Jeremiah Wiggins-Baker forces Jones' Larry Miles to fumble on the second play of the Kowboys-Tigers tilt Friday. (Photo/Taylor McFee)
The Osceola Kowboys couldn't dig out of the deficit of a rough first-half stretch and lost in Orlando Friday to Jones, 28-14.
The Tigers (3-2) sored on offense, defense and special teams in three minutes of the first half to beat the Kowboys (3-2) for the fourth straight season.
"A blocked punt and a scoop and score, those two plays were the difference in the game," OHS Coach Eric Pinellas said. "The kids did a good job of not making the hole any bigger we had to climb out of, and on defense I thought we a good job containing their passing game, but I told them we have to start fast and end faster."
The start actually was pretty fast Friday; Jones started with the ball and Jeremiah Wiggins-Baker forced a fumble that Amier Clarke recovered on the second play at the Tigers 42, and the Kowboys methodically moved the ball on the ground to the 3. But a tackle for loss and a broken up fourth-down pass gave the ball to Jones, and the continued very, very fast.
The Tigers covered 90 yards in six plays, the last a 13-yard pass from Dereon Coleman to Tyler Coleman. Osceola then went three-and-out and Landen Gaines blocked the punt and recovered in the end zone for a score. The Kowboys gained a first down on their next drive, but Josh Atrid poked the ball loose from Jeff Sinophat and Reggie Harris scooped the fumble and scooted 30 yards down the sideline for another score to make in 21-0 a minute into the second quarter.
The Kowboys finally got on the board eight minutes later, when Amaree Rutland hit Alijah Jenkins on a 54-yard seam route for a touchdown. Jenkins then added the two-point conversion to make it 21-8, where it stood heading into halftime.
Osceola narrowed the gap out of the locker room, taking the second half kickoff and going 80 yards in six running plays. Jaxson Hardnett's 27-yard midline run set up Jenkins' 20-yard scamper on a buck sweep that made it 21-14 after the PAT was partially blocked.
But that's as close as they'd get. With 4:29 remaining Osceola couldn't convert on 4th and 2 at its own 21, and Daunte Wallace put it away by carrying three OHS defenders into the end zone on a a back-breaking run a minute later.
The Kowboys ran for 202 yards on 41 carries, led by Jenkins (15 carries, 81 yards), who also caught three passes for 75 yards. Coleman was 10-of-16 passing for 129 yards for Jones.
With District 6A-5 games against Melbourne and Viera coming up, with a bye week in between, Pinellas said the Kowboys' goals are still ahead of them — Osceola fell to Jones last year then didn't lose again until the Class 6A title game.
"We're right where we were this time last year," Pinellas said. "With two good weeks coming up, we're back in the playoffs."
