Scouting Ozark’s Week Six home matchup Friday versus Carthage:
This is Ozark's Homecoming game. ...
Ozark coach Jeremy Cordell confirmed running back Jack Bowers and defensive end Johnny Williams are expected to play, after injuries sidelined Bowers last week and Williams the past four weeks. …
Bowers ran for 133 yards against Willard and 131 at Carl Junction. …
Ozark offensive lineman Logan Smith is likely out for the season with an MCL tear he suffered in Week Four against Willard. Of course, tight end Jace Whatley also suffered a torn MCL in Week One and also likely won’t return. …
Ozark (1-4) does not play a team currently with a winning record over the next three weeks. …
If the playoffs started now, Ozark would be the fifth seed and be paired with Kickapoo for a first-round matchup in Class 6 District 5. ...
After scoring 42 points in Week One, Ozark has totaled 37 points over the last four weeks. The Tigers have been outscored 33-7 in the first quarter. …
Ozark has played fairly clean football. The Tigers have drawn a reasonable 13 penalties for 95 yards. Also, Ozark has lost just one fumble. …
Ozark’s last win against Carthage came in 2017. Carthage leads the teams’ series 10-4 over the past 14 years. …
Ozark quarterback Peyton Russell is 64-of-95 passing for 595 yards, with three touchdown and four interceptions. Russell has completed more than 50 percent of his passes each and every week. …
Ozark wideout Sam Clark has 20 receptions for 287 yards. …
Carthage is fresh from rallying from a 14-0 first-half deficit to pull out a 35-21 win against winless Neosho. …
Carthage quarterback Brady Carlton is 44-for-71 passing for 601 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions. He’s rushed for 335 yards on 81 carries. He ran for 176 yards against Carl Junction. …
Brady’s brother, Patrick Carlton, was Carthage’s QB during the Tigers’ Class 5 state championship 2019 season. …
Carthage running back Jackson Hettinger is averaging 10.5 yards a run on his 17 carries. He had 126 yards rushing against CJ. …
Carthage wideout Karson Murray is averaging 22.5 yards on his 11 receptions. He had a 48-yard catch at Nixa. …
Carthage (2-3) has lost four games in a season only four years going back to 2010. …
Carthage coach Jon Gudie is the dean of coaches in the COC. He’s in his 18th season at Carthage and has a 165-51 record with the Tigers.
