Ozark linebacker Cooper Buvid can draw comparisons between the Ozark-Nixa Backyard Brawl and the rivalry his older brother, Logan, was part of back in their native Mississippi.
Logan, who is four years older than Cooper, was a wide receiver for Brandon, Mississippi. Brandon’s big rival is Pearl, Mississippi.
“It’s the same as Ozark and Nixa,” Cooper said of the rivalries and the distance between the schools here and in Mississippi.
Yes, that’s the same Pearl that produced Nixa coach John Perry.
Cooper thinks he and and his Ozark teammates can draw inspiration as underdogs this week by how Logan and his Brandon teammates fared as underdogs going against Pearl.
“It's just like it is here, everyone shows up and it's anyone's game. Whoever's record is better, it doesn't matter,” Cooper said. “Every year was a new battle. One season Brandon took Pearl to double overtime and that was the year John Perry went and won State.”
Perry confirms Brandon-Pearl is just as fun to be part of as Ozark-Nixa.
"Pearl and Brandon is one of the largest rivalries in the state of Mississippi and to come here and be part of Nixa-Ozark rivalry is great, too,” Perry said. “It will be a fun Friday night.”
Buvid and Perry both moved from Mississippi to the Ozarks at the same time. This is their third go-around as part of the Backyard Brawl.
Buvid recalls even though Perry was at Pearl he was well respected by Brandon.
“He had a pretty good (reputation). He showed everyone how to play ball around there,” Buvid said. “He’ll try to beat you the best he can and try to outcoach everyone and get his players to outwork everyone.”
Perry points out Brandon has risen to prominence as a powerhouse.
“They're really good. They're the number one team in the state of Mississippi right now,” he said. “They put out really good football players.”
Perry is amazed by the coincidence of he and Buvid being part of rival schools here 500 miles or so from Pearl and Brandon.
“We'll get caught up after the game,” Perry said. “I guarantee you we know some of the same people.
“It's a small world,” he added. “It’s unbelievable how you can pop up on people anywhere. I had a guy call me the other day who was in the hardware store and he met a guy who had moved up here from Pearl. They heard his twang and asked where he was from. They told him our football coach is from there, too, and gave him my phone number.”
