The St. Cloud Bulldogs started slow but ran their regular-season game winning streak to nine Friday with a win over their local rivals. The Bulldogs (5-0) lead the Panthers (0-5), just 6-0 at halftime before putting on a second-half show en route to a 32-14 victory. Pat Forsythe scored a pair of rushing touchdowns in the second half.
“We’ll take it. It’s a lot better than where we were last year,” SCHS Coach Bryan Smart said, noting St. Cloud started 0-6 but won its final four 2018 ball games. “The kids played hard. We’re super excited about tonight, but we’ll go in (on Saturday) and look at the tape and see where we gotta get better.”
St. Cloud runs into Osceola next week in the 96th installment of the fifth-longest running high school rivalry in the state of Florida, but the Kowboys have won it 20 of the last 22 years.
Speaking of the Kowboys …
Osceola 41, Cypress Creek 0: OHS dominated an undermanned opponent, as expected, and scored on six of eight offensive drives. Trying to keep up, the defense ball-hawked four interceptions, helping put that offense in a lot of good positions.
“We got the win, a district win so it’s a step in the right direction, and had no injuries,” OHS Coach Doug Nichols said. “A great job by the defense to keep the shutout, even when the younger guys came in. We’re back and healthy, getting guys back who’ve been out since week one.”
Roshaun Dudley scored three touchdowns, two on runs of 10 and five yards and another on a 22-yard catch from Blake Birchler. John Wolff caught a two-yard pass from Devon Wells after Wells romped 50 yards on third down the play before. Wells went in from 15 yards it make it 21-0 in the first quarter; it was 34-0 at the half when Jamison Jones scored from 12 yards out late in the second quarter. Jerry Wilson, Nolin Eaddy, Jaden General and Kaylon Walters had the interceptions — and got custody of the “Kowboy Kollar”, a play on the Turnover Chain, for a few minutes.
Celebration 37, Freedom 27: The Storm (2-3) matched its win total from all of 2018 Friday, and notched its first district victory in 23 months by beating the Patriots (1-3, 0-1 in District 8A-6).
Quarterback Will Bohn called his own number on a pair of touchdown runs, and passed for another to Anthony Gonzalez. Lee Smith connected with Joe Hall on another TD pass, and the Storm did enough on defense to seal the win late.
Celebration will gear up for another big district game on Oct. 11 at Lake Nona — the Storm need a win to have any hope of a district title — by traveling to Titusville (1-3) next week.
Melbourne 32, Tohopekaliga 27: The Tigers fell, but accorded themselves well in just their second year against one of the best teams Brevard County and Central Florida has to offer.
Toho (2-3), who trailed 20-19 at the half, blocked a punt and recovered for a touchdown midway through the third quarter to take a 27-26 lead. But the Bulldogs (5-1) scored on a short touchdown run with 11 minutes left and the Tigers could not find the equalizer.
The Tigers draw Liberty next week. Speaking of the Chargers …
Lakeland George Jenkins 18, Liberty 12: In a turnover-ridden game, the Chargers (0-5) could not find the score that would get them their first win of the year against the Eagles, who could be headed for the playoffs for the first time in school history.
“This a tough one, we were in this one until the bitter end,” Liberty Coach Brandon Pennington. “We’re looking for solutions and the kids are working through the tough situation.”
Viera 45, Harmony 7 : The Hawks (2-2) showed why they are likely the front runner to win District 7A-5 with a big win over the Longhorns (1-4). Harmony was behind through the entire game, but held on tough through the first half. Keaghan Black hit Donald Adams on a 72-yard touchdown strike near the end of the third quarter to make it 17-7, and Harmony felt like it was in the game. But The Hawks put this one away with three touchdowns over a five-minute stretch of the fourth quarter. Next week is Harmony’s Homecoming game and will host Bishop Moore at 7:30pm.
Winter Haven 61, Poinciana 0: Let’s just look forward to the Eagles’ (2-3) game at Lake Region (1-4), who also took a hard loss Friday (61-6 to Hardee). A win would get Poinciana to .500 in October over the first time since 2013.