Harmony in matchup of unbeatens

Although Osceola is off to its worst start since 2005, there is no panic in the Kowboys camp after Friday night’s 25-22 loss to Lakeland.

“Bottom line, we have played two of the best teams in the state and one of those came on the road,” Kowboys coach Eric Pinellas said of his team’s 28-27 loss to Seminole three weeks ago and the close loss to Lakeland on Friday. “And in both cases we were a play or two away from winning those games.”

The Kowboys “murderer’s row” schedule does not let up this week, as they travel to Rockledge to face the 4-0 Raiders, who are ranked No. 1 in Suburban 3A and have outscored opponents 165-7.

“No question they are an outstanding team and will present a formidable challenge on the road,” Pinellas said. “But, there is a reason we put this schedule together. We wanted to test ourselves against the best teams in the state with the idea that when the playoffs start, no team will be better prepared.”

It will be the fourth of seven regular season games Osceola will play against teams that made the playoffs this year. Osceola is not they only team facing an undefeated team Friday. Coming off a bye week, Harmony (3-0) has a key non-district matchup against 4-0 Eau Gallie, ranked fifth in the state in 3A Suburban. The Melbourne school has out-scored its opposition 180-38 and features big-play capability. Although it is a non-district game, Harmony coach Don Simon says it is a huge game for his team’s development and psyche.

“This is our last game before we get into district play and it really starts the meat of our schedule,” Simon said. “They are very similar in personnel to Melbourne (next week’s 4S-11 opponent), so this will give us a real good idea of where we stack up heading into district play. The last time a Harmony team started 4-0 was in 2005, and our players recognize that fact and want to get there.”

It will not be an easy task against Commodores quarterback Mark Crooms (69% completion percentage), talented running backs Delonte Williams and Tay Welch; and outstanding receivers Baker Alvarez and DJ Jordan. Eau Gallie comes in averaging 45 points a game. On defense, the team has allowed less than 10 points a game.

“Big, strong and fast on both sides of the ball,” Simon said. “Like Palm Bay a couple of weeks ago, this is going to be a slugfest.”

Two teams that will be favored this week are St. Cloud (2-2) and Tohopekaliga (3-0). St. Cloud will host Winter Springs (0-4) on Thursday night for Homecoming, while the Tigers travel to Space Coast (1-2) in Cocoa.

The two teams met last Friday in a District 4S-10 game that Tohopekaliga easily won, 47-6. Freshman Sabby Meassick continued on his torrid pace at quarterback and has now thrown for 998 yards, 18 touchdowns and no interceptions while completing 77% of his passes. Julian Nasco (22-246) and Nick Rawls (12-252) have caught five touchdowns each; running back Churandy Duval had a 200-yard rushing game against the Bulldogs and has caught 22 passes for 246 yards and four touchdowns. Defensively, Rawls picked off two passes. Toho has allowed just six points this season.

Bulldog coach Mike Short said he was somewhat concerned about the upcoming game, given his team would be “playing on a short week and could be without two starters on defense and one on special teams because of possible concussions suffered (Friday).”

Poinciana (2-2) dropped a 22-6 decision to undefeated Horizon, but Eagles Coach Randy Beeken remained upbeat.

“We knew they were perhaps the most talented team on our schedule and our defense played an outstanding game,” he said. “The entire game was played in a driving rain storm and we simply could not get anything going offensively.” The Eagles should be favored to win their third game when they host Lakeland Tenoroc (0-4) Friday.

Gateway (1-1), which has had more than its share of devastating injuries in the last couple of years, not only lost projected starting quarterback Eli Azize for potentially the entire year with a spring injury has lost his replacement when Hector Perez went down with a broken ankle in Friday’s 47-7 loss to Auburndale. Freshman Elijah Aponte stepped in and threw a 70-yard touchdown pass in that game after the Perez injury.

“Elijah can throw and did some good things in that game but he is really inexperienced,” coach Marlin Roberts said. “Unfortunately we are going to need him to grow up in a hurry because he is going to have to be our guy for probably the rest of the season.”

The Panthers play at Ocala West Port (2-2) Friday. “They were a real late addition to our schedule when Windermere backed out of a game late,” Roberts said.

Celebration (0-4) lost, 28-7, to Lakewood Ranch, and host Winter Haven (22) Friday. Oniel Senatus had 67 yards rushing against Lakewood Ranch and 127 all-purpose yards. Griffin Davis threw for 113 yards and scored the Storm’s only touchdown on a run. Chip McCuiston had five catches for 92 yards.

A weather postponement forced Liberty to play Davenport on Monday, a game the Chargers lost 32-0. It has been a rough start for new head coach Antony Smith, as his team has been held scoreless in its first four games. Liberty (0-4) travels to Deltona (4-0) on Friday night.