Friday Night Football Excitement: Undefeated, Upset, Close Call

There was a little bit of everything on the final night of the High School Football Season in Missouri and Week 8 of 10 in Arkansas.

History was made at two different Lakes Area Stadiums. 

In Branson, the Pirates finished off their first undefeated regular season in 30 years, rolling by Springfield Hillcrest 49-0. Branson took control of the game early, scoring on two plays on the opening drive of the game and never looking back, leading 35-0 at halftime and cruising from there. Ryan Giles and Smith Quigg each scored two touchdowns for the Pirates. The undefeated regular season is the first since 1994 with the Pirates also logging undefeated seasons in 1968 and 1979. The win also clinched the first every Ozark Mountain Conference Championship for the Pirates. 

Meanwhile in Hollister, the Tigers claim the Perry Phillips Insurance Backyard Battle Trophy for only the second time in their series with Reeds Spring, rallying from an early 14-0 deficit to pull away for a 40-28 win. The Tigers scored 18 straight points to grab the lead but the Wolves answered and led by two at halftime, but the Tigers took over from there going on a 22-8 run to claim only their second win in 19 meetings, the other coming in 2021. 

The Forsyth Panthers finish the season with a win, rolling to a 41-6 win at Buffalo to finish the regular season 5-4.

Though the match-ups will not be released until Sunday, the projected Class 3 District Match-ups in Class 3 will be Hollister at Forsyth and Aurora at Reeds Spring while in Class 5, Branson will have a first round bye and host a District Semi-final game in two weeks.

Meanwhile in Harrison, the Goblins tough season continues, and they lose at FS Garrison Stadium to Vilonia 24-21. The Goblins had a 21-14 lead second half lead, but the Eagles scored the final 10 points of the game, the final points on a field goal with just over a minute to go, to snatch the victory from the Goblins.

Friday Scores
MOARK Games
Branson 49 Hillcrest 0
Hollister 40 Reeds Spring 28
Forsyth 41 Buffalo 6
Vilonia 24 Harrison 21

Other Area Games
Elkins 48 Green Forest 0
Gentry 55 Berryville 14
West Plains 34 Carl Junction 27
Marshfield 46 Central 0
Bolivar 49 Rogersville 28
Catholic 33 Clever 7
Fair Grove 26 Strafford 11
Nixa 42 Glendale 0
Republic 35 Willard 7
Kickapoo 14 Ozark 9
Rolla 48 Parkview 18
East Newton 35 McDonald County 33
Seneca 57 Lamar 7
Cassville 21 Aurora 11