By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

After a rugged, hard-hitting game at Palm Bay last week, Osceola returns to Kowboys field Friday at 7:30 p.m. to celebrate homecoming against Celebration.

Osceola, 2-1, suffered its first loss of the season, 10-0, against the Pirates in a contest that saw the Kowboys miss on two scoring opportunities.

The Pirates scored all their points in the first half.

The most spectacular play came in the third period. Running back Scooter Fagan’s option pass to receiver Daequan Harrison caught the Pirates flat-footed. Harrison raced 69 yards toward the goal line before Pirates defensive back Caleb Alves caught him from behind and stripped the ball away at about the 1. Alves then returned the ball out of the end zone to the Kowboys’ 30-yard line.

“The kid (Alves) didn’t even try to make a tackle, he just kept going for the ball and finally pulled it loose,” Osceola Coach Doug Nichols said.

The Kowboys squandered a third-and-2 scoring opportunity inside the Pirates’ 20 when a procedure penalty pushed OHS back five yards. A field goal attempt was blocked.

“We had our chances,” Nichols said. “They were what we expected they’d be when we put the game on the schedule, but those are the kind of games we have to play. Like I told the kids after the game, this is going to make us better.”

Osceola’s offense was inconsistent, managing 168 total yards. The Kowboys were hampered by the loss of their leading rusher, sophomore Stafon McCray, who hurt his arm attempting to tackle Alvey on the fumble return.

McCray, who averaged 140 yards during Osceola’s first two games, left after just eight carries for 25 yards.

Nichols does not believe McCray’s injury is serious, although he probably will sit out Friday’s game with Celebration.

Receiver Josh Antoine also left the game after dislocating his elbow, but Nichols expects him to return soon, as well.

“They don’t seem to be as bad as we thought they were at first,” Nichols said.

Overall, the Kowboys coach said his team benefited from the trip to the east coast.

“The defense I thought played a great game, good enough to win,” Nichols said.

Defensive back Hassan Childs had a fourth-quarter interception.

After Celebration, the Kowboys hit a difficult stretch in their schedule that includes a visit to East Ridge, a winner over Merritt Island last week, and the annual battle against St. Cloud Oct. 7 that might determine the 7A-6 district championship.

Celebration enters Friday’s game 0-3 and was blanked by first-year Lake Minneola, 49-0, last week.

“We played Minneola 7-0 after the first quarter. After that, nothing went right for us,” Storm Coach Ben Aarestad said. “We just ran out of gas and started missing tackles and blocks.”

That doesn’t bode well entering the most difficult game on the Storm’s

schedule.

With Celebration struggling, being outscored a combined 96-0 over its past two games, Nichols said he will utilize his bench as much as possible Friday. But, the game is a must win for the Kowboys as it counts in district 7A-6.

Aarestad said he is making changes in all phases for Friday’s game.

“This is basically a first game for us. Hopefully we can do something that we can build on for the rest of the season,” he said.

The Storm will visit Cocoa Beach next week.