Join us on May 13th at 7pm for
Osceola Football vs. West Palm Beach
and take advantage of our Ticket Promotion...
Call 407-210-2383or email
So it looks like we know who a couple of the
best teams in the National Indoor Football League's Eastern
Conference are by now, right? And we know who to call on
if you want an exciting NIFL game, too. Saturday's Fayetteville
Guard-Osceola Football at the Crown Center featured all of
the drama and the intrigue that their matchup three weeks
prior at the Silver Spurs Arena had. Unfortunately for Osceola
it had the same outcome, as the Guard took a three-point
margin of victory. The 54-51 kept Fayetteville unbeaten (5-0)
and atop the Massey NIFL Power Rankings. Osceola was ranked
No. 2 in the Massey poll going into the game, and have a
chance to prove themselves worthy of that ranking this Saturday
when the Montgomery Maulers come to the Silver Spurs for
a 7 p.m. contest. In celebration of Osceola Football's first
Friday night game at the barn, we're offering a special.
For $56, you get four tickets, and your first drink is on
us! In Fayetteville, the Guard's win was
highlighted by two big plays, the first after Osceola rallied
to take the lead, the other while driving toward the winning
score late in the game. The first came after Osceola erased
a 30-17 deficit. Quarterback Ramon Robinson hit Andre Raines
with a 28-yard touchdown pass just before halftime, Odest
Shannon scored the only points of the third quarter with
a short touchdown run, and Robinson scored on a QB sneak
early in the fourth quarter to put Osceola ahead, but cue
up Guard Big Play No. 1: Walter Ford, who had returned a
kickoff to the Osceola 2-yard line earlier in the game, took
this kickoff all the way to the house, igniting the crowd
and giving the Guard the lead back when Fayetteville converted
the following two-point conversion. BIg Play No. 2 came with
Osceola trailing 46-44 with less than a minute left and driving
toward the go-ahead score. That was before safety Jesse Parker
intercepted Robinson at the 4-yard line, then weaved 46 yards
to the end zone to make it a two-score lead for the Guard.
(Then Parker did an ugly end-zone dance which we won't discuss.) "We
kept our composure so we were able to stay in it," said
Head Coach Marquette Smith. "It
was two great offenses, neither defense had an answer. I'm
sure we'd see them again in the playoffs if we both continue
winning." Osceola Football Player of the Game: James
Panui. Caught nine balls for 123 yards and a touchdown. This
week: The Montgomery Maulers are 1-4 this year and have already
gone through a coaching change. New coach Kelvin Stokes debuted
last week in the team's 66-33 loss to the Florida Frenzy. " They've
been through quite a few changes and philosophies," said
Coach Smith. "But they have good athletes, a solid
QB and lots of size. They are a team waiting to break out
and in this game, a fumble here or an interception there
and you can be down three touchdowns and you're in trouble." On
The Osceola Hot Seat: QB Ramon Robinson must keep the offense
chugging and scoring and pressure Montgomery's offense to
stay in the game. Florida Focus: The Lakeland Thunderbolts
are the NIFL Atlantic Conference's other 5-0 team after thrashing
the Tennessee Riversharks, 40-16, last week. The T-Bolts
host Fayetteville on Saturday.
