Kowboys look to regroup next week at Lake Wales
Fresh off a 17-9 road upset over Lake Mary last week, Friday's result resembled nothing like that in Friday's game, a 40-6 loss in District 5A-6 play to nine-time state champion Lakeland at Markus Paul Stadium Friday.
It's been 20 years since a team put a running clock on the blue and gold – a 56-0 loss to the same Lakeland team in 2005.
“There’s really not a whole lot to say about this one. We knew Lakeland would be athletically gifted, big, physical and well coached,” Osceola Coach Eric Pinellas said. “But what was more disappointing to me was the fact that we did not come out and match the intensity that they came out with.”
The Kowboys (2-2) trailed 21-0 by the start of the second quarter, and while they did manage two defensive stops after that they could not get anything going offensively and found themselves at a three-score deficit at intermission.
Any thought a comeback quickly evaporated on the first series of the second half as the Dreadnaughts marched 80 yards on five plays to make it 27-0. Xavion Mitchell was the main force again, scoring on a 10-yard run and after breaking off a 46-yarder three plays earlier. On the ensuing series, Osceola fumbled and Lakeland was back in business on the Kowboys 28. Another 10-yard chunk run by Mitchell of 10 yards, set Joseph Howard up for a 7-yard TD run.
On the final play of the game, Osceola’s Javontay Barnett scored from two yards out to avoid the shutout.
Lakeland out-gained Osceola in total offense, 413-29.
“I’ve been asked why we don’t try more options and misdirection,” Pinellas added in frustration. “The problem is that until you can do the basics right, you can’t put that stuff in. Right now we are not doing the basics very well.”
Osceola faces another tough opponent next week when it travels to Lake Wales (3-1) a team ranked 20th in the state by MaxPreps, whose only loss of the year was to Deland, another state-ranked team.
“We’ll regroup come back and get ready for the next one,” Pinellas said.
