Exactly 30 years after Republic and Ozark first played a weather-delayed day game, they did it again Saturday with the same result. Republic jumped ahead and held on down the stretch in a 32-29 Central Ozark Conference thriller at home Saturday.
Quarterback Riley Watkins had his best game of the year. He completed nine of 16 passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for 158 yards and two more touchdowns on 23 carries.
Watkins says the key for Republic offensively was the work of the offensive line, which made things easy for the backs — including him — to find running room.
“We blocked very well. We were gashing people for four or five yards a pop, just like our offense is designed to do,” Watkins says. “Coach Wolf was doing a great job in the box and Coach Beachler on the sideline calling those plays, because their defense was flowing hard with the fakes and there were just holes there for me to run through for four or five yards, and that’s what those plays were designed to do.”
Saturday was Republic’s most well-rounded offensive performance of the season. The Tigers’ passing success allowed it to stretch Ozark’s defense sideline to sideline, opening up the middle for the running game.
“Obviously we have some offensive weapons that can make things interesting and make things tough on a defense, and that’s what we try to take advantage of,” says coach Wes Beachler. “We’ve worked on it all year, then we’ve had some misses early in games and got a little gun-shy, but Coach (Wolfinbarger) and I were committed to throwing the ball today, even if we had some misses early, and it worked out for us.”
Yocum Automotive Drive of the Game
Ozark had scored two straight touchdowns and closed the scoring gap to three at 25-22, when Republic took the ball 76 yards on 13 plays, scoring on a 7-yard run by Riley Watkins to make it a two-possession game again. It turned out to be the difference, and it was the Yocum Automotive Drive of the Game.
Republic’s defense forced an Ozark punt on the first series of the game, but Ozark got the first big break of the day when Republic punter Bryan Cole bobbled a snap and was tackled at the 6-yard line. Two plays later, Ozark scored on a 1-yard run by Bradley Bonewell to make it 7-0.
Republic answered immediately with a 69-yard, 10-play drive. They scored on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Watkins to Bobby Finley. The extra point was blocked and Ozark maintained a 7-6 lead.
On the next Ozark series, Kendall Stiles came up with the first of his two fumble recoveries, giving Republic great field position. They took over on the Ozark 37-yard line and took just five plays to score. A Watkins 2-yard run made it 12-7. The 2-point attempt was no good.
Republic made it 18-7 on the next possession, driving 66 yards on 10 plays. Watkins connected with David Feil on a 14-yard touchdown pass with 1:58 left in the 2nd quarter, and that wrapped the scoring in the first half.
On the first drive of the third quarter, Republic went ahead 25-7. A 15-play drive went 69 yards, capped by a 4-yard run by Feil with 5:34 remaining in the quarter.
It looked like Republic had control of the game, but Ozark used its power running game to get back into it from there. A 9-yard run by Bonewell with 2:21 left in the third quarter capped a 9-play, 65-yard drive to cut the lead to 25-14.
Another Bonewell touchdown from five yards out, and a two-point conversion, cut the lead to 25-22, and Ozark had seized the momentum.
The next drive turned out to be the difference in the game. Aided by two Ozark face-mask penalties, including one on the kickoff return, Republic went 13 plays and 76 yards, scoring on a seven-yard touchdown run by Riley Watkins. The PAT made it 32-22.
Ozark put together one final scoring drive, going 60 yards in 11 plays and scoring on an 11-yard pass from Jack Hulse to Curt Gracey with exactly one minute remaining. It cut the lead to 32-29, but when Devon Ward covered the ensuing onside kick, Republic was able to run out the clock.
For the second game in a row, Jake Jones showed flashes of speed out of the tailback spot. Jones rushed the ball 15 times for 52 yards.
“I’m just trying to make the most out of every opportunity,” he says. “I’ve got a good offensive line in front of me, so I’ve just got to follow them. When we executed, they couldn’t stop us. It was simple as that.”
The win came 30 years after a torrential storm caused the Ozark/Republic game to be played on a Saturday in 1986. Republic won that game 19-0.
The win ends a three-game losing streak for Republic, who improves to 2-3 (1-3 in the Central Ozark Conference). Ozark falls to 3-2 (3-2 in the COC).
Republic travels to Neosho next Friday.