By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

The minefield that is Osceola High’s football schedule continues Friday when Daytona Beach Mainland visits Kowboys field at 7:30 p.m.

The teams met three straight years, from 1997-99, in the regional playoffs, but both squads are off to slow starts this season.

Mainland is 0-2, but its losses came against Class 5A state champion Mississippi West Point, 14-0, at the Gridiron Classic last month and against Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast, a regional finalist last season, 16-3.

The team, ranked No. 6 in Class 6A in the preseason poll, was shaken over the Labor Day weekend when Mainland Coach John Maronto was arrested and charged with soliciting a prostitute.

Osceola also enters 0-2 after a 49-7 loss at Dr. Phillips.

The Kowboys jumped to a 7-0 lead at Dr. Phillips last week when quarterback Kieron Williams hit Terrance Tatume for an 8-yard touchdown pass, but after that it was all Panthers. Dr. Phillips, ranked No. 5 in the 6A poll, led 28-7 at the half.

The game was delayed 90 minutes because of lightning.

“It’s hard on the kids. They are fired up and ready to go for special teams practice at 6:40, but then the game doesn’t start until 9,” Coach Doug Nichols said.

Williams is out this week because of a shoulder injury, Nichols said.

The Kowboys will turn to either sophomore Dontavius Wilcox or Deshawn Congreaves at quarterback on Friday, Nichols said.

The team’s inexperience (only four seniors start), combined with a schedule that has seven 2009 playoff teams, makes this one of the most difficult coaching challenges Nichols has faced.

“We did some good things last week. I thought we got better,” Nichols said.