By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

Unlike the other large Osceola County football teams, Poinciana will wait until Friday at 7:30 p.m. to visit Lake Nona for a 5A-7 district game that the Eagles must have to keep their faint playoff hopes alive.

The Eagles, 1-5, had an open date last week, when Coach Corey Fleming said he stressed team-building and tried to upgrade several positions.

“Even at this late date, we’re still holding tryouts. I’m searching for guys everywhere. I’m still looking for guys at several positions,” Fleming said.

Poinciana was competitive in every game this season until a 63-14 loss against district leader Bishop Moore just before the break. That dropped the Eagles to 0-2 in the district race with games against Lake Nona, Atlantic and Eustis upcoming. By winning those three games, Poinciana might have a chance at the district runner-up spot, as well as a .500 season.

“That would be huge for us. We have to win those last three district games to even make a claim on on it,” Fleming, the first-year coach who took over the program in late July, said.

Fleming said the fact that there is no school Friday should work to his team’s advantage.

“We’re going to treat it like a college day. We’ll get in a little early, and it’ll give us a chance to go over some things before the game,” he said.

Lake Nona, 5-1, is coming off a 68-10 rout of Celebration. Quarterback Tucker Israel set a state record with 10 TD passes in that game.

Fleming doesn’t expect Israel to have comparable success against his team.

“I’m watching the tape now. Some of them were little shovel passes, I don’t even consider those real passes,” he said. “They are definitely improved over last year, though.”