After Edgewater head coach Cameron Duke and all of his assistants had talked to the team after its 18-13 loss to Osceola in Friday’s spring football game, Duke took aside junior quarterback Chase Carter.
Duke wanted to make sure his future first-time starter wasn’t fazed by an up-and-down effort against a Kowboys’ squad that, like the Eagles, finished as a state runner-up last December.
Osceola lost to Seminole in the Class 8A state championship game while Edgewater lost to St. Thomas Aquinas in the 7A final.
Carter threw three interceptions against Osceola’s stout defense on Friday. But there were also some picture-perfect pass completions that complemented Edgewater’s talented rushing attack.
“He did some great things and he’s only going to get better,” Duke said.
Duke added that two of the interceptions were not Carter’s fault, and he told the QB that in his post-game mentoring moment.
“The pick-six [to Osceola’s Kaylon Walters] at the 2-yard line was because of a missed block,” Duke said. “It could have been a touchdown for us the other way. And on another pick, [Carter] was hit as he threw. He’ll look at this game film this summer and learn from it.”
Some credit needs to go to the defense of the Kowboys, which looked as strong as ever despite a couple of key components sitting out.
Walters had two interceptions, including the aforementioned 2-yard TD return in the third quarter. Standout prospect Bo Mascoe had the other pick.
The strength in the secondary, combined with a stacked defensive line, gave new Osceola coach Eric Pinellas plenty to be optimistic about.
“Those guys on the back end make it easy on the line,” said Pinellas, who was just named head coach on Friday, replacing Doug Nichols. “They’re getting the recognition they deserve.”
And vice versa as the big guys up front forced bad throws, holding penalties, an intentional-grounding call and four sacks. It came with highly recruited DT John Walker not playing and fellow stud lineman Derrick LeBlanc getting plenty of attention from the Edgewater offensive line.
That allowed seniors Jamarus Brown and Cory Vega and junior Elijah Palermo to step up and make plays.
“Our D-line is so deep and talented,” Pinellas said.
It’s one less thing the new coach has to worry about after a whirlwind month following Nichols’ retirement.
“It was shocking, but we knew it was coming eventually,” he said. “We’re not trying to invent the wheel. We’re just carrying on what Coach Nick built the last 11 years.”
One part of Edgewater’s offense that found holes in the tough Osceola defense was the running game of Jeremiah Connelly, CJ Baxter and Khalil Washington.
Baxter, who had committed to Florida State but might be back on the open market, according to Duke, had a 27-yard TD run in the third quarter while Conley, whose brother Isaiah plays for Coastal Carolina University, sprinted for a 51-yard TD late in the fourth quarter. In between, Washington had multiple double-digit-yardage rushes.
“Those three are tough high-character kids who are selfless and don’t care who gets carries,” Duke said. “Jeremiah is one of the best athletes I’ve coached. [He also had an interception on defense.] Each of those three brings different talents to the backfield.”
This story was first published at OrlandoSentinel.com. Varsity Content Editor Buddy Collings can be reached by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
