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Nov 26, 2009 at 12:21 AM |
Kowboys defense stuffs Oviedo
By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer
“Tight Like A Family” — it’s not just a mantra at Osceola High, now it’s part of the game plan.
The Kowboys went into Friday’s Class 5A regional semifinal playoff game missing two defensive linemen, which to most teams would spell doom against Oviedo High and its prolific passer, Blake Bortles.
Defensive end B.J. Butler (also the leading receiver) was suspended for a “team issue,” according to Coach Jeff Rolson, and tackle “Big” Will Bostic was arrested less than seven hours prior to kickoff on drug charges.
Osceola’s response was to close ranks and bottle up the UCF-bound Bortles, a 2,000-yard passer.
OHS combined a suffocating pass defense with a yard-churning, chain-moving ground game to win, 34-14. That result sets up a rematch against Lakeland Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Bryant Stadium in the 5A-1 regional semifinal round.
Bortles was 14-of-24 for 106 yards, but 66 of it came after Marc Deas returned an interception 42 yards for a touchdown with 9:28 left in the game, and after Rolson started sending in the second unit.
Deas, who spoke at an afternoon pep rally at school, said many players were still talking after the game, saying his speech inspired them.
“I just talked about what football and this season taught me about life,” the Georgia-bound senior said. “I wanted to get to the seniors, let them know we’re all leaders. “We were nervous when it started, and that was good, but we got (the nerves) out on our first drive.”
Rolson said the team’s difficult schedule (their four losses came against teams that advanced in the playoffs Friday) helped it push past the week’s mental difficulties.
“These kids are warriors, they proved how mentally tough they are,” he said. “They’ve fought through adversity all year. They played very, very well. Oviedo’s a tough, scrappy team, but we had enough speed to take away many of the things they do.”
Bortles was kept on the sideline by Osceola’s offense, which got an incredible push all night from its offensive line and ran the ball 53 times for 363 of its 392 yards. “Little” Will Bostic led the way with 17 carries for 147 yards and two touchdowns.
“Little” Will said it was a difficult day after his brother’s arrest, but his teammates inspired him.
“I knew I wanted to make a difference,” he said. “These are all my brothers and I wanted to fight for them, and I knew I had to give it my all for us to win.”
If the Kowboys were distracted, it didn’t show in their first two drives. Osceola took the opening kickoff and went 64 yards in seven plays. Bostic took it the last 42 for his first touchdown, and Cody Ausherman’s PAT made it 7-0.
The lead was brief, as Bortles went up the middle 68 yards on a draw to score on Oviedo’s first offensive play to tie it. OHS struck back six plays and just over two minutes later, when Bostic again found the end zone from 21 yards out.
The Kowboys kept the ball the last half of the second quarter and stretched the halftime lead to 20-7 when Deas lofted a 20-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Paige with 13.1 seconds remaining.
“That score was really big for us,” Rolson said. “It was huge to have that cushion because Oviedo can score so fast.”
OHS put the game away during a 22-second span of the fourth quarter. Jarell Emanuel scored on a 20-yard run with 9:28 left, then Deas, at linebacker, picked off Bortles for Osceola’s final score.
Osceola’s starting defensive line of Anthony Gandy, Darvin Daniels, Andrew Burkard and Paige never sacked Bortles, but it kept him within the pocket. Gandy, another senior, said he didn’t feel any different playing with different teammates.
“We make sure everybody goes hard in practice, because things can happen,” he said. “Guys were just stepping up all over the field tonight.”
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