Arkansas Online

Charleston edges Ozark in Franklin County battle

LELAND BARCLAY

OZARK — The travelling trophy for the Franklin County Feud went back across the Arkansas River on Friday night.

Charleston won the trophy and a harrowing fourth quarter, halting Ozark’s two-year winning streak in the rivalry with a dramatic 31-28 win at Hillbilly Stadium before a packed house.

Charleston (3-0) had the final of five touchdowns in the fourth quarter, scoring with 23 seconds left for the win.

On third and 18, junior quarterback Brandon Scott avoided a heavy rush, scrambled to the right sideline and threw back toward the middle of the field to Reese Merechka, who went the distance down the left sideline to complete a 53-yard touchdown.

Charleston had just called timeout.

“I didn’t tell them anything other than we needed to get the ball in the end zone,” Charleston Coach Ricky May said. “Matt Stewart did an awesome job calling plays. We work on that every Thursday when we work on scramble drill where we get into a situation where it’s a madhouse and chaos. The kids performed tonight. It really paid off.”

Charleston missed the extra point, leaving the lead at 31-28.

Ozark (1-2) reached Charleston’s 30, but two incomplete passes and an offensive penalty as time expired ended the back-and-forth fourth quarter.

Ozark took a 28-25 lead with 1:28 left on Landon Wright’s 45-yard touchdown pass to Britton Gage that capped an 8-play drive.

Charleston picked up a quick first down and then converted a third-down off a pass interference penalty that had the Tigers in Ozark territory. A sack by Ozark’s Gavin Gilbreath and an incomplete pass had Charleston facing the long third down before Charleston dialed up the winning play after a timeout.

“We designed that play just for Ozark,” Scott said. “We ran it a lot this week in practice. We were ready for it. It was a busted play and I had to scramble. Reese was standing there right in the middle of the field just looking at me, and I was glad to hit him.”

Ozark led 15-10 after three quarters in an otherwise defensive game before the two teams combined for 42 plays for 334 yards and five touchdowns in the final 12 minutes.

Charleston had 17 plays for 143 yards and three scores in the final quarter, and Ozark had 25 plays for 191 yards and two touchdowns.

Charleston’s Brevyn Ketter scored on a 1-yard touchdown run on the third play of the final quarter for an 18-15 lead after Scott threw to Merechka for a two-point pass.

Both teams punted on their next drives, before a 23-yard punt return by Payton Durning set Ozark up for a short touchdown drive that Ryker Martin capped with a 1-yard run. Charleston foiled the extra-point try, leaving Ozark up, 21-18 with 6:20 left.

Charleston converted a fourth down with a 50-yard pass from Scott to Bryton Ketter to the 16, and Scott ran around the right side on the next play for a touchdown. Bryton Ketter’s extra point was true to push Charleston up, 25-21, with 4:34 left.

Ozark answered as did Charleston for the win.

“It was real tough,” Ozark Coach Jeremie Burns said. “Hat’s off to ‘em. They played their hearts out and made some plays when they needed to.”

Charleston threw interceptions on its first two drives, and Ozark’s Dylan McCormick returned the second one 44 yards for a touchdown and a 6-0 lead with 8:17 left in the first quarter.

Yobani Zarate booted a 22yard field goal as Ozark took a 9-0 lead five plays into the second quarter.

“I told the kids all week that we had to weather the storm in the beginning,” May said. “I knew our emotions might get the best of us. It looked like it did, but the kids played hard and played lights out.”

Bryton Ketter got Charleston on the scoreboard with a 32-yard field goal with 2:41 left in the first half.

Four plays later, Tyton Jones recovered a fumble for the Tigers and Scott hit Bryton Ketter on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 27 seconds left in the half for a 10-9 lead.

Ozark finished with 384 yards, and Charleston had 381.

Scott threw for 172 yards and ran for 70 for Charleston. Wright ran for 91 yards and threw for 119 for the Hillbillies.

High School Football

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2021-09-18T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-18T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://edition.arkansasonline.com/article/282956748299992

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