As the 2026 regular season begins to wind down, several Osceola County schools have a lot to play for, including Poinciana, who is chasing its first district championship in the school’s 35-year history.
Heading into Friday night’s showdown with Haines City (4-3, 3-0 in District 6A-9), the Eagles (5-2, 3-0) can all but lock up a title with a win over the Hornets. Both teams enter the game undefeated in district play and both will have one more district game remaining (the Eagles play at George Jenkins Oct. 23), but based on all conceivable tiebreaking scenarios, the winner of the 7 p.m. game will claim the championship.
That fact is not lost on coach Taron Mallard, a Poinciana alum before his Bethune-Cookman college career.
“I walk into our gym every day and see banners for our state championship basketball team and other sports recognizing district titles and individual achievements, and there is not one of any type hanging for football,” he said. “We really need to change that.”
Poinciana has won four of its last five, including a 36-19 win over Davenport. In Friday’s game quarterback Lucas Minenok accounted for four touchdowns, including three on the ground. The Eagles were aided by a kickoff return for touchdown by Aaron Reno and a solid defensive effort that did not allow a second-half point.
“I thought it was one of our better total team efforts this season and I like where we are at right now as a team,” Mallard said. “Still, we are not approaching this week as a chance to win a district championship. We need to stay in the moment and treat this like any other game. Work hard, prepare and hopefully play our best.”
On paper, those who do not follow state rankings carefully would have assumed the Osceola Kowboys were simply playing out the string. After all, the team has five losses and was 0-2 in district play.
But as Lee Corso famously once said … Not so fast, my friend!
Even after last week’s loss to Dr. Phillips, Osceola (3-5) was still ranked fourth in Region 6A-2. On Friday, the Kowboys (3-5, 1-2) defeated Auburndale and can certainly improve their playoff standings with a home district win Friday night against Sebring (4-3, 2-1).
That win against the Bloodhounds was described by coach Eric Pinellas as one of the strangest games he has ever witnessed. Ahead 13-7 in the fourth quarter the Kowboys recorded a strip sack and fumble recovery for a touchdown, only to have the play reversed for a facemask penalty called by an official 20 yards away from the play.
“It was a facemask, but it should have been called on the Auburndale quarterback who had hold of our defensive player’s mask,” Pinellas said. “It should have been a touchdown and game over but on top of that, they marked it from the wrong spot and gave them a first down.”
It was the first of three consecutive 15-yard penalties against Osceola that led to a touchdown pass and a 14-13 deficit with less than two minutes to go. The game appeared to be over when Josue Rivera threw an interception with 31 seconds that would allow Auburndale to take a knee and end the game.
Then, the impossible turned into the improbable. An official noticed a broken shoe string on Auburndale quarterback Teo Edwards’ rib pads and sent him off the field to get them repaired. On the next play, the snap never got back to Edwards’ replacement. Assuming the play was dead, neither team reacted until Osceola’s Colton Carter picked up the ball. Officials ruled a fumble recovery and gave the ball to Osceola. One play later, Brayden Buehler booted a 41-yard field goal for the win.
“I thought we played well enough to win,” Pinellas said. “But then those calls went against us, we throw a pick and they are a kneel down away from winning. Even after watching the game film, I can’t explain what happened on the turnover. The snap just never got back to the quarterback and when we picked it up they gave us possession of the ball. Just a strange play to a strange game.”
Enjoying one of its finest seasons in a decade, Gateway (6-1, 2-1 in District 6A-5) can clinch a share of its first district championship with a road upset of Lake Nona (6-1, 2-0). The Panthers, a 33-0 winner over Tohopekaliga will have their hands full against the Lions—who have dominated district play with a 43-8 win over St. Cloud and a 63-0 win Friday against Harmony.
“They brought in a lot of really good transfers and are one of the better teams in the region,” Gateway Coach Marlin Roberts said. “We have a resilient team and I don’t think we will be intimidated. We’re happy to be playing meaningful games this late in the season.”
With just one district loss each, the St. Cloud (4-3, 1-1) at Tohopekaliga (4-3.1-1) could have district implications as neither team has been eliminated. Ranked 36th in Class 6A by MaxPreps, St. Cloud remains in contention for an at-large playoff berth but most likely would have to win out to have a chance.
Things got dicey for St. Cloud during a 24-13 loss to Windermere when two-way contributor Jaden Taylor-Irons went down with a serious leg injury.
After getting off to a solid 4-1 start, the Tigers have struggled in their last two games, losing to New Smyrna Beach and Gateway by a combined score of 68-14. The play of the two junior quarterbacks, Toho’s Gabe Valez and the Bulldogs Jeremiah Lattier may very well determine who wins and stays alive in the district race.
Other games this week find Liberty (1-6) at Pine Ridge (06) on Thursday, Celebration (1-6) hosting Harmony ( 16), and Nova Lakes (2-5) at Cypress Creek (1-6).
