This week finds a slew of important district football games on tap, perhaps none bigger than the St. Cloud (3-1) at Lake Nona (4-1) contest – the District 6A-5 opener for both teams.
The winner will certainly take the lead in securing the district title and the automatic 6A playoff berth that accompanies it.
Lake Nona will present a big challenge for the Bulldogs on both sides of the ball.
In addition to home field advantage, they possess a balanced team that has already recorded impressive wins over Evans (31-27 thanks to a late Hail Mary) and long-time state power Edgewater (24-3). They utilize quarterbacks featuring junior Elijah Nickerson (67% passer) and sophomore Nick Lora (8 yards per carry), who along with a combined solid running game and e receivers that average 10 or more yards per reception, possess an offense that is averaging just under 30 points per game.
“They are a hard team to defend,” St. Cloud coach Mike Short said. “They run it well, but they also like to get the ball out quick to their receivers in space and try to make a defender miss. Our defense will have to play sound assignment-based football.” That defense, led by linebacker Colton Skarlek, edge rusher Jude Cockcroft, lineman Matteo Cammarasana and defensive backs Jaden Taylor-Irons and Khalil Davis, held Lake Minneola in their last game prior to Week 5 bye.
Still, the offense must also put points on the board. Junior quarterback Jeremiah Lattier’s has not matched the offensive stats of early last year, but part of that has been due to three extremely talented defenses he has faced this season. Running back Michael Cuyler, wide receivers Stacy Taylor-Irons and Mathew Blenman and talented tight end Owen Sullivan will be key players in the Dogs offense, which is averaging a solid 29 points per game.
“Nona likes to bring the pressure up front, so the play of our offensive line will be vital,” Short added. “A victory will defintely hinge on a total team effort though, offense, defense and special teams.”
St. Cloud and Lake Nona split a pair of games last year, with the Bulldogs winning the district thanks to 25-17 regular season win; while the Lions got revenge in the first round of the regional playoffs with a 29-0 blanking.
Other district games this week include Harmony at Tohopekaliga (Thursday, 7 p.m.) in 6A-5, Osceola hosting Lake Gibson in 5A-6 on Friday, along with Celebration welcoming East Ridge in 6A-7 and Poinciana trying to go 2-0 in 6A-9 against Winter Haven.
Non district games will find Gateway (4-0) facing Nova Lakes (2-3) on Thursday and Liberty (1-3) visiting Windermere on Friday.
Last week, Osceola (2-3) dropped its second straight game by double digits to powerful Lake Wales, 35-3. Troubles at quarterback and offensive line continue to plague the Kowboys, something coach Eric Pinellas says has to be corrected from within.
“No one is going to feel bad for us because of our injuries and inexperience. We still have to spot the ball and play the game,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, we still have an opportunity to win out, and that starts Friday against a good Lake Gibson team. Right now, we just have to d a way to get better.”
After four road games to open the season, Tohopekaliga (3-1) will play its first home game of the year. The Tigers are coming off a bye week after a 48-0 complete win over Celebration; while the Longhorns (1-4) lost their fourth straight last week against Titusville, 40-6, on Homecoming night.
Under new coach Tyler Anderson, the young Harmony squad continues to play hard but has been overmatched against more physical and deeper opponents – having scored just three combined touchdowns in the last four games.
The Tigers on the other hand have averaged 31 points per game behind the play of quarterback Gabe Velez (64.9%, 289 yards per game, 15 TD, 5 INT) and receivers AJ Wise (19287-6 TD) and sophomore Zion Williams (26-414-3 TD).
While junior running back Nydrell Thigpen (2,804 career rushing yards), who now has back-to-back 200-yard rushing games, continues his assault on the Gateway record book, the Panthers hope to go 5-0 for the first time in school history on Thursday.
Coach Marlin Roberts says his team will not be looking past the first-year Nova Lakes team that already has two victories under their belts.
“For a first-year program with no seniors, they continue to improve week in and week out,” Roberts said. “We tell our kids that as soon as the last game is over, they need to put it out of their minds. We are not good enough and we don’t have the history to take any opponent lightly.”
Winter Haven game will be a tough test for Taron Mallard’s Eagles squad that dropped a 17-7 decision to Gateway last week and must find a way to contain Winter Haven’s running game that is averaging more than 200 yards a game.
Celebration is coming off a much-needed bye week as the young Storm team has been outscored 182-7 thus far this year. East Ridge’s only two losses this year came to 4-1 South Sumter and last week to 5-0 Forest.
After picking up its first win of the season last Monday in the completion of a suspended game with Discovery, the Liberty Chargers must now contend with Windermere, a team that pounded Olympia (42-3) last week and has won 23 of its last 25 games.
