Last Friday's Osceola Football
game was decided after just 11 plays. Facing the Montgomery
Maulers, Osceola took a 6-0 lead on
the first play, a 31-yard touchdown pass from Ramon Robinson
to Larry Henderson. Connie Brown intercepted the Maulers'
first pass, and it was 12-0 one play later when Robinson
hit James Panui from 37 yards out. Montgomery then held the
ball for five plays until Brown snared another interception,
which turned into Osceola points three players later when
Gerald Clark rumbled in from the 4-yard line. 18-0 Osceola,
and just seven minutes of game clock had expired. Final score:
Osceola 72, Montgomery 12. Granted, this happened against
a replacement team, as it has been widely documented that
the Montgomery Maulers' owner
fired her entire team over a paycheck issue. A semi-pro team
out of Tampa was found in time to play on Friday, but the
game started behind schedule. As a token of good faith, Osceola
Football officials comped everyone in attendance their first
drink. It became an expensive night for Osceola, which is
trying to prove to be one of the class-act franchises in
the National Indoor Football League. "
We weren't close to not having a game, we were assured by
the league and Montgomery of that," said Osceola General
Manager Dave Czech. "And our coaches worked to try not
to embarass anyone on the field." Czech said that even
an unfortunate case like the Maulers' situation can't deter
Osceola from its business model: to
win, entertain and have fun while doing it. "
Our goals from the start have been to win over the community,
to put on a good show and put together a good team," he
said. "I think we've been delivering that, especially
in light of what happened in this building last year." As
for the game, Osceola quickly got eight more points in the
first quarter. Sam Smalls blocked a field goal attempt
through the end zone for a safety. Clark then returned the
ensuing kickoff to the Montgomery 6-yard line. Harvey Joiner's
2-run run made it 28-0 with time still left in the first
quarter. The Osceola defense would go on to pull in six interceptions
and record two sacks. Osceola Football hit the halfway mark
of the season with a 5-2 record. Osceola Football PLayer
of the Week: Safety Connie Brown's two interceptions set
the
tone for the big win over Montgomery. This week: Osceola
Football boards the bus on Wednesday in advance of their
game on Friday
night at the Nutter Center
against the Dayton Bulldogs who are 2-3 after a win over
the Tennessee RiverSharks. On The Hot Seat: The defensive
secondary of Brown, Damien Demps, James Cody, Rodney Alston
and Howard Jacobs -- if
they get six interceptions again this week, Dayton doesn't
have a chance. Osceola Football will be back at home in the
Silver Spurs Arena on May 13 against the West Palm Beach
Phantoms. NIFL Florida Watch: The Lakeland Thunderbolts,
a Southern Division rival, and the Fayetteville Guard played
last week
in a meeting of unbeatens. Lakeland won, 60-41, to move to
6-0 on the year.
Get your Lady
Deputies Calendar Now!!! Call 407-210-2383or email the
Lady Deputies to get your Calendar!
