Both teams entered the game with 2-0 records, but Class 5 Ozark dominated the line of scrimage against Class 4 Republic. Ozark runningback Cody Lindsay rushed for 256 yards on only 18 carries, an average of over 14 yards per carry.
Ozark took the lead for good with 2:33 left in the first quarter when Austin Roberts went in from six yards out. The O-Tigers then moved 83 yards for the next touchdown with quarterback Seth Wheeler going the final three yards. Wheeler then completed the first half scoring with a 27 yard touchdown pass to Ryne Troy.
The second half got no better for Republic although they did manage a late touchdown. By then, however, Republic head coach Kurt Thompson was no longer around, tossed out of the game for his remarks to a referee. For Republic, it was their first loss after victories over Marshfield and Springfield Central. The young team is in a tough Class 4 district with defending state champin Webb City plus Hillcrest, Carthage, and Marshfield but they've shown promise as their two wins this season is already half-way to last year's total number of wins, four. For Ozark, the 48-6 victory continues their string of high scoring affairs as they beat St. Joseph Benton 69-13 and Harrison, Ark. 48-14.
Asked if his teammates expected to dominate Republic, Lindsay replied "We did. There's been a lot of talk about how this was the game of the week and after the rain delay, we were all hyped up and ready to go. We're just going as hard as we can right now."
Ozark head coach Mark Bliss, a former four-time state championship coach in Kansas, expressed delight with the way has come together in his second year at the school. "We've really retained a lot from what we learned last year," Bliss explained. "Yeah, I'm surprised (by the team's strong start) but if you know how these kids have invested themselves this summer and worked hard to prepare for this season, you'd understand why it's so nice to see their hard work paying off."
Ozark's Class 5 district includes Branson, Glendale, Kickapoo, Nixa and Neosho.
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