The first half of the Kowboys-Chargers game was marred by 12 penalties that cost the teams a combined 117 yards.

“It was a lot of stupid stuff,” Phelps, a member of the homecoming court, said.

McCray said the teams wanted to make a statement early in the game.

“I think both teams came out and got a little too excited,” he said.

A roughing the passer penalty against the Kowboys cost them six points when Brandon Baker’s 45-yard pick-6 was nullified, but OHS picked up a touchdown when Liberty committed one of its four first-half personal fouls after the Kowboys misfired on a fourth-and-goal pass play. Given a reprieve from the 1, McCray slammed over on the next play to make it 12-0 late in the opening quarter.

OHS quarterback Daequan Harrison orchestrated a spectacular score on Osceola’s first possession when he raced 20 yards down the sideline before flipping a pitch to Small, who carried the last 10 yards for the touchdown and a 6-0 lead.

“That was a highlight reel play,” OHS Coach Doug Nichols said. “I’m glad he did it, it will keep those guys running in practice. They’re always getting on him because they say he never pitches it, so this will help.”

Small’s 72-yard scoring sprint made it 19-0 late in the first half, just before Baker’s pick-6 was nullified.

Although the Kowboys amassed 227 yards rushing in the first half, the team didn’t look sharp until the third quarter, when McCray scored on 30- and 43-yard runs and Harrison rolled in from the 8 to up the lead to 37-0 with 5:37 left in the period.

“I always have faith in our coaching staff that they’re going to make the right adjustments at halftime,” Phelps said.

Nichols said the wind and rain may have factored into Osceola’s slow start.

“You could see they (Liberty) were going to put everyone and their uncle in the box, and why wouldn’t they, with the wind whippin’ and blowin’ the way it was,” he said.

Liberty totaled only 15 yards of offense, but junior Markel Brown returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown on the last play of the game, after Osceola quarterback Hunter McGehee scored on a 20-yard run.

Brown’s touchdown return wasn’t the only bad news for Osceola’s defense, which was shooting for its fourth shutout. Linebacker Riley Nicholson will be out with a broken collarbone, Nichols said.

“They say four to six weeks. It’s a big loss, and we’ll miss Riley. He was really coming on and doing a great job,” Nichols said. “We figure Lakeland (a possible opponent in the regional semifinal round) is four weeks out, so there’s a possibility we could see him again. We’d never rush him back, and neither would his parents, but that’s a possibility.”

Nichols is confident that his defense, which is yielding just 6 points and 100 yards per game, can pick up the slack.

“We’ll move Shayvai Gordon in, and we also have Juaquan Jenkins who can move up or CC Smithson, who played that position last year,” Nichols said. “We’ll miss Riley till he comes back, but we’re confident in all those guys.”

The winner of Friday’s game will hold home field advantage through the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Panthers Coach Marlin Roberts said he believes his team is capable of knocking off the Kowboys for the first time since 1988, not counting forfeit victories.

“That’s a very good program there and Doug is getting the job done, like he always does,” Roberts said. “In all honesty, I believe we can win the game. They’re very fast, but at the same time, we’re not slow.”

Osceola’s primary job will be to contain running back Zach Smith, the county’s leading rusher and the hub of Gateway’s offense. Smith had 163 yards and two touchdowns last week at Harmony for a season total of 1,372 yards and 17 touchdowns.

“Our defense is all charged up to go against the best running back in the county,” Nichols said. “Marlin has done a great job with those guys over there. They’re only a couple hiccups away from being undefeated.”