By:  J. Daniel Pearson
Positively Osceola

Some college have built a reputation for producing players at the next level.  For years. Penn State was “Linebacker U” and more recently Alabama has been “Running Back U.”  If you want to drop that down one level, it’s easy to consider Osceola as “Defensive End High.”

The proof is in the quality of players that have come out of that position in recent years.  Amier Clarke (Georgia Tech), John Walker (Ohio State), Derrick Leblanc (Maryland), and Dylan Ruiz (New Hampshire) are just of few recent examples of Kowboy defensive lineman who have went on to play D-1 football.

With that in mind, it might be a good idea to remember the name Jason Lewis.

A senior defensive end, Lewis is the Osceola Air Player of the Week.

Lewis played a massive role in Osceola’s 17-9 upset of defending Class 6A State Champion Lake Mary on Friday night.  Lewis was instrumental in holding the Rams to just five yards of total offense in the first half.  His stats included 2 quarterback sacks, four quarterback hurries, an additional tackle for loss and a key fourth quarter fumble recovery as the Kowboys defeated Lake Mary for the first time in school history.

“Our defense was fantastic against an extremely talented team and Jason was our leader,” head coach Eric Pinellas said.  “All season long he has spent his time in the opponent’s backfield.  He’s almost equally effective against the run.”

“We’ve had some really outstanding defensive linemen at Osceola, and Jason ranks right up there with all of them,” Defensive Coordinator Brad Lennox added.

For the season, Lewis’s numbers back that assertion up.  In three games, he already has 15 tackles, 6 tackles-for-loss, 5.0 quarterback sacks, 2 pass defenses, 2 fumble recoveries and a blocked punt.  He anchors a defense that is allowing just 11 points per game holding their three opponents (St. Cloud, Poinciana, Lake Mary), a collective 10.6 points below their scoring average.  To date, teams have been gaining less than 100 yards of total offense per game against the Kowboys.

Lewis, a Syracuse commit, has been a stalwart on Osceola defense for the last two seasons. Converted from the offensive line after his sophomore season, Lewis recorded 37 tackles, 12 tackles-for-loss and 7 quarterback sacks while lined up opposite Amier Clarke last season.

“Jason has been playing great but the same can be said for our entire defense and that has been a huge plus as we continue to figure out our offense,” Pinellas said.  “Jason is typical of the other great ones that have played here. They come in, show a willingness to work and most importantly learn.  For years , Coach Rob VanSickle and now Dion Bergen has done a great job with our defensive line.”

Osceola Air Partners with Positively Osceola to Celebrate Local Student-Athletes

Positively Osceola is proud to welcome Osceola Air as the community partner of Positively Osceola’s Osceola Air Player of the Week, helping recognize outstanding high school football student-athletes from across Osceola County throughout the season.

A 100% locally owned and operated company, Osceola Air has deep roots in the community it serves. Founded by lifelong Osceola County resident Zak McMorrow launched in 2014, the St. Cloud-based company has grown from a small local HVAC business into a full-service home comfort company providing air conditioning, heating, plumbing, drain and indoor air quality services throughout Osceola County and surrounding Central Florida communities. Giving back to the communities it serves is also one of Osceola Air’s core values.