Osceola defensive end Dominique Redding bears down on Durant quarterback quarterback Sam Themar. (Photo/Katie Williams)
Thanks to a thrilling comeback, there will be at least one more Monday for the Kowboys.
Quarterback Amaree Rutland scored on a one-yard plunge with 46 seconds remaining to give Osceola an improbable 20-15 Plant City Durant in a Region 7A-2 quarterfinal playoff game at Markus Paul Stadium Friday.
Osceola, who could manage just one touchdown on their first six possessions, appeared in serious trouble when quarterback Sam Themar completed a 37-yard touchdown pass to King Rivera to take a 15-6 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Osceola managed to make it a one-point game, driving 65 yards on 10 plays with Jeff Sinophat scoring from 1-yard out with 4:52 to play. Rutland kept Osceola’s season alive when he completed back-to-back 12-yard passes to Sinophat during that drive, including the last one on fourth-and-8.
Still, the Kowboys needed help to win and got it from Cougars head coach Claybo Varnum. Faced with a 4th-and-2 on its own 20 with 2:20 remaining, Durant lined up to kick, but punter Ryan Porter tried a run to the left side on a fake. He was smothered for a loss of six on the play and Osceola took over on the 14.
“Give my assistants credit, they were yelling watch the fake,” Osceola coach Eric Pinellas said. “I didn’t think there was any way they were not going to punt. My reasoning was if they get off a just a decent punt, we would have to go 50 or 60 yards to win the game in less than two minutes with just one timeout. I was shocked when they tried the fake.”
After the stop, an offsides call and an Alijah Jenkins eight-yard run picked up a first down. An offsides and a four-yard run by Jenkins moved the ball to the 1 and Rutland scored a play later.
A kickoff return to the 35 and a horse collar penalty gave the Cougars the ball at midfield with 25 seconds left, but Ja’mario Bradford intercepted Themar to end the game.
Although he credited his player for overcoming adversity, Pinellas was not pleased with the officiating. Driving late in the first half, Osceola had a 62-yard pass play from Rutland to Jenkins called back for a holding penalty. Another penalty wiped out a first down early in the third to halt another drive and a 34-yard touchdown run by Rutland was also nullified by a hold. They also had a touchdown called back on a sack-fumble-scoop and score play for a horse collar tackle.
“We have iPads on the sideline and we looked at all three of those holding penalties,” Pinellas noted. “Putting it diplomatically, let’s just say I vehemently disagreed with all three of those holding calls.”
Although they fumbled away the opening kickoff, Osceola’s defense held and they took a 6-0 lead on the next possession as Rutland led the Kowboys on a nine-play, 80-yard touchdown drive capped by Sinophat’s 4-yard run.
That score held up until the first series of the third quarter when Themar rolled to his right and threw back across the field to fullback Jeremy Cannon on third down from the 8 for a walk-in touchdown.
Osceola could not get its offense moving for the entire third quarter and looked to be in serious trouble after Themar’s second touchdown pass of the game.
Durant, who came into the game with an almost 3 to 1 run to pass ratio (278-101) on the season, ended up throwing the ball 30 times and running just 14 all night. Themar was 21 of 30 for 288 yards. Rivera (14 catches, 152 yards) was his favorite target.
“I was not really surprised they threw that much, I know they scouted us and knew our run defense was pretty good,” Pinellas added. “He (Themar) got rid of the ball quick and we knew Rivera was a great athlete and knew they were going to try to get the ball in his hands a lot.”
Osceola, led by Jenkins (10-82), rushed for 150 yards. While Rutland threw for just 70 yards his five completions were all important.
The victory moves Osceola to 7-4 and will send them to Clermont next Friday night to face South Lake (10-1), a 37-36 triple overtime winner over Plant.
