By Brian McLaughlin (follow on Twitter @BrianMacWriter)
Palm Harbor Sports
THE STORY
Tonight’s Palm Harbor game at Osceola should be quite the battle, and likely will be a game we look back at in November as one of the key matchups of 2023.
In his first three years at Osceola, head coach Cody Montgomery has turned around at a program that was stuck on two wins a year for five consecutive seasons. He has gotten things back to where they were before, which was seven wins in 2015.
PALM HARBOR SEASON PREVIEW: The story
The past two years have seen the Warriors win 15 total games and make the playoffs both years — with two of those wins coming at the expense of Palm Harbor.
“Osceola is one of the best programs in our county,” Palm Harbor head coach Mike Mullaney told PalmHarborSports.com. “I believe I saw somewhere that they were preseason number No. 5 or No. 6 in the entire county, including the private schools. In my opinion, Coach Montgomery is the best coach in the county. I’m a big fan of what they do over there.”
Mullaney doesn’t throw compliments around like this very often, folks — trust me. That should say something.
But the compliments didn’t stop there.
“PHU is a very well-coached group, as they always are,” Osceola’s Montgomery told PalmHarborSports.com. “We have finished the last three years in very tight games since I have been here. Over the last three years, we never got more than 50 plays — offensively speaking — as they do such a good job with ball control.
PALM HARBOR FOOTBALL HISTORY: A year-by-year breakdown of the program’s history
One thing they disagree on, for sure, is who is the favorite:
“They have owned us the past few seasons,” Mullaney said. “If they had point spreads in high school, they would probably be a two to a three-touchdown favorite in this game.”
Montgomery countered.
“I am always excited about this game because it is always a great scale on how the season will shake out for both teams,” Montgomery said. “Mike (Mullaney) coaches his kids hard and them being senior-heavy for sure weighs in their favor.”
Game on.
Season on.
THE YARDSTICK BREAKDOWN
2022 RECORDS: Palm Harbor– 6-4; Osceola– 7-4 (fell in state playoffs first round)
LAST WEEK (Preseason games w/JV portions): Palm Harbor varsity beat Boca Ciega 10-0; Osceola lost to Tampa Alonso 34-14.
HEAD COACHES: Palm Harbor– Mike Mullaney (22-27, 6th year); Osceola– Cody Montgomery (17-15, 4th year — including two straight playoff trips)
LAST YEAR: Osceola 23, Palm Harbor 20
2022 GAME RECAP: Osceola withstood a fourth-quarter comeback at Palm Harbor to win by three, kneeling out the clock. The Hurricanes got within three points after being down 23-8 coming into the final period. Mykehl Boebert and Will Seibert rushed for 4th quarter touchdowns on 3rd downs, and Gunner Fodor opened the scoring with an 85-yard kickoff return earlier in the game. Osceola’s talented returning RB Nathan Carter rushed for 105 yards and a TD.
TOP RETURNING STATISTICAL LEADERS (with 2022 stats)
PALM HARBOR– No. 3 Gunner Fodor, Sr./LB-RB (injuries limited to 6 games; 176 career tackles); No. 8 Will Seibert, Jr./QB-DB (1,350+ yards total offense, accounted for 12 TDs); No. 7 Alex Schmid, Sr./DB-WR (33 tackles, 5 passes broken up); No. 44 Zavion Roberts, Sr./DE/TE (8 games, 21 tackles, 2 TFLs, 2 fumble recoveries); No. 65 Walker Danneman, Sr./OL-DE (three-year starter on both sides of ball)
OSCEOLA– No. 25 Nathan Carter, Sr./RB (more than 2,000 career rushing yards and 14 TDs); No. 0 Nate Gooden, Jr./ATH (1,000-yard all-purpose producer as WR/RB/KR); No. 20 Brogan Coleman (123 tackles, 22 TFLs last year); No. 5 Dylan Freese (95 tackles, 9 TFLs, 4 fumble recoveries, 6 hurries).
SERIES RECORD: Osceola leads 13-3-0 dating back to first game in 1997 (last PHU win was 2019)
