By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

The Osceola Kowboys again will be favored to win next season in District 7A-6 because many of the team’s most explosive players on offense will return along with several of the squad’s best defenders.

But, OHS will be hit hard by graduation to the offensive line, which loses seniors Reggie Turner (Florida Tech), Adam Stickel, Heath Rinkus, Cody Nelson and Bryan Hurtado, most of them three-year starters.

“That’s a special group. They’ll be hard to replace,” Nichols said.

Junior tackle Josh Phelps will return for his senior season and junior Darren Brackbill played on both lines this season.

The defensive line loses three key players in tackle Darvin Daniels and ends CJ Butler and RJ Butler. Safety Dominique Davis will be a big loss to the secondary, and the team also will lose its leading tackler (121), linebacker Akim Francis.

Reggie Hall (91-645, 5 TDs) and quarterback Kieron Williams graduate from the offense, but if the Kowboys can find enough blockers, there is plenty of skilled talent returning.

Stafon McCray, the county’s rushing leader (174-1,508, 16 TDs), will return for his senior year. Deshawn Congreaves (20-90, 2 TDs rushing; 4-9-138 passing), who started three games, returns at quarterback and as the team’s punter. Nichols said several underclassmen also will challenge for the QB spot.

One of Nichols’ goals next season will be to develop an effective passing attack. The Kowboys completed just 14 passes this season. The lack of offensive balance hurt OHS against the stronger teams on its schedule, like Palm Bay and Lakeland.

Sophomore running back Dwight Fagan (73-340, 7 TDs), one of the most dangerous return men in the county, also returns, along with breakaway threat Devantae Small (42-399, 7 TDs).

“That’s about 2,300 or 2,400 yards of offense returning, and 28 or 29 (actually, 32) touchdowns,” Nichols said. “You always hate to lose the good offensive linemen like we are, but it’s good to have that kind of talent in the backfield returning.”

The secondary should remain good with Brandon Baker, Hassan Childs and CC Smithson coming back for their senior seasons, and James Farley returning for his junior year.

“Those guys all played well for us,” Nichols said.

Linebacker Mikeice Adams was impressive as a sophomore and Jose Sanchez returns for his senior year. Jaqwaun Dockery, just a sophomore, and juniors Randy Brown and Peter Bailey, lend stability to the defensive line next season, Nichols said.

“We’ve got some real good kids coming back on the defense. We should be pretty solid,” Nichols said. “And, we’ve got some pretty good looking freshmen and sophomores who we think can help us. It’s always a challenge to reach the playoffs and have success like we did this year, but we think we’ve got a pretty good chance again next year.”

The Kowboys will play the same schedule next season.

Osceola’s home games  will be against Palm Bay, East Ridge, Harmony, Liberty and South Lake. Osceola travels to Ocoee, Bishop Moore, Celebration, St. Cloud and Gateway.

Osceola will go to Lake Gibson for the spring game in May and travel to Freedom for the Kickoff Classic in August.