PRAIRIE GROVE — Ozark got punched in the mouth early and often as Prairie Grove (3-1, 1-0) rolled to a 35-point halftime lead in a 41-6 mercy rule of the defending Class 4A state runner-up Hillbillies.
“We tried to spread the ball around and be multiple,” Prairie Grove coach Danny Abshier said. “We cut down on our penalties and we just needed to avoid turnovers.”
The Tigers went on a methodical 8-play, 63-yard drive to begin the game, getting a 7-yard Nick Sugg touchdown run to go up 7-0.
After forcing a punt, Prairie Grove used a 31-yard scamper by Bobby Catt and a Hillbillies penalty to get another Sugg touchdown run and a 14-0 lead.
Ozark (0-4, 0-1) turned the ball over on downs and Prairie Grove’ s Jacob Storlie found Elliot Chamberlain from 28 yards out, extending the lead to 21.
Abshier then elected to go for an onside kick, which proved fruitful as the Tigers recovered and three plays later found paydirt by way of a 18-yard Storlie pass to Sugg with 3:50 still left in the opening stanza.
Storlie ran for a 43-yard touchdown after an Ozark scoring toss midway through the second quarter and Catt put the finishing touches on the game by returning an interception 70 yards to the house as time expired in the first half.
“I was ready for the pass,” Catt said. “It was my first interception at Prairie Grove and I was really excited. I just wanted to be physical and come out and play hard.”
EXTRA POINTS
w Prairie Grove hasn’t lost a 4A-1 conference game since the 2011 regular season finale at Gravette, 38-28.
w The Tigers churned out 218 yards on the ground, primarily in the first half, with 12 different players toting the ball 41 times.
w Ozark quarterback Jake Simpson was 3 of 14 passing for 88 yards and a touchdown.
UP NEXT: Prairie Grove visits archrival Farmington in the Battle of Highway 62, while Ozark attempts to post its first win, hosting Berryville.
HOW THEY SCORED
PRAIRIE GROVE^41
OZARK^6
Prairie Grove^28^13^0^0^—^41
Ozark^0^6^0^0^—^6
First Quarter
PG — Sugg 7 run (Speed kick), 8:19.
PG — Sugg 3 run (Speed kick), 6:46.
PG — Chamberlain 28 pass from Storlie (Gautreau kick), 4:55.
PG — Sugg 18 pass from Storlie (Gautreau kick), 3:50.
Second Quarter
Ozark — Jenkins 59 pass from Simpson (kick blocked), 11:49.
PG — Storlie 43 run (kick blocked), 6:06.
PG — Catt 70 interception return (Gautreau kick), :00.