Osceola still set to host Friday; Harmony headed to Vero Beach Saturday
Toho in Saturday bowl game; SC-PHS canceled
Osceola Coach Eric Pinellas built a ridiculously tough schedule for the 2022 season with the idea it would prepare his team for a deep run in the playoffs. Now, it is time to see if that strategy pays off.
The Kowboys (7-3) are scheduled to open their regional playoff run by hosting DeLand – led by Central Florida coaching legend Rick Darlington – in a Suburban 4 Region 3 quarterfinal game at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Markus Paul Stadium.
“We purposely wanted to play the best all season. We faced option teams, power running teams, teams with great quarterbacks and offensive weapons and teams with great defenses,” Pinellas said of his Kowboy team that saw all seven of its non-district foes advance to the playoffs, including three No. 1 seeds across multiple classes. “We should not see one team in the postseason that would be able to throw anything new at us.”
In DeLand, they will face a 6-4 team that features a single-wing offense led by junior quarterback Tyron Moore, who has eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark both passing and rushing this year. Junior Javon Ross has rushed for close to 800 yards, giving the Bulldogs a powerful 1-2 backfield punch.
“I have all the respect in the world for Coach Darlington, and I know he will have his kids ready to play,” Pinellas said. “They run an offense very similar to Treasure Coast. Our key will be the same as it was for the Treasure Coast game, we have to play disciplined, assignment football and try to shut down the quarterback.”
Last week, Osceola closed out the regular season when Delvin Calhoun booted a 35-yard field on the game’s final play for a 28-26 win over West Orange. The Kowboys entered that game under tough circumstances as its team battled the flu bug all week.
“No disrespect to West Orange, they are a great team,” Pinellas said. “But we had an incredibly crazy week. Twenty-five kids were out Monday with the flu and we could not practice. Tuesday we could only do 30 minutes and Wednesday was limited to group drills in isolation. Thursday’s walk through was the first time all week our entire offensive line was together.”
After leading just 2-0 at the half, Osceola used built a 22-0 lead after two Gunner Holland touchdown passes, but a pick-six and two long touchdown passes within seven minutes put West Orange on top, 26-25. Holland would enter the game, and operate the twominute drill to perfection to set up Calhoun’s game winning kick.
Harmony Coach Don Simon said he would have been satisfied with his team’s regular seasonending 44-0 win over St. Cloud in the Soldier City Classic — but he pined away for at least one more game with this group of Longhorns.
The wish came true Sunday when the FHSAA announced Harmony earned the No. 8 seed in Region 3 and would travel to No. 1 Vero Beach Beach (9-1). With schools closed Thursday and Friday, the game's been moved to Saturday at 6 p.m. at The Citrus Bowl in Vero Beach.
“It’s a tall order, but we’ll hopefully have a great week of practice and represent well against Vero. The main thing is that after our lackluster loss to Viera two weeks ago, our team came together and played a terrific game against St. Cloud and brought the Brass Bugle Trophy back to the Ranch after three years,” Simon said. “Getting in the playoffs put a cherry on top of the season. I told our players they have a chance to play another game when most teams around the state are sitting at home. It’s a great tribute to our senior leadership.”
Two other county teams will play bowl games this week — weather permitting.
The bowl game scheduled for Wednesday between St. Cloud (6-4) and Poinciana (8- 2) was canceled due to the storm; school officials said Poinciana would seek a new opponent for next week.
“Despite having some great senior leadership, especially in Noah Carr and Joseph Clukey, we were a really young team this year,” Bulldogs coach Mike Short said, noting season-opening opponent CFCA may be forfeiting the Aug. 26 result over player eligibility issues. That would get the Bulldogs to seven wins after just three last year.
Poinciana coach Randy Beeken echoed those sentiments. The Eagles just completed their most successful regular season ever, posting just their second winning season in the school’s 31-year history, Poinciana also ended 14 years of frustration in winning their first Battle of the Boulevard rivalry game by beating Liberty 56- 0 as quarterback De’Kwan Bradley accounted for five touchdowns.
“This year was our first 7-win season, our first eight-win season and was our first win over Liberty and now we have a chance for our first nine-win season,” Beeken said. “I’m so happy for our seniors, particularly the ones who started off here and outof- zoned to other schools but decided to come home. We wanted to change the culture of Poinciana football and have made tremendous strides this year. This is another opportunity to continue that path.”
Tohopekaliga ( 6- 4) broke a four-game losing streak with a 27-6 win over Haines City, then Sunday accepted a bowl game invite from Lake Howell (6-4). The teams will meet 7 p.m. Saturday at Lake Howell.
“They reached out to us and said they lined up a sponsor and wanted us to play,” first year Tohopekaliga Coach Anthony Paradiso said. “As we continue to build our program the extra game will serve as a reward for our seniors while giving our young kids an extra game of experience.”
It will also give freshman quarterback Sabby Meassick an opportunity to add to his freshman year stats where he set county records with 3,044 yards and 38 touchdowns.
Gateway struggled with injuries all season and ended up starting five different quarterbacks this season. It lost to Lyman, 48-7, in its season finale to finish at 2-7.
Celebration lost to Lake Region, 47-17 Friday and fell to 1-9. The lone bright spot on the Storm schedule was a 22-21 upset of Tohopekaliga in October. The Storm said goodbye to Oneil Senatus in that game. He finished his career with more than 3,000 yards rushing and 36 career touchdowns, CHS records.
“We obviously did not have the season we wanted to have, but the results were sort of predictable given we were starting five sophomores on the offensive line and played a schedule that included five playoff teams and three other teams going to bowl games,” Storm Coach Jeremy Palmer said. “We played a lot of young kids this year and they are only going to get better.”
