If there's one
thing that Osceola Football can guarantee you fans this
week, it's this: there will be football on Saturday. Coach
Marquette
Smith's team got an impromptu off week last weekend when
the West Palm Beach Phantoms' playing surface at the Delray
Beach Tennis Center was not adequately prepared for a football
game. The match up, originally scheduled for Saturday was
moved to Sunday and then ultimately cancelled. Luckily,
Osceola never boarded the bus, and they saved the trip.
The team
is working to make the result a forfeit, resulting in the
team not having to alter their schedule or play in the
middle of a week. "Last
year we had a situation where we played on a Saturday,
then a Monday, then a Friday because of that," Coach
Smith said. "But
this year our ownership is player-oriented and they wouldn't
let that happen." The team has to put that situation
behind them and focus on Saturday's match up with the Charleston
(S.C.) Sandsharks at the Silver Spurs Arena. Kickoff is
set for 7 p.m. Charleston moved to 2-0 on Saturday with
a 45-28
win over the Greensboro Revolution. The Sandsharks look
to be a mirror image of the Fayetteville Guard, who came
into
the Silver Spurs Arena three weeks ago and left with a
58-55 win. Fred Wallace, a 290-pound running back who played
for
Corpus Christi of the NIFL last year, gained 75 yards on
15 carries and had 2 touchdowns. Quarterback Terrence Bennett
proved to be a dual threat, rushing for 36 yards and two
TDs and throwing for 161 yards and 3 touchdowns. His favorite
target has been receiver Eddie Miller, who hauled in four
passes for 99 yards and caught two touchdown passes, including
a 25-yarder on the first play from scrimmage against Greensboro
last week. Osceola Players On The Hot Seat remain the defensive
line of Terrell Showers, Harvey Joiner and Chad Mascoe
to get in the face of Bennett and disrupt the offense.
Another
exciting Saturday of Osceola Football is coming up. Fans
will again have the chance to win a car from Holiday Chevrolet
and a spa from Leisure Bay. So join us for some football
on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Silver Spurs Arena.
AROUND THE NIFL: The Massey Ratings for the league have Osceola
Football ranked No. 2 among the league's 22 teams based on
offense, defense and strength of schedule. The Fayetteville
Guard, the only team to beat Osceola on the field in three
attempts, is ranked No. 1 ... Fayetteville beat the Florida
Frenzy, 44-41, while the Lakeland Thunderboltz shocked the
Montgomery Maulers, 34-21.
