Osceola’s Stafon McCray led way

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Osceola’s Stafon McCray led way

Sports

Wednesday, 28 December 2011 13:24

News-Gazette Photo/Andrew Sullivan

Osceola junior running back Stafon McCray led the county with 1,509 rushing yards.

Kowboys junior rushed for 1,509 yards, the best in Osceola County

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor
Osceola County’s leading rusher, who helped propel the Osceola Kowboys to the Class 7A football regional semifinal round, reflected upon the recently completed season and decided: “I could have played way better.”

Stafon McCray, the biggest and most powerful of Osceola’s stable of good running backs, said that he and the Kowboys had good seasons that could have been better.
He wasn’t happy with Osceola’s second-round playoff exit at Lakeland, 20-7, especially after the Dreadnaughts romped over Tampa Gaither in the regional finals.
“I was expecting us to have more success,” he said. “Looking back, I see things that I could have done better. I’ll do better next year.”
Stafon McCray, the Osceola News-Gazette Offensive Player of the Year, rushed for 1,508 yards and 16 touchdowns.
The 6-0, 185-pound junior has the combination of speed (4.56 in the 40) and power that makes him dangerous in the open field as well as between the tackles.
“It doesn’t make any difference. Whatever the coach needs. If he needs two yards, I’ll get it. If he needs 15, I’ll get that,” McCray said.
McCray returned a kickoff for a touchdown at St. Cloud as a sophomore and said that he might be a better runner in the open field.
He said NFL running back Joseph Addai, of Indianapolis, has a running style he admires, but he said a running back from Alabama, Heisman Trophy finalist Trent Richardson, is the type of back he wants to be.
“He is big and fast with a lot of power,” McCray said.
McCray’s shoulder injury during the Palm Bay game could have been the difference in that week 3 contest, won by the Pirates, 10-0. Palm Bay advanced to the Class 6A regional playoffs. He left the game in the first half.
McCray was injured while tackling a Pirates defense back who was returning a fumble.
“His knee hit my arm and knocked it back,” McCray explained. “That was a bad play. We could have scored on that play. They ended up returning it, I got hurt and one of our receivers went out because of a crack back (block).”
The disappointments were relatively few for the Kowboys, however, thanks in large part to McCray. His ability to pound inside left the edge open for Osceola’s speed backs: Reggie Hall, Devontae Small and Scooter Fagin.
McCray set the tone for a successful 10-2 Kowboys season by rushing for 148 yards and both touchdowns in Osceola’s 16-6 win over Ocoee in the season opener.
He had a 95-yard TD run nullified by a penalty against Bishop Moore in week 2, but still managed 135 yards and two touchdowns in that game. After injuring his shoulder at Palm Bay, McCray sat out the homecoming game against Celebration (he was on the homecoming court) before returning to gain 178 yards and score a TD in Osceola’s 42-13 rout of East Ridge, a team that advanced to the Class 7A regional finals.
McCray gained 191 yards and scored twice in the 42-27 win against St. Cloud.
For Osceola to win in 2011, the formula was relatively simple: when McCray rushed for more than 100 yards, the Kowboys won. When he didn’t, as at Palm Bay and Lakeland, they lost.
“He’s a special type of back. It’s a little hard to describe his style, but the thing with Stafon is that he is a pretty powerful runner and he’s got good speed. He’s hard to stop, and our linemen did a great job of making some room for him,” Kowboys Coach Doug Nichols said.
McCray said his running style is all his own.
“I think I’m exclusive,” he said.
He is getting plenty of interest from college programs and said that Auburn and Duke are on his list of potential destinations.
“I want to play in the big conferences, the SEC or the ACC,” he said. “I’ve gotten a lot of inquiries.”
Osceola averaged more than 280 yards per game rushing behind a veteran offensive line, but four of those starting linemen graduate.
McCray said that he will miss those teammates, but it won’t change his goals for next season.
“We’re looking for even bigger things. We’re going to be better. I’m a senior, that’s going to be the year,” he said. “Our defense is losing a couple of good players, like (linebacker) Akim (Francis). He’s a great leader. But we’ve got a lot of good guys back. Our defense is straight.”
Several other Osceola County football players received consideration for Offensive Player of the Year honors.
St. Cloud senior quarterback Phillip Steinmetz completed an outstanding career by passing for 1,816 yards and 17 touchdowns. Bulldogs junior running back Eric Pfeifer was the county’s scoring leader with 18 touchdowns (108 points) and 1,034 rushing yards.
Liberty sophomore quarterback Terrell Bonds was sensational in his first varsity season, throwing for 2,007 yards and 21 touchdowns, the best ever at Liberty.
Poinciana High senior Michael Cirino was a slash-style offensive force who scored as a rusher, as a receiver and as a return man and scored 17 touchdowns and 106 points, second in the county.
The News-Gazette’s All-County Defensive team will be published Saturday.