All nine Osceola County football teams are in action this week, with important district games highlighting the schedule.
One key game will find Gateway (5-1, 1-1) hosting Tohopekaliga (4-2, 1-0) in a District 6A-5 tilt. Both teams are coming off a loss, as the Panthers fell to St. Cloud, 2821, while the Tigers dropped a non-district game to a good New Smyrna Beach (5-1) squad, 35-14.
Although Lake Nona (5-1, 1-0) has established itself as district favorites with games against Gateway and Toho upcoming, nothing has been decided yet and this game definitely will have playoff implications.
The play of both offenses— which look vastly different— should determine the outcome.
St. Cloud limited Gateway star running back Nydrell Thigpen, to less than 60 yards rushing on Friday and the Panthers will have to get him back on track against the Tigers. Thigpen still managed to score two touchdowns in that game and is 10th in the state in rushing per MaxPreps with 1,046 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns through six games. On the other side, Tohopekaliga will need to eliminate the offensive mistakes (four interceptions) in last week’s setback to NSB, which got 172 yards and three touchdowns from Todd Cutler, who is now eighth in the state (1,117 yards) in rushing.
“It’s frustrating, because we have been playing so well,” is how THS Coach Anthony Paradiso summed up the night. “We let the game get away from us in two shorts spurts in the first and third quarter.”
Tohopekaliga features a passing attack led by junior Gabe Velez, who despite a rough Friday is sixth in the state with 1,710 passing yards per MaxPreps.
Coming off its bye week, Poinciana (4-2, 2-0) hosts Davenport (1-5, 0-2) in a District 6A-9 contest. After its heart-stopping 21-20 road win over Winter Haven on Sept. 25, the Eagles control their own destiny in the district.
Despite its opponent’s record, head coach Taron Mallard said his team would not be looking past the Broncos and were taking every game one at a time.
“We don’t have the track record or pedigree to take any opponent lightly,” Mallard says. “Our mindset is that every week that we need to focus and prepare for a dogfight.”
A win Friday could set up a de facto district championship game next week at Haines City.
A non-district game with possible playoff implications will happen in St. Cloud, where the Bulldogs (4-2) play host to Windermere (4-2). The Wolves are coming off back-to-back 10-0 seasons and have won their last three games by a combined score of 125-3.
Windermere features a high-scoring offense, led by QB Dean Moore (1,200 yards, 16 TDs, 2 INT) and running back Jabari Anderson (90.8 rush yards per game, 8 TD), the Wolves are averaging more than 34 points a game.
With Windermere ranked higher than St. Cloud on MaxPreps, the game presents an opportunity for the Bulldogs to build their resume for a possible at-large playoff berth.
“You never know how things are going to play out, but last week I felt we might have to win out if Lake Nona wins the district and I still feel that way. We are going to have our hands full.”
Other district action this week finds Osceola (2-5, 0-2) hosting Auburndale (4-2, 0-2) in District 5A-6; Celebration (1-5, 0-1), its first win of the year (7-0 over Liberty), travels to Ocoee (3-3, 1-0) to take on the Knights in a 6A-7 game; Harmony (1-5, 0-2) takes on Lake Nona (5-1, 1-0) in 6A-5; while the Liberty Chargers (1-5, 1-0) hit the road—and can win District 3A-7 —when then face Mulberry (3-4, 1-1.
Nova Lakes (2-4), playing as an independent in its first two years, is on the road this week against Oak Ridge (2-4).
