Osceola’s defense keys 16-2 victory; tough Bolts next

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

These 2012 regional football playoffs are shaping up very nicely for the Osceola Kowboys.

First, and most importantly, the Kowboys slugged their way past nemesis Lakeland, 16-2, at Kowboys field last week in an old-fashioned, bloody-nosed defensive brawl.

The Kowboys (11-0) should move up to No. 3 in the Class 7A poll this week after No. 4 and formerly-unbeaten Jacksonville First Coast was upset by Gainesville Buchholz in overtime.

That means that no team ranked higher than OHS stands between the Kowboys and a potential berth at the Class 7A championship game at the Citrus Bowl next month.

However, as Kowboys Coach Doug Nichols does not hesitate to point out, a very big obstacle to the Kowboys’ playoff path arrives in town Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the form of Davenport Ridge Community High (9-2), a 24-0 winner over Harmony.

Tickets for the game at Kowboys field are $8. Passes are not accepted.

Like Osceola, Ridge Community brings a very stingy defense to Kissimmee Friday. The Bolts have surrendered only 13 points in their last four games, including shutouts against Lakeland and Harmony.

OHS and Ridge Community met in the regional quarterfinals last year. OHS won, 13-7, in overtime when Deshawn Congreaves converted a muffed field goal attempt in to the game-winning touchdown.

“They’re good, tough defensively, just like last year,” Nichols said. “They probably aren’t quite as talented offensively, but they’re probably better defensively.”

About 3,000 fans saw the Kowboys break open a scoreless game in the fourth quarter of the Lakeland game with a dominating defense, a huge special teams play and just enough offense to give Osceola its first victory over Lakeland since 2007, snapping the Dreadnaughts’ five-game winning streak against Osceola. Three of those losses ended Osceola’s seasons in 2008, 2009 and 2011.

“We showed up,” senior defensive tackle Darren Brackbill said, kneeling as the teams finished exchanging handshakes after the game ended. “That’s a good team, they’re tough. Finally, we beat them. I’ve been waiting three years for this.”

The game turned late in the third period when Osceola finally managed to pin Lakeland, which enjoyed good field position in the first half, deep in its territory.

A sack by Kowboys lineman Peter Bailey and Brackbill’s crunching hit on Dreadnaughts running back Robert Smith for a 7-yard loss to the 1 forced Lakeland to punt from its end zone, with OHS taking over at Lakeland’s 37.

Eight plays later, Cristano Nogueras hit a 25-yard field goal with 11:16 left for a 3-0 lead.

Lakeland (9-2 and ranked No. 8) struggled on its next possession, and on fourth-and-13 from the 30, the Kowboys Shayvai Gordon, a sophomore, blocked Caleb Hough’s punt. The loose ball rolled inside the Lakeland 5, where Osceola defensive back Dominic Lee outwrestled a half dozen Dreadnaughts and Kowboys in the end zone for a touchdown.

“We knew it would be there for us. We knew what kind of game it was going to be. We had to come out and play tough,” Lee said.

Gordon said there was no special play called on the block.

“We knew we had to play fast,” he said. “It’s always what we’re looking for all year.”

The PAT failed, but with 10:07 left, the Kowboys were in command, 9-0.

They forced another break on Lakeland’s next possession when Brandon Baker intercepted at the Kowboys’ 32. Osceola couldn’t move, but Scooter Fagan’s 69-yard punt for a touchback put Lakeland at its 20.

Fagan’s punt, an arching moonshot, would have been at home at any NFL stadium and drew cheers from the Kowboys’ fans.

“I’ve kicked it that far in practice,” Fagan, who rushed for 61 yards, said.

The Kowboys defense held again, and after Lakeland punted, Stafon McCray (22-152, 1 TD), the Kowboys workhorse running back, sprinted 62 yards on his 22nd carry of the night for the clinching touchdown to make it 16-0.

“We finally got the field position switched in the second half. In the first half we couldn’t do it, we had a couple of penalties that hurt us,” Osceola Coach Doug Nichols said. “We told them all week that we’d have to be patient, we’d have to be happy with 3 and 4 yards at a time, and that some bad things were going to happen. We told them that you’ve got to believe in the blue, and they did.”

The Dreadnaughts’ backup quarterback, Aaron Johnson, moved Lakeland to the OHS 7 with 1:59 to play, but the drive ended when Kowboys linebacker Jose Sanchez stopped Johnson at the 1.After Fagan took an intentional safety with 43 seconds left to make it 16-2, Sanchez intercepted a pass to punctuate the victory.

“I told the guys at the half that this was the kind of game that you play for, 0-0 at the half. You don’t play to be in games that are 30-0 or 40-0 at the half; you want to be in the 0-0 games,” Nichols said. “This was a great win for our kids. To come out and hang with those guys says something. Our defense played their butts off.”

The Kowboys outgained the Dreadnaughts 228-169, With one huge hurdle out of the way, the Kowboys must prepare for another slugfest against Ridge Community.

The Bolts have one of the the best players in Polk County in defensive back/quarterback Shykeem Pitts.

Osceola’s defense, which is playing without three starters due to injuries or suspensions, has been phenomenal since the third week of the season. OHS has given up only two touchdown plays from the line of scrimmage. The defense yields just 6 points per game. The Kowboys have four shutouts and would have had seven had they not yielded two TD kickoff returns and a fumble return for a TD.

“That group has been lights out,” Nichols said.

The Kowboys coach said the Kowboys must understand that in the playoffs, every opponent is dangerous.

“We have to make sure we don’t have a letdown,” Nichols said. “When we come in focused and ready to play, and when we’re sharp in all three phases like we were last week, we can be pretty good.”

Nichols will have to reach deep into his wallet this week to continue a holiday playoff tradition.

“I always buy them pumpkin Blizzards,” Nichols said. “It costs me about $300, but to beat Lakeland and play Thanksgiving week, I guess it’s worth it.”