Skolarski and Fox power Ozark past Booneville
Ozark 34, Booneville 18
October 23, 2026 | 4A-4 | Hillbilly Stadium
OZARK — John Skolarski ran for two touchdowns and Easton Fox supplied a 35-yard scoring run as Ozark defeated Booneville 34-18 Friday night in a meeting of unbeaten conference rivals at Hillbilly Stadium.
Skolarski finished with 201 rushing yards and Fox added 183, according to the broadcast’s unofficial postgame figures. Ozark built a 22-0 lead, stopped two Booneville possessions that reached inside the 10 and answered each of the Bearcats’ first two touchdowns with a scoring drive.
After forcing a punt on Booneville’s opening possession, the Hillbillies moved quickly behind their two backs. Skolarski broke a long run on Ozark’s first snap, and Fox followed with another gain of more than 20 yards. Quarterback Easton Sampley finished the possession with a short keeper at the 8:02 mark of the first quarter. The conversion failed, leaving Ozark ahead 6-0.
Skolarski scored from five yards with 8:39 remaining in the second quarter. Ozark added a two-point conversion for a 14-0 advantage, then relied on Deacon Gage to keep Booneville off the scoreboard. Gage chased down Brody Chambers to prevent a touchdown on a long run and later intercepted a tipped pass inside the 10 to end the same possession. The Hillbillies carried their two-touchdown lead into halftime.
Ozark recovered Booneville’s onside kick to start the third quarter. On the Hillbillies’ second offensive play of the half, Skolarski found a crease and raced 52 yards for a touchdown. Fox ran in the conversion, making it 22-0 with 11:12 remaining.
Booneville threatened again but turned the ball over on downs when a fourth-and-goal pass from the 10 fell incomplete. The Bearcats finally broke through early in the fourth quarter, when Tayden Washburn kept for an eight-yard touchdown with 11:56 left. Ozark stopped the two-point run.
Fox provided the answer, breaking a tackle on his 35-yard touchdown run with 9:25 remaining. Ozark’s conversion pass failed after a penalty retry, leaving the score 28-6. Chambers scored on a short run with 4:44 left, but Booneville’s conversion attempt was unsuccessful and the deficit remained 16.
The Hillbillies drove for another touchdown on a quarterback keeper with 2:41 remaining, extending their lead to 34-12 after the conversion failed. Hayden Daniel supplied Booneville’s final touchdown on a run to the left in the closing minute. The Bearcats again failed to convert, and Ozark took a knee to finish the victory.
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
Ozark: Easton Sampley short run (conversion failed), 8:02. Ozark 6, Booneville 0.
Second Quarter
Ozark: John Skolarski 5-yard run (two-point conversion good), 8:39. Ozark 14, Booneville 0.
Third Quarter
Ozark: Skolarski 52-yard run (Easton Fox run), 11:12. Ozark 22, Booneville 0.
Fourth Quarter
Booneville: Tayden Washburn 8-yard run (run failed), 11:56. Ozark 22, Booneville 6.
Ozark: Fox 35-yard run (pass failed), 9:25. Ozark 28, Booneville 6.
Booneville: Brody Chambers short run (conversion failed), 4:44. Ozark 28, Booneville 12.
Booneville: Hayden Daniel touchdown run (conversion failed). Ozark 34, Booneville 18.
Players Who Stood Out
John Skolarski, Ozark: 201 rushing yards in the broadcast’s unofficial tally, with touchdown runs of five and 52 yards.
Easton Fox, Ozark: 183 rushing yards in the broadcast’s unofficial tally, including a 35-yard fourth-quarter touchdown. Added a two-point run after Skolarski’s 52-yard score.
Deacon Gage, Ozark: Made a touchdown-saving tackle on Chambers and intercepted a tipped pass to end the same second-quarter possession.
Tayden Washburn, Booneville: Scored on an eight-yard keeper early in the fourth quarter to end Ozark’s shutout.
Brody Chambers and Hayden Daniel, Booneville: Each scored a fourth-quarter rushing touchdown.