By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

The 88th edition of the St. Cloud-Osceola football rivalry comes at an unusual time – midway through the season – but that’s fine with the Kowboys.

Osceola, 4-1, is coming off its most impressive effort of the season, an surprisingly easy 42-13 romp over previously Class 7A-ranked East Ridge.

Osceola’s performance was so dominating that it left Coach Doug Nichols, almost speechless.

“I had a hard time finding what to say. I sure didn’t see it coming because we didn’t have that great a week of practice,” Nichols said. “I think the kids are feeling a bit of disrespect. When they found out it was homecoming for East Ridge, I think that got them fired up even more. It was a big win for us.”

Osceola rushed for 401 yards and built a 21-0 lead in the second quarter.

Quarterback Kieron Williams (5-77, 3 TDs) got OHS rolling with a 45-yard TD run in the first quarter.

The OHS defense then made a goal line stand on the ensuing series that, Nichols said, turned the game around.

“Our defense has been doing a terrific job all season, and nobody’s really noticed. Those guys and their coaches do a great job every week; I feel blessed to have them,” Nichols said.

Defensive back Brandon Baker fought off a block to stop the Knights on fourth down.

Stafon McCray (8-178, 1 TD) raced 73 yards early in the second period to make it 14-0 after Christano Nogureras kicked the second of six PATs, and Devantae Small’s 10-yard TD run made it 21-0.

The Knights scored just before the end of the half, but there was no stopping Williams, who scored two more times on short runs before Small (5-52, 2 TDs) scored his second TD on a 33-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Reggie Hall had 77 yards on five carries as the Kowboys averaged an astonishing 14.3 yards per carry, a testament to a solid effort by the offensive line, Nichols said.

“The guys played great, and it wasn’t like we weren’t playing anyone. East Ridge is a quality team year in and year out” Nichols said.

The Kowboys held Knights running back Randy Bergan, one of the best in Central Florida, to 72 yards.

Osceola holds a 56-27-4 series lead against St. Cloud. Last year’s game, a 41-35 St. Cloud win in overtime, was forfeited to Osceola after the 2010 season because the Bulldogs used an ineligible player. That extended Osceola’s most recent winning streak against the Bulldogs to five games.

The Kowboys had trouble containing Bulldogs quarterback Phillip Steinmetz, who threw for 228 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another 100 yards. He scored the winning touchdown in overtime on a short run.

The Bulldogs have the county’s rushing leader in junior Eric Pfeifer (634 yards).

“They do a nice job, they’re balanced,” Nichols said.

On the flipside, the Bulldogs must contend with a Kowboys option attack that averages over 240 rushing yards a game. That bodes well for OHS, since St. Cloud has had trouble defending the run. If Osceola has an Achilles heel, it is that the offense is one-dimensional. The team has attempted only 18 passes this season, completing four.

“I’m sure they’ll come up with some different looks against us,” Nichols said.

Aside from the midseason game date, the other big difference between this season’s game and last year’s is that this is a 7A-6 district contest. An Osceola win makes it 2-0 in the district; St. Cloud can improve to 1-1 after a forfeit to Gateway last week.

But, district ramifications aside, Nichols said there is no problem about his players being prepared.

“It’s Osceola-St. Cloud. You don’t have to say anything else,” he said. “There’s always a lot of excitement.”

The series, which began in 1925, is Florida’s fifth-oldest football rivalry.