Osceola Kowboys Loaded Again, Looking for Redemption

By: J. Daniel Pearson

In some ways 2023 was a typical Osceola football season, resulting in a district championship and another trip to the post-season. But in other ways, it was a disappointing year as the Kowboys finished with sub-.500 season for the first time in nearly two decades and made a quick one-game exit in the playoffs.

That 4-7 season can be explained away by an extremely difficult schedule (eight games came against playoff teams) and a rash of injuries that saw a dozen key players lost for either the season or extended periods of time. What you did not hear from the players and coaches, however, were excuses.

“We absolutely were not pleased with how last season went but we offer no excuses,” Head Coach Eric Pinellas said. “Nothing can be done about it anyways. What we can control is how this season goes and I can tell you we are excited about the players we have coming back, we’re excited with how the spring and pre-season went and we are looking forward to playing Kowboys football this fall.”

In recent decades, Osceola has always had a reputation for reloading and not rebuilding and that should be the case again in 2024.

Offensively, they will be led by a deep and extremely talented backfield that includes Taevion Swint, Jeff Sinophant, Zion Mathews and Eli Hickson. Swint missed four games and was hampered all season by a variety of injuries but has been healthy this spring and summer and will enter his senior year with more than 4000 total yards and 46 touchdowns. He is rated one of the top 20 running backs in the nation and has committed to UCF.

Sinophant and Mathews return after injury riddled seasons, but Hickson filled in nicely – averaging 5.0 per carry.

After Osceola graduated five starters on its offensive line, a question could have arisen about opening holes for those talented running backs, but Osceola got a huge lift when former St. Cloud star and massive offensive tackle (6-6, 320) transferred in for his senior season. Kamden Jones, Marcus Ferrar, Gian Cross and Jaeden Bellamy gained valuable experience as reserves last year and should step in to starting roles this year.

A pre-season battle is expected at quarterback. Camren West (824 yards, 9 TDs) started last season but could be challenged in camp by Oak Ridge transfer Izaiah Prime; while Alihjah Jenkins and Zavon Gooden will give the Kowboys some explosive playmaking ability on the outside.

Without question, the secondary will be the strength of the Kowboys defense. Starters Jakari Watson, Jeff Banks, Ja’mario Bradford and Larenz Walker all return. Watson (6 interceptions, 5 pass defenses) and Bradford (6 INT, 11 PD) are real ball hawks; while Banks (58 tackles) is a hard-hitting, versatile athlete that can line up anywhere in the backfield.

Depth on the defensive line is also impressive. Oniel Morel, Joshua Alamo, Jaquille Knox, Amier Clarke, and Elijah Vansickle are five of just 12 defensive lineman who could work their way into the rotation this season for the Kowboys.

Robert Lee (72 tackles, 15 TFL) and Nathaniel Barnett (60 tackles, 9.0 TFL) return at linebacker and will be aided by senior Elijah Melendez, another standout who was lost for the season in the Game 1 last year.

With the FHSAA scrapping its Suburban/Metro classification, Osceola finds itself in the small Class 6A, District 6 with Melbourne and Viera. Although they will be favored to win that district, they must perform well in tough non-district games that include Jones, Treasure Coast, Apopka, Lake Mary and Lake Wales in order to secure a favorable playoff seeding.

“Year in and year out, we play a really tough schedule and that is certainly the case again,” Pinellas said. “The good part is that come the post-season, there is no team that will intimidate us.”

OSCEOLA KOWBOYS

Head Coach Eric Pinellas

Class 6A, District 6

2023 Record: 4-7