, head coach Josh Watson isn’t taking Charleston lightly.
“It’s just a matter of time before Charleston gets it going offensively,” Watson said. “Last week it just spiraled out of control because multiple bad things happened. We are preparing for what they did to us last year.”
Charleston will receive a boost on defense with the expected return of linebacker Gunner Schmalz, who missed the Tigers’ first two games with an injury. Schmalz was an all-conference linebacker last season and is one of the few senior leaders on a young Charleston roster. His return could be particularly important against an Ozark offense that has made its living on the ground. “Getting Gunner back will help us do what we need to do defensively. That is slow down the run game first,” May said. Gunner could also see time on offense, potentially splitting carries with his younger brother, junior Finn Schmalz.
For Ozark, the challenge will be maintaining its focus while facing a team desperate for its first win. “We are just worried about Charleston because you can’t look ahead,” Watson said. “Each week the target on our back is going to get bigger, and we know Charleston would love to hit the bullseye!”
The rivalry resumes Friday night at Alumni Field in Charleston, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
Fans are encouraged to arrive early for the fourth annual field goal kicking contest between Charleston and Ozark. Representing Charleston will be middle school history teacher Ryan Davis, while Ozark will send Ethan Bowman, the school’s junior high basketball coach and middle school STEM teacher. Each will attempt a 30-yard field goal, with a trophy going to the winner. Ozark currently holds a 2-1 advantage in the young tradition.
