By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer

Osceola has two returning starters on offense, a unit sprinkled with sophomores. Dr. Phillips will have a say in who wins the Class 6A state title.

That goes a ways to explain the Panthers' 49-7 win Friday over the Kowboys at Bill Spoone Stadium.

Dr. Phillips (2-0) relied on its steady conveyor belt of Division I athletes to produce another big win. Panthers quarterback Nick Patti was an efficient tactician, completing 10 of 15 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns. Highly-recruited tailback Demetrius Hart carried 19 times for 96 yards and three more scores.

Kickoff was delayed 90 minutes due to lightning, but it appeared Osceola didn't mind the wait. After Terrance Tatume returned the opening kickoff to the Panthers' 45, he helped punctuate a 5-play scoring drive -- helped by three Dr. Phillips offsides penalties -- with an 8-yard TD catch from Kieron Williams.

All that did was make the state's No. 5 team in the Class 6A poll mad. They answered with an 11-play, 72-yard drive, highlighted by the running of Hart and ended with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Nick Patti to Pat Fenlon to tie it. Osceola (0-2) then lost a fumble on its next play, and it took the Panthers one play to capitalize on Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix's 21-yard TD run.

Clinton-Dix, who has orally committed to Alabama, would later score on a 98-yard return of the second-half kickoff and a 65-yard third-quarter touchdown catch that made it 42-7 and sent the game to a running clock.

OHS Coach Doug Nichols said that the rain delay helped the Kowboys play with emotion early, but that couldn't last the entire game.

"We didn't fight through the mental toughness. They're a good team and they don't have to convince anyone," he said. "We didn't hardly move the ball in the second half. But I'm glad the rain stopped and we played the game, because we're going to be better for it."

The Kowboys play their home opener next week, against Daytona Beach Mainland, another 0-2 team desperate for its first win.