By: J. Daniel Pearson
Positively Osceola
Highly anticipated games can come in many forms, including rivalries and one-off games that catch the attention of the casual fan. When it comes to Osceola County’s public school teams, here are the 10 games from bottom to top that we can’t wait to see:
#10 August 21 Palm Bay at Nona Lakes
There can only be one first of anything and for that reason, Palm Bay at Nona Lakes makes our list as it will be the first game in school history for the newly-opened Nona Lakes. The Rattlers, under the direction coach Anthony Rivers, will have all underclassmen on his roster and will play an independent schedule for the first two years. While victories may be scarce this season for Nona Lakes, the first game ever has historical significance.
#9 September 11 Tohopekaliga at Celebration
This series resumes for the first time since Tohopekaliga shutout Celebration, 42-0, in 2023. Overall, the Tigers hold a 4-2 series lead with the Storms’ last win being a 33-15 win in 2021. The Storm will have few returning starters this season; while the Tigers will play their first season without their four-year starting and record-setting quarterback Sabby Meassick.
#8 September 11 Gateway at Harmony
Another early season match-up makes our top 10 list. The Panthers finished at 5-5 last season – earning a bowl bid. They return to district play for the first time in three years against Harmony, a team under new coach Tyler Anderson. Gateway features one of the top running backs in the area in Nydrell Thigpen and has several explosive athletes. The question remains do they have enough to compete against a district schedule that includes St. Cloud, Tohopekaliga, Lake Nona and the Longhorns.
#7 September 4 Osceola at Lake Mary
Never a team to shy away from a tough schedule, the Kowboys will take on defending state champion Lake Mary. Osceola lost a close 17-12 decision last year to the Rams, who like the Kowboys, graduated a lot of offensive talent from the year before. That said, both teams are considered state powers that tend to “reload but rebuild,” which makes this Week 2 game especially compelling.
#6 August 28 St. Cloud at Marietta (Ga.)
In game that came about because of a close friendship between head coaches, St. Cloud will play the first game in its school’s 100+ year history outside the state’s borders when they travel to Georgia to face Marietta High. The significance of this game extends well beyond the playing field as the Bulldogs will go up a few days later and tour historical sites and visit several colleges, including a stop at Georgia Tech.
#5 September 25 St. Cloud at Lake Nona
The Bulldogs used a 25-17 win over Lake Nona last season on the way to capturing a district championship — only to see its season come to a crashing halt in a 29-0 loss to the Lions in the first round of the state playoffs. Finding itself in the same district again, this contest could go a long way in determining who wins the district title again.
#4 October 30 Liberty at Poinciana
The Battle of the Boulevard has been one of the strangest rivalries imaginable. Liberty won the first 15 games of the series – 12 by margins of 20+ points. But that changed in 2022 with a 55-0 Poinciana win. Since then, the Eagles have won four straight games, by a 176-16 margin. Despite 16 of the previously 19 games being “blowouts”, this game is true rivalry that can make or break the season of either team.
#3 September 11 Lakeland at Osceola
Both teams have a long history of success in the state playoffs and they have met frequently over the years either during both regular season or post-season games. The last time they met in the playoffs, Lakeland scored a late touchdown to defeat Osceola in a state semifinal game, 14-7. The Dreadnaughts would go on to win the state championship in 2023, reach the semifinals in ’24 and the finals last year. Osceola reached the state championship game in ’25 (Class 5A). This is a big-time game, between power programs, with a possible district championship at stake for the winner.
#2 August 21 Osceola at St. Cloud
Depending on which side you ask, the 102nd edition of “The Game” was either a case of Osceola playing poorly in the first half or St. Cloud not taking advantage of numerous opportunities to build a big lead. Regardless, the Bulldogs did lead 13-7 midway through the third quarter and had a chance to break Osceola’s 15-game winning streak in the process. The Kowboys would rally to score 37 unanswered points in the second half for a 44-17 win to extend their all-time series lead to 70-28-4. This year’s contest is interesting on several fronts. First, it comes in Week 1 of the regular season when teams often struggle to find their footing. Secondly, St. Cloud returns a solid veteran quarterback in Jeremiah Lattier; while Osceola will break in a first-time starter. Finally, the Dogs will have home field advantage. Whether that will be enough for St. Cloud to break the many years of frustration remains to be seen, but it is enough to list this game as number two on the list of “Must See” games of 2026.
#1 October 23 St. Cloud at Harmony
It would be hard to argue that this has not become the biggest and best rivalry in the county. When Harmony opened it siphoned off talent from St. Cloud. Add to the fact that almost all Harmony athletes grew up playing youth sports in St. Cloud and you have a familiarity aspect of the rivalry that is hard to match. These two schools have annually battled for the Orange Belt Conference All-Sports Trophy. Add to the fact that it has been a close series (St. Cloud leads 12-9) and the game now has district championship implications has made this our number one ranked most compelling game for a second year in a row.
