Dr. Phillips Osceola clash again in playoffs
If the preseason meeting is any indication of what’s on the horizon, Friday night’s Class 8A football region semifinal in Kissimmee between host Osceola and Dr. Phillips is bound to be thriller.
Osceola, the No. 1 ranked team in the Sentinel Super 16, won the Kickoff Classic 30-27 over No. 6 Dr. Philips in August after recovering a fumble inside its own 20 with less than three minutes to go. It was an early look at the area’s most recent large-class state final qualifiers.
Osceola lost the 7A title game in 2014, then suffered the same fate after moving up to 8A in 2015. The Panthers lost 14-10 to Miami Southridge in last year’s 8A final.
Familiarity with each other should serve both sides well when they face off with much more on the line at 7:30 p.m.
“Since we’ve played each other in the past we have kind of a cogitation of how each other plays, so it’s going to help us,” said Osceola senior defensive end Elliot Bodre. “They’ve always been a good team to play against. Every game we’ve had against them has been close, so we can’t be complacent.”
The teams played two years ago at Dr. Phillips in a region final that also featured a wild ending.
Trey Shine, then a sophomore, intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter and took it back for a touchdown to help the Kowboys advance with a 20-19 win.
It’s not a stretch to assume turnovers could again play a factor in the outcome.
Dr. Phillips has recorded 34 sacks, caused 14 fumbles and given up just 12 points per game.
Osceola, which thrives off the play of its defensive front, has tallied 44 sacks and forced 25 turnovers while allowing 8.5 points per game.
“We’re very unselfish, we play for one another and not for ourselves,” Bodre said. “That basically motivates us to do more and makes things smoother in the games.”
Boone senior Jack Dixson has 30 career interceptions, one shy of the area record, going into the Braves’ region semifinal tonight at Wekiva. Former UCF All-American Joe Burnett, who spent one NFL season in Pittsburg and is now playing his sixth year in the CFL, had 31 picks in four seasons for Eustis (2001-04).
Dixson had 11 INTs as a freshman and seven more as a senior for Cornerstone Charter. He arrived at Boone as a junior and had seven thefts last season. He has five this year.
Mount Dora senior Tommy Jeckovich had 22 interceptions in four seasons for the Hurricanes. That’s not counting four he snagged in spring and fall classics. This year’s regular season interception leaders were Winter Park’s Michael Lopez and Trinity Prep’s Kenny Hill, each with nine.