Osceola County players, coaches to play prominent role in Central Florida All-Star Football Game

CENTRAL FLORIDA ALL-STAR GAME

Nine Osceola County seniors, including Osceola News Gazette’s (ONG) Defensive Player of the Year Dylan Ruiz, of Osceola High School, and “Ironman of the Year” Phillip Bangura have been selected to play for the West Squad in the 18th Annual Central Florida All-Star Football Game.

The contest will be played tonight today at Lake Brantley High School in Orlando. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m., and proceeds from the event will benefit the Camaraderie Foundation, a veteran’s support organization that provides healing for the “invisible wounds of war” through counseling, emotional and spiritual support for all branches of post-9/11 Veterans, service members and their families.

St. Cloud Head Coach Bryan Smart will serve as head coach of the West Squad. His assistants include Gateway Head Coach Marlin Roberts, Harmony Head Coach Don Simon, Liberty Head Coach Brandon Pennington, Osceola Assistant Coach Aubrey Loggins, St. Cloud Assistant Coach Brian Palone and Tohopekaliga Assistant Brett Munroe.

“This is going to be a chance to see some of the best seniors from Osceola County one more time before they head off to college,” Smart said. “Out West squad is well represented by Osceola County players and the event will benefit a worthwhile and incredibly important cause.

Ruiz led an Osceola defense that recorded five shutouts during the season, and held opponents to less than 11 points a game as the Kowboys went 10-2 and advanced to the Class 8A Region Championship. Ruiz recorded 58 tackles this season with 20 quarterback sacks and four other tackles-for-loss.

Bangura was Gateway’s “Mr. Everything” as he led the county in rushing with more than 1,200 yards, was the Panther’s leading tackler, was among the county leaders with four interceptions and was Gateway’s most important special teams player. He is scheduled to play mainly offense in the all-star game.

Joining Bangura on the offense will be WR Koron Perrin, from St. Cloud, and WR Kenneth Torres, from Harmony. Perrin caught 51 passes for 503 yards and two scores; while Torres caught 28 passes for 406 yards and four touchdowns and added more than 300 yards rushing and a fifth score.

Osceola’s Logan Owens, a member of the ONG’s All-County team will play on the offensive line for the West; while Harmony’s Reece Allison will handle punts.

In addition to Ruiz, Tohopekaliga’s Nathan Isaac will play on the defensive line for the West; while Toho’s Blake McCullough and St. Cloud’s Romeo Medina will play in the defensive backfield.

Isaac had eight quarterback sacks this season for Tohopekaliga, which finished the season at 7-4.