CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Carl Junction opened the Todd Hafner era with a 42-22 defeat against Ozark on a Friday night with temperatures so high it forced the start time of the game at Bulldog Stadium to be pushed to 8 p.m.
The Bulldogs’ defense limited the Tigers to two scores in the first quarter and continued the strong play in the second half before the offense used a long passing play in the third quarter to cut the Ozark lead to one score. A Carl Junction turnover went for a Tigers’ touchdown late in the third to push the lead back two scores down the stretch. Ozark broke a big play early in the fourth to tip the scales.
Though the game ended with CJ on the wrong side, there were still plenty of positive takeaways from Coach Hafner and his staff.
“We’re always going to be proud of them,” Hafner said. “There is too much work that goes into this that they’ve done to never not be proud. I thought they gave us great effort … and gave it everything they had. I can’t be more proud of what they did tonight.
“It is one of those games where we have plenty of things we can clean up. But, we are not far off. We will watch the film. It’s the first year in a new system on both sides of the football and, really, I thought the kids executed well on all but two or three plays.”
Carl Junction (0-1) is back in action with its first road matchup of the season against Webb City (0-1) in Week 2.
Ozark forced a punt on its first defensive series before putting on a drive that ended with WR Sam Clark gaining a 33-yard through the air that set up a 2-yard touchdown from Jack Bowers for a 7-0 lead with six minutes left in the first quarter.
The Tigers were marching on their second drive when Ozark fumbled near the red zone with CJ senior LB Bentley Rowden falling on the ball for a forced turnover.
Carl Junction returned the favor on the ensuing drive, with the Bulldogs fumbling a pitch near midfield with Ozark taking over with the CJHS 34.
Ozark took advantage with sophomore QB Peyton Russell finding Kyle FItzpatrick for an 11-yard touchdown to make the score 14-0 late in the first half.
Carl Junction found life offensively when Marcus Lopez-Durman picked up 50 yards on a rush to set up a short-yardage touchdown from senior QB Dexter Merrell to make the score 14-7 with less than 30 seconds to go in the first half.
Ozark got a big play from special teams just before the half, with Bowers taking the ensuing kickoff to the house for a touchdown with six seconds on the clock to send the Tigers into the intermission with a 20-7 lead.
“There were just some mental things (in this game),” Hafner said. “I think they got to the point where they were just so tired and they were doing their own thing. That is where you have to be extra mentally tough and not let your mind overrun your body.”
Carl Junction found the big play on offense on fourth-down-and-11 to get within one score of Ozark when Merrell stepped up in the pocket and hooked up with junior WR Max Goddard down the sideline for a 52-yard passing score with 3:38 to play to cut the Tigers’ lead to 20-14.
“I thought we executed offensively fairly well,” Hafner said. “We had the turnover, but I thought until we got down and had to start throwing it, we did a good job of staying balanced. I think we found out that we have some guys who can go get it and we have some guys who can carry the football. We just have to find a better way to mix it up when we’re calling plays.”
Unfortunately, the turnover bug bit Carl Junction on its next possession when Merrell was picked off by Clark deep in CJ territory, with Clark returning it to the end zone for a pick-6 to give Ozark a 28-14 lead late in the third quarter.
Ozark put the game away after Bowers ripped off a 42-yard rushing score on fourth down with 10 minutes left to play in the game for a 35-14 lead.
Bowers added another rushing score with 4:35 left to build the Ozark cushion.
