By:  J. Daniel Pearson

After an uncharacteristic early exit from the football playoffs last year, Osceola finds itself in position for a deep run when the 2024 FHSAA post-season kicks off this Friday night.  

The Kowboys, 8-2 overall and the number two seed in Class 6A, Region 2, will host Viera in a first round regional quarterfinal at 7 p.m. on Friday night at Markus Paul Stadium.  Tohopekaliga (6-4) also rallied to make the playoffs and will travel to number two seed Dr. Phillips (9-1) in a Class 7A, Region 3 quarterfinal, also at 7 p.m. Friday night.

The Kowboys will enter the post-season well-rested and on a roll.  Ever since a heart-breaking 34-28 overtime loss to Jones on Sept.19, Osceola had won five games in a row –including victories over highly rated Apopka and Lake Wales. 

Osceola’s game with Viera (4-6) will be a rematch of a district game that Osceola won on the road, 49-9 on Oct. 15.  “It’s really hard to beat a team twice in one season,” Kowboys head coach Eric Pinellas said.  “And our guys know that and are not going to take this game lightly.  They (Viera) have some really good players and they moved the ball against us in that first game both through the air and on the ground.”

The FHSAA pushed the playoffs back one week this season to allow for teams to makeup games missed by Hurricane Milton.  But because Osceola elected to play two games in one week (Viera on Oct. 15 and Apopka on O ct. 18), last week gave Osceola a bye week heading into the playoffs.

“That allowed a lot of banged up players to get a little more rest and also allowed some injured players to return,” Pinellas said.  “We’re as healthy as we have been all year and that is a huge plus heading into the post-season.”

Seeded just behind #1 Armwood, an Osceola win on Friday night would put them at home for a regional semifinal next Friday (Nov. 22) against the winner of #6 South Lake (7-3) and #3 Durrant (7-3).   

While Osceola making the playoffs is nothing new (15^th straight appearance), Tohopekaliga’s inclusion is somewhat of a surprise.  The Tigers (5-4) entered the final week of the regular season behind St. Cloud (5-4) for the final playoff spot for Class 7A, Region 3 and had a loss to the Bulldogs in the regular season on its resume.

Both teams had to scramble to final a tenth opponent, after Master’s Academy informed Tohopekaliga that the Florida Sunshine Conference playoffs would preclude them from making up the game lost to Milton; and St. Cloud’s Week 11 opponent Miami TRU Prep cancelled its game at the last minute.

Tohopekaliga was able to schedule East River; while St. Cloud found an opponent in Ridge Community (5-4).  When the Tigers blitzed East River (33-0) and the Bulldogs lost a 27-25 decision to Ridge, the final FHSAA rankings were turned upside down as both Tohopekaliga and Olympia (4-6) jumped St. Cloud in the rankings – sending the Tigers to the playoffs.

It will be Tohopekaliga’s second FHSAA playoff appearance in the school’s seven-year history, but the first earned appearance, as every team could opt into the playoffs in 2020 because of Covid.  

“This is the first time Tohopekaliga has earned its way into the playoffs and in my mind comes a year ahead of schedule,” Tigers coach Anthony Paradiso said.  “It’s a testament to the effort these kids and our staff have given in the three years we’ve been here.  Regardless of the outcome Friday, we have broken through another glass ceiling.  Being a really young team, we have overachieved this season and I am so proud of the determination and effort these athletes have given us all season.”

As the seventh seed, the Tigers will have their hands full with the Tigers.  

Dr. Phillips is averaging more than 30 points per game; while giving up just over 10.  They have played one common opponent this year – Lake Nona – which they dominated (34-7); while the Tigers dropped a 17-0 decision in a game that featured numerous questionable calls that went against Tohopekaliga.

Football is not the only sport where Osceola County schools have reached the state championship level.  

Both the St. Cloud boys and girls teams are headed to next week’s (Nov. 19-20) Class 3A FHSAA State Golf Championship at Mission Inn Golf Resort.  Although neither team secured an automatic bid with a top two finish at regionals, each secured one of eight at-large bids based on their strong regular season and district performances. 

The finals is a two-round event with the boys playing 6,764-yard El Campeon Course; while the girls will take on the 5,455-yard Las Colinas Course.

It will mark an historic moment as the Lady Bulldogs become the first Osceola County golf team (boys or girls) to qualify for four consecutive FHSAA State Championships.  The Lady Bulldogs had their highest finish in school history last year, finishing fourth in the 3A tournament.

The Osceola girls volleyball team (24-6) recently tied for third in the FHSAA Class 7A State Championships, losing a close four-set match to eventual state champion Winter Park (Read about that match here:  (https://www.positivelyosceola.com/osceola-lady-kowboys-drop-semifinal-match-in-4-sets-to-winter-park-in-girls-volleyball/ ).   

“Watching Winter Park win it all was really tough on us, because we knew we were that close to beating them and getting to the championship match,” Osceola coach Carrie Palmi said.  “There was simply not that much difference between the top three teams and we just came a few plays short.”

Both the Gateway and St. Cloud boys cross country teams will compete in the state championship meet next weekend in Tallahassee.  

In Class 4A, the St. Cloud Bulldogs boys’ team will compete after securing the eighth and final automatic qualifying spot at the Region 2 Championship at South Country Regional Park in Boca Raton this past Saturday.

Led by Isaiah Corchado’s 21st place finish (16:44), the team of Adon Elienist (36th), Silas Corchado (41st), Luis Rivera (44th) and Brody Ansbaugh (47th) posted a team score of 189, to edge out Melbourne (195) by just six points to claim the eighth and final qualifying spot.  

The St. Cloud boys’ team will be joined in the 4A Meet by two-time OBC champion Levi Lee from Poinciana High School.  He finished 12th overall in a personal record 16:07 and was the second best finisher among non-qualifying teams and the top runner overall from Osceola County.

Led by senior Xavier Rivera-Melendez (13th place overall, 16:59.40) and freshman Lanston Carry (21st-17:28.82), the Gateway Panthers are headed for the 3A State Championships on Friday.  Santiago Rodriguez (31st), Anderson Olea (47th) and freshman Nicholas Gordils (56th) rounded out the scoring as the Panthers (168 points) finished fifth in the 16-team regional to grab an automatic spot for the state meet.  

The Class 4A FHSAA State Swimming and Diving Championships were held this past weekend in Ocala.  Celebration High finished 14^th overall in the state meet with 56 points.  The Storm’s Walter Zeman and Mahmoud Morcy made the finals in four events each to earn All-State honors. 

Zeman placed third the 50 Free (20.47) and fifth in the 100 Free (45.34).  Morsy placed eighth in the 100 Fly (50.02) and eighth in the 100 back (52.93).  Aaron Stephenson scored Harmony’s only points in the meet with a 15h place finish in the 200 IM (1:56.91); while the Celebration boys’ 400 relay team made the consolation finals and placed 15th behind the efforts of Morsy, Ryan Odom, Samuel Yaw and Zeman.