Osceola’s big 26-6 win over Dr. Phillips, who’s become a Kowboy rival in past years for playoff dominance, sets up a really, really, really big game in District 8A-9 Friday.
The Kowboys (6-1) put their 3-0 district record on the line when they travel north to face West Orange (7-1), like Osceola one of the area’s best squads, also 3-0 in the district.
This is the de facto district championship game. An OHS win gives the Kowboys their 10th consecutive district title going back to 2011 (there were no titles in the 2020 pandemic year). The winner also becomes the No. 3 seed in Region 3 in the state’s RPI standings. The loser still is in line for a playoff spot, but in the No. 6 seed or so and faces being on the road in the postseason.
“They are a lot like us,” OHS Coach Eric Pinellas said. “Real good defense, explosive offense. It will be a great challenge for us to go on the road and face them.”
Despite four turnovers, three missed extra points and a shanked punt, the Kowboys were never in danger of losing to Dr. Phillips (2-6). Quarterback Chad Mascoe completed 17 of 22 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns. Osceola built 20-0 first-half lead. Mascoe sandwiched a pair of touchdown passes to Donald Cummings and Ja’Keem Jackson around a 17-yard fumble return for another touchdown by his brother, Bo Mascoe.
Led by a fierce pass and run defense led by Derrick LeBlanc and John Walker, the Osceola defense allowed just 57 yards of total offense to the Panthers on six possessions and 29 plays.
“It really didn’t surprise me too much,” Pinellas said. “Dr. Phillips has a really stout defense, particularly up front. This was a team that has played a ridiculously hard schedule and even though they were blown out a few times, it was because their offense had a bunch of turnovers and put its defense in bad situations. We knew going in we were going to have to rely on our defense and our passing game and both came through tonight.
“Overall we made a lot of mistakes with the fumbles and special teams errors. But when I looked up at halftime and saw a three-score lead I sort of relaxed a little, our defense has been playing really well.”
It was the lone bright spot for county squads on Friday. Here’s a rundown of last week and this week’s opponent:
Harmony (4-3): With District 7A-7 playoff hopes hanging by a threat, the Longhorns fell 49-7 at Melbourne. They host East River Friday at 7 p.m. in a district tune-up before the rivalry game with St. Cloud on Oct. 29.
Speaking of St. Cloud (2-5), the Bulldogs’ offense still struggled in a 13-3 loss to East River. They head east to take on 7A-7 leader Viera Friday at 7 p.m.
Celebration (4-3), who fell to West Orange, 55-8, in an 8A-9 game, can score its fifth win of the season — for just the third time in the school’s 19-year history — by knocking off Windermere on Thursday (game moved up a day due to officials shortages) at 7 p.m.
Tohopekliga (2-6) dropped a District 8A-5 game to Boone, 49-0. The Tigers play at Freedom Friday at 7 p.m.
Gateway (1-5), off a 38-7 loss to Palm Bay Heritage, hits the road again to Lake Region in Polk County.
Liberty (3-3), who took a hard-luck 10-9 loss to Leesburg Friday, will try to get over .500 against Discovery at home at 7:30 p.m.
Poinciana (0-7): the Eagles took a 70-6 loss to Haines City Friday, and seek their first win Friday at 7 at home against Parrish Community.
