It seems like every year the Ozark Conference race is wide open. Entering the fifth year of the O-Zone, we’ve never had a back-to-back outright Ozark Conference champion. Last year everyone expected Kickapoo and West Plains to dominate and both teams lived up to the hype, with the Chiefs running the table. Look for 2016 to be a year full tight games and epic individual seasons.
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Preseason Awards
Co-Ozark Conference Champions: Camdenton and Kickapoo
Player of the Year: Chris Lawson, Kickapoo
Offensive Player of the Year: Jay Griffin, Camdenton
Defensive Player of the Year: Travis Vokolek, Kickapoo
Lineman of the Year: Hayden Smith, West Plains
Co-Breakout Player: Jokiem Crawford, Joplin and Josh Powell, Hillcres
It’s Kickapoo’s title to lose
It’s hard not to start with Kickapoo because they are the reigning champs. They have some serious holes to fill with Malachi Stout, Mason Pack and the core of an experienced offensive line leaving. But, don’t expect Kurt Thompson to lose too much sleep over it. He returns the conference’s best quarterback in three-year starter Chris Lawson. Lawson took a huge leap as a junior (1,578 passing yard, 20 TDs, 3 INTs) and got on several D-1 radars because of his athleticism and arm talent. We got a taste of his rushing ability last year (548 rushing yards, 5 TDs), but expect to see even more of it with Stout gone. Also returning to the backfield is freak of nature Maverick McGee. He’s gotten limited carries the last few years, but watching Tony Grant and Stout work has only helped his development. He’s a bigger back than both, but still has a ton of speed. This should be a breakout season for him, specifically running behind senior All-OC lineman Grant Martin. Kickapoo was underrated defensively last year, holding six of 13 opponents to two scores or less and forcing 31 turnovers in just 13 games. Several big names have moved on, but Thompson will return one of the top defensive players in the Ozarks in Travis Vokolek. The son of former Missouri State defensive coordinator D.J. Vokolek is long and rangy, but uses athleticism and instincts to make plays at all three levels. He should also be an increased weapon on the offensive side as a tight end/receiver, similar to his cousin Chase Allen. The OC schedule is never easy to navigate, but having Joplin, Camdenton and Glendale in consecutive weeks is one of the toughest possible stretches of games this season. This group of seniors were freshmen when Anthony Cooper and John Fuchs led Kickapoo to an undefeated regular season and conference championship. As sophomores they lost three conference games by a total of 12 points – leaving them on the outside looking in at an OC title – and last year they were key to a Class 6 final four appearance. They’re looking to end their run with yet another conference championship.
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Don’t expect an undefeated champion
The gap isn’t nearly as great as it was last year and you can make a case for several teams having the chops to end Kickapoo’s run. Glendale, Waynesville and Camdenton should be the top challengers, Hillcrest will be improved and Joplin should be even more competitive in its second season under Curtis Jasper. Basically, the conference should look more like it did in 2014 when 17 games were decided by a touchdown or less. West Plains shared the title with Camdenton that year, with both teams gong 7-2 (West Plains won the head-to-head meeting). Kickapoo and Joplin both went 6-3 in conference play and Waynesville was 5-4. All of Waynesville’s losses came by a touchdown or less. It is unlikely that the OC will ever have another season with that much parity, but 2016 should be a competitive year for most.
The Year of the Running Back
We get hyped up about quarterbacks, but running backs still reign supreme in high school football, especially in the Ozark Conference. Last year there were six 1,000-yard backs and the number should be at least that high in 2016, with quarterbacks and spell backs providing a chance for more rushing studs.
Jay Griffin, Camdenton – Rushed for 1,000 yards as a sophomore. Is the most complete back in the Ozarks and is only getting better. “Shore Ball” loves a guy like this.
Keegan Hoopes, West Plains – Steve Ary couldn’t design a better back for his system. Hoopes rushed for nearly 1,500 yards last year in a dual-back system. He added 20lbs in the offseason which should allow for heavier workload and more “Hoopes there it is” chants.
Maverick McGee, Kickapoo – Rushed for nearly 900 yards as Malachi Stout’s back-up last year. A big back with straight-line speed in an offense that focuses on establishing the run.
Dustin Hunter & Jokiem Crawford, Joplin – This is almost like thunder and lightning with Hunter being the scat back and Crawford bringing the boom. Injuries limited them last year, but both are explosive backs. Coach Jasper’s scheme thrives on stretching defensives vertically and horizontally, these two give him the ability to do both. If Crawford plays quarterback this backfield could rival Hillcrest’s duo of Matt Rush and Juwan Johnson from a few years ago.
John Berry, Lebanon – Berry ripped off 7 YPC last year, including a 100-yard game against Washington in districts. He reminds me a little of Brandon Horsley and Elza Evans, two guys that flourished in Will Christian’s backfield.
David Adams Jr., Waynesville – He’s an absolute terror in the open field and might be the most elusive back in the OC. He gained a ton of experience last year as the feature back, expect a big season for Adams in Waynesville’s high-octane offense.
The Glendale Offense
Scoring points was never a problem for Glendale last year; the Falcons averaged 48 PPG, scoring 60 or more four times. Even in losses Glendale lit up the scoreboard. Individually Alex Huston set several state records including: single-game passing yards (625), single-game touchdowns (9), single-season passing yards (5,608) and single-season passing touchdowns (69). Basically, Huston broke every single-season state record involving throwing a football. His favorite target, Luke Montgomery, wasn’t far behind with single-season receptions (123) and receiving touchdowns (27) records. The only receiver with more yards in a single-season was Dorial Green-Beckham. Huston will own every career passing record by the time his career is over, while Montgomery will have a chance at breaking DGB’s career receptions record, receiving yards per game, while finishing second to him in receiving yards and touchdowns. Glendale has been fun to watch, aside from the fact their games are the longest you’ll see at the high school level. But, this could be the year they go from being a fun team to a contending team. Glendale not only returns Huston and Montgomery, but seniors Von Oeser (113 receptions, 1,095 yards, 12 TDs) and Jeremy Almeida (82 receptions, 912 yards, 11 TDs) are also back, along with standout left tackle Remy Bilodeaux. Mike Mauk’s offense will be fine, the question is can his defense hold up enough for them to win games? The past hasn’t looked good, but there are some playmakers returning. Senior Kyle Doran has stacked back-to-back 200-tackle seasons, which is slightly misleading because of the amount of plays the Glendale defense has been on the field for, but Doran is legitimately a good linebacker. He’s also lived in the weight room which won’t hurt his game. Senior Ian Marshall (16 TFL in 2015) is one of the best defensive linemen in the league and has the versatility and motor that allow him to play any spot along the defensive front. Junior DB Cameron Coleman was lights out to end the season and will look to build on that this year; he could be the city’s best in coverage. Glendale was -7 in turnover margin last year, something that must change if they want to compete for a conference championship. With Joplin, West Plains and Lebanon coming in the first four weeks, we’ll see if the run defense has improved early.
What can Curtis Jasper and Brad Drehle do in Year Two? It was a mixed bag for these two in their first year. Jasper led Joplin to a 7-3 mark in what was a bit of a surprising season for most, but Drehle and Waynesville struggled to a 4-7 finish. Both coaches are known for turning small-school programs into state powers behind diverse, spread offenses and their genius on that side of the football was apparent immediately. Joplin scored 47 or more points in four of its 10 games and Waynesville struggled at times, but Drehle’s willingness to move around standout Seth Hedrick to make the offense more dynamic changed Waynesville’s season and is the reason they gave Battle as much as it could handle in the district semifinals… Joplin will look to reload after losing All-OC quarterback Colby Cornett, All-OC DE/TE Mark Duley and standout athlete Alex Coffin. Look for the aforementioned Dustin Hunter and Jokiem Crawford to make a major impact on the offensive side of the ball. But, there will be inexperience all over the field for the Eagles. Another top three finish in the league would be a testament to Jasper and his staff… It’s hard not to be excited if you’re a Waynesville fan. The Tigers lost Hedrick and Sam Roberts, but many of the guys playing alongside of them last year were sophomores and juniors. Adams Jr. is due for an absolute breakout year at RB. Drehle will have depth at quarterback with junior Ethan Brown returning after ending the season as a starter. Another name to keep an eye on there is Braden Drehle. He’s grown up seeing his dad’s system and is finally physically mature enough to run it. Senior linebackers Elton Bradford and Raishon Pickett should help lead a revamped Waynesville defense. Both of these teams will be dangerous on a given night. The Tigers haven’t finished a season above .500 since 2010. This team should be in a position to change that by seasons end.
Has West Plains peaked?
Over the last two years West Plains has gone 18-5; to put that in perspective the Zizzers won 16 games from 2007-2013. Sam Hall is gone. John Williams is gone. Jett Sexton is gone. The Class of 2016 set the foundation for what has been one of the best stories we’ve seen on the gridiron in the Ozarks recently. Conventional wisdom would expect West Plains to return to what it was for the last decade. But, don’t expect the Zizzers to fall off. Keep in mind their only two losses last year came to Kickapoo and Webb City. They even gave Bolivar a 48-12 beatdown that was as bad as any loss they had in the Lance Roweton era. This team won’t likely be as explosive as last year due to the loss of Hall at quarterback, but Ary Ball, establishing and defending the run, has been extremely successful over the years. Keegan Hoopes should be looking at 250-plus carries, which could have him flirting with a 2,000-yard season. Senior Justin Nichols was one of the best defensive players in the conference last year (87 tackles, 6 INTs) and should be in on even more action with a move to linebacker. The biggest reason for the West Plains turnaround was its play in the trenches and Haden Smith is next in line to lead another physical group. The biggest question will again be team speed. That is what limited the Zizzers last year. Billy Holloway stepped in last year and played a nice role in both the passing and running game with nearly 600 yards and seven touchdowns between the two. His role should expand this year, along with senior Nick Osmun. Landry Randolph will likely step into the starting quarterback role and physically won’t have a problem adjusting, it’ll just come down to slowing the game down in his head and making good decisions. Returning 6-foot-3 senior Taylor Cornish will give him a nice go-to weapon. Don’t sleep on the Zizzers this fall.
Bold Prediction: Camdenton will have a top 2 finish in the league
Last year was uncharacteristically bad for the Lakers; Camdenton’s 3-7 record was their worst in more than a decade. I don’t think they were quite as bad as the record indicated, but things snow balled on them; a lackluster offense forced the defense to play too many snaps and a tired defense will always give up points. The solution is an improved offense and I would be shocked if that wasn’t the case in 2016. I’ve never seen a Camdenton team with a bad offensive line and that won’t change in 2016 with Wyatt Danuser, Harrison Brownell, Grant Norton and Josh Semau upfront. Actually, this might be the best unit in the league and they are HUGE. I love Jay Griffin and he could have a very Christian McCaffery-like season if he is used the way many anticipate. Freak of nature Dyllan Decker could take his 6-foot-3, 200lb frame to receiver, leaving Isaiah Lumley at quarterback, which will open up the field for all involved. Decker will be Kullen Carlock-good for the Lakers at receiver and him taking the top off of defenses will only give Griffin more room to work. Throw in Todd Simpson and Seth Harris on the defensive side and this has the makings to be a very special year for the Lakers as they drop back down to Class 4
Making sense of the rest of the league
Everything else remains to be seen. Lebanon loses a ton of key contributors from last year, but the Jackets were good at all levels with an 8-1 JV team and 6-3 freshman squad. Colby Lathrop will be one of the best offensive linemen in the conference and is Christian’s latest creation as he continues to churn out D-1 caliber linemen. Jack Ehrhardt (16 receptions, 280 yards, 4 TDs) will give whoever steps new starting QB Cole Breeden an experienced weapon, and Hayden Weddle (124 tackles in 2015) is one of the best run-stuffing linebackers you’ll see. This is a team that was a half away from a district championship last year and has been one of the OC’s best programs since 2010. I love John Berry and Christian loves a strong ground game. I’m not sure where Lebanon’s ceiling is, much of that depends on how their young talent matures, but their floor is pretty high. This could be a district contender by October… Parkview lost Anthony Riley, who was seemingly their entire offense last year, but Anthony Hays has been a master at revamping his team attack and identity so don’t put anything past him and the Vikings. The cupboard isn’t bare at the skill positions. Hays is high on sophomore Blake Delacruz, who saw plenty of varsity reps last year as a freshman and should end up being the Vikings feature back at some point, but there are two names to keep an eye on with a ton of talent in Marcus Walton and Warren Atkins. Walton, a 6-foot-4 senior, is coming off of winning the Class 5 state championship in the high jump and has limitless potential. Atkins, a 5-foot-8 junior, made name for himself defensively and in the return game. Both guys should see bigger roles in offense this year. C.J. Loveall (108 tackles, 10 TFL) will again be one of the biggest names on the defensive side of the ball. There are several holes to fill, but more than enough talent to go around, especially if Central move-in Tyrone Walker is eligible immediately… Hillcrest is the biggest question mark in the conference. The Hornets are 3-17 over the last two seasons, which is rare considering John Beckham led the program to five straight winning seasons prior to that. All-Everything lineman Garrett McGuire graduated, but Beckham will have an abundance of talent at the skill positions. Josh Powell is the Hornets only returning all-conference player, but he was an absolute headache for opposing defenses as a sophomore; there isn’t a better player in space in the Ozarks than Powell. Erik Savage is also back and should see time at quarterback and receiver. Savage was all-conference selection as a sophomore, but missed much of last year due to injury. Last is Savion Hill. He saw some playing time last year, but had a coming out party during the spring as a sprinter and jumper. That athleticism should help him on Friday nights. Beckham will also have his son, Malachi Beckham, returning on both sides of the ball. Coach Beckham is one of the best at putting athletes in a position to be successful. In 2012 he moved Jonah Hill from tight end to quarterback and the Hornets won 10 games. The following year he moved Matt Rush from running back/receiver to quarterback and Rush had a monster year. In 2014 he went back to his old spread ways and threw it all over the field. It’ll be interesting to see what identity this group takes with all the athletes he’ll have at his disposal… Rolla is a relative unknown. Jon Franks takes over after more than a decade at Lebanon and the Bulldogs lost several of their main offensive weapons from last year’s 2-8 team. They are in rebuild mode.
Where did all the quarterbacks go?
This sounds crazy, but of the 10 teams in the league, six will be welcoming new starting quarterbacks with Lawson and Huston being the only returning starters to go wire-to-wire. The list of marquee quarterbacks in the league is big and no team recently has been able to win a conference championship without one.
Top Games
Aug. 19
Glendale at Joplin – These two combined for 104 points last year in a thriller. If the Falcons want to take the next step they need to win games against good teams.
Lebanon at Rolla – Franks left Lebanon for Rolla. I’m not going to say there’s bad blood, but I’m sure he will want to beat his old boss.
Aug. 26
Camdenton at West Plains – The Zizzers have won the last two meetings by a combined seven points in two hotly contested games. This is a blooming rivalry because of the coaches and playing styles involved.
Waynesville at Lebanon- Proximity has made these two rivals and both teams want to get out of the middle of the pack. They also could meet in the playoffs
Sep. 2
Lebanon at Camdenton – They play for the Highway 5 Trophy and right now Lebanon has it. Few games at the high school level are more physical than this one. Wil Christian is probably in office polishing that trophy right now.
Sep. 9
Camdenton at Kickapoo – Kickapoo absolutely destroyed them last year. Camdenton hasn’t forgotten. The winner of this game should be undefeated to this point and take control of the league.
Sep. 15
Kickapoo at Glendale – Maybe the best rivalry in the Ozarks regardless of sport. Two years ago Glendale pulled off the upset. This year the game will have conference championship implications for both teams.
Sep. 29
Parkview at Hillcrest – Both teams are in rebuild mode and neither wants to finish at the bottom of the OC, especially for SPS teams. And of course it’s a Thursday night kick so all eyes will be on this game.
Sep. 30
Kickapoo at West Plains – West Plains turned heads two years ago by beating these Chiefs in West Plains and that’s the only loss keeping Kickapoo from having three straight OC titles.
Oct. 14
Camdenton at Glendale – There is a very real possibility that both teams could enter this game 7-1, making this the OC title game. Two completely contrasting styles meeting for a conference championship?! As the kids say, it would be “lit”.
