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Kowboys test Bortles, Oviedo |
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Nov 19, 2009 at 01:24 PM |
By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer
While Osceola’s regular season was often a grind, the Kowboys hope to find their usual postseason comfort level Friday in their 5A Region 1 quarterfinal game at Oviedo High School at 7:30 p.m.
Coach Jeff Rolson leads the Kowboys into the playoffs for the third year in a row, and Osceola is a perfect 2-0 in the quarterfinal round under Rolson.
The Kowboys (6-4) were off last week after an emotional 17-16 overtime win against Class 2A-ranked Madison County.
“We practiced hard three days last week, then took Friday off to get ourselves rested and ready to go,” Rolson said. “Everybody’s back who we’d hoped would be back at this point.”
Osceola played Oviedo to close the 2007 and ‘08 seasons, winning both times, but the Lions are hardly the 3-7 team they were last year. Led by prolific passer Blake Bortles (114-for-182, 2,116 yards, 25 TDs, 6 Int.), who went over 2,000 yards for the second year, they rolled through District 5A-3 and went 9-1 in Coach Wes Allen’s second season.
The Lions’ 35-14 win over Lyman last week, in which Bortles threw for 238 yards and five TDs, was their eighth in a row. The loss came against 6A playoff team Lake Brantley.
The Lions’ leading rusher, Stewart Butler (898 yards, 13 TDs), a Lakeland High transfer, did not play last week, but sophomore Anthony Gonzalez (22 carries, 110 yards and a receiving TD) showed that Oviedo is a multi-faceted team and will be a stern test Friday.
“These guys are very, very good. They pose a lot of problems,” Rolson said. “They threw it real well, and they run it well, too. They keep a tight end in and have one or two running backs.”
Bortles, who has orally committed to UCF, has several good targets, like Mac Metcalf (6 catches, 72 yards, 2 TDs vs. Lyman), Chris Gallon and Trevor Berry, whom the Kowboys secondary of Daniels, Shaquille Bell, Oscar McGee and O’Niell Blake must shut down.
A key will be getting a pass rush on Bortles. Defensive ends Anthony Gandy and B.J. Butler each have four sacks this season.
Defensively, Oviedo operates from a five-man front.
“They like to load the box to keep you from running on them, then they’ll send people to keep you from throwing it,” he said. “We’ve got to have an answer for that. They’re just a solid football team.”
The Kowboys’ offensive line, anchored by Rashad Brown, Paul Kyger, Matt Hedrick and Reggie Turner, will have to create holes for Daniels (723 yards, 8 TDs) and give Deas (399 rushing yards, 5 TDs; 26-of-69 passing, 507 yards, 6 TDs, 7 Int.) time to make his option reads.
Friday’s winner will play the Winter Springs-Lakeland winner next week. |
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