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St. Cloud runs past GHS to wrap up 2010 season PDF Print E-mail
Sports
Thursday, 18 November 2010 09:13
By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor
St. Cloud High’s preseason goal was a third straight trip to the football playoffs, but the team will have to settle for a 5-6 record after a 40-6 win at Gateway Friday to conclude the regular season.
Quarterback Phillip Steinmetz threw three touchdown passes and ran for another, and senior receiver Louis Page caught two touchdown passes and ran for another to lead the Bulldogs offense.
Freshman quarterback Brian Steinmetz threw a 3-yard TD pass, the first of his varsity career, and Jordan Reus caught two touchdown passes. Alain Moise kicked four PATs.
Coach Bill Buldini said it was a fitting way for his team to end the season.
“We wanted more, but under the circumstances it was a good win for us and a good way for the guys to end the season,” Buldini said.
St. Cloud forfeited two early-season wins to Osceola and Stuart Martin County because a player on the team temporarily resided with Buldini, a violation of Florida High School Athletic Association bylaws.
The FHSAA fined the high school $200 and placed the football program on administrative probation for the balance of the school year.
The forfeits caused St. Cloud to miss an invitation to the Osceola County Scholarship Bowl Thursday at Poinciana High.
Instead, Sebring and Port Orange Atlantic will meet.
As costly as the forfeits were to the team’s record, they weren’t the decisive factors in the team’s missing the playoffs for the first time since 2007.
A last-minute loss to eventual district champion Edgewater followed by another defeat on homecoming to district runner-up East River cost the Bulldogs their playoff berth.
“Against East River, I guess the kids remembered how easily they won that game last year and maybe took them for granted,” Buldini said. “We talked to them about it, but sometimes they just don’t hear you.”
On the field, the Bulldogs enjoyed one of their most successful seasons at 7-4. St. Cloud enjoyed its best intra-county record ever, 5-0. It did not play Celebration.
“That is something that the kids can take some pride in,” Buldini said. “There is some disappointment to it because we wanted to do more, but that’s the reality of it.”
With Phillip Steinmetz, the county’s leading passer (1,877 yards, 16 TDs) returning for his senior season and county rushing leader Irving Huggins (1,371 yards) back as well, the Bulldogs will not lack for offensive talent next year.
The team averaged 370 yards and 26 points per game this year.
But, Buldini said the squad may not be as deep next season because of the loss of several defensive starters such as linemen Kevin Ulysses, Kevin Greenawalt, Erol Muratovic and Brandon Marty. The team also loses linebacker Nate Green and defensive backs Anthony Ellis and Melvin Manning. Manning leads the county with six interceptions.
But, the team’s leading tackler, junior linebacker Jeff Spelman (106 tackles, three caused fumbles, three recoveries) returns along with sophomore defensive back Eric Pfeifer, who doubles as a running back.
“Overall, we’ll have more kids in the program next year, but we’ll probably have more guys playing on both sides of the ball,” Buldini said. “You want to have your best players out there as much as possible. That’s the nature of the beast.”
 

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