Osceola cashes in for win

By JEREMY WRITT
Published September 2, 2006

SEMINOLE - Sometimes it is not what you do, but where you do it.

Seminole gained 285 yards of offense but could produce only one score in its 28-7 loss to Osceola because of poor red zone efficiency.

"We can't do anything when we get in the red zone. We just go brain dead I guess." Seminole coach Sam Roper said.

Osceola won for the second straight week by the same margin and has already matched its win total from last year. Justin Hart gained 119 yards, all in the second half, to lead the way for the Warriors. His 79-yard run with 6:40 remaining sealed the victory.

After watching Bryce Williams (10 carries, 51 yards) cap a seven-minute, 11-play opening drive with 1-yard touchdown plunge, the Warhawks showed off their running game. Seminole ground out 69 yards during a six-minute drive. The Warhawks got as deep as the Osceola 8-yard line before a holding penalty stalled the drive. The penalties marred a solid performance from senior running back Marcus Santini who ran for 113 yards on 23 carries.

The Warrors led 14-7 at halftime thanks to Williams and a 62-yard touchdown connection between quarterback Sergio Allen and Nick Bennett.

"In the beginning of the game I was kind of upset because I wasn't getting the ball as much as I should," Hart said. And then Coach (George Palmer) told me to relax in the second half and it would open up."

Hart scored the first of his two touchdowns four minutes into the second half from a yard out. The 5-foot-11 senior was pushed out of bounds on the previous play after gaining 27 yards.

"We're kind of flopping him between wideout and running back," Palmer said. "He's got some great skills."

[Last modified September 2, 2006, 06:56:20]