Sebring Faces A Formidable Task Against Okeechobee

SEBRING - Talk about a challenge.

The Sebring High School football team is coming off a 21-7 win over Pasco last week, but the good feelings from that win are long gone as a road game against Okeechobee is next on the schedule for the Blue Streaks.

The Class 4A Brahmans come into tonight's contest at 1-1, but the loss was to two-time defending Class 5A state champion Lakeland and the win was a 48-0 rout of Avon Park last week at Joe Franza Stadium.

Okeechobee is an athletic team with lots of speed and the Brahmans feature junior tailback Lonnie Pryor running out of the I-formation.

Pryor, who also plays defensive back for the Brahmans, ran wild in last week's win over the Red Devils with four touchdowns in just over two quarters of play.

The 6-foot, 185-pound speedster, who has surprising power, rushed for two touchdowns, scored on a fumble recovery and returned the second half kickoff for a touchdown.

"Pryor is the real deal and a heck of a running back," Sebring coach Jared Hamlin said. "He is fast, strong and hard to bring down and is being looked at by some big colleges for a reason.

"We have to penetrate the line of scrimmage and contain him because he has the ability to score on every play. One man can't bring him down and we have to do a good job of gang-tackling."

The Brahmans also like to throw the ball with junior quarterback Garrett Madrigal and talented senior wide out LeShawn Henderson providing quick-strike ability.

"Okeechobee has some dangerous receivers," Hamlin said. "You have to pick your poison with them because if you try and stuff the run they can throw and if you play the pass, they will hand it off to Pryor.

"We have to be physical, aggressive and play smart to slow down their offense."

Sebring enters tonight's game at 1-1 with a road loss at Martin County the opening week of the season and last week's come-from-behind win over Pasco.

The Class 3A Blue Streaks are led by senior tailback T.J. Williams, the Heartland's leading rusher with 161 yards and two touchdowns, all of that coming in last week's victory over the Pirates.

Sophomore running back Daniel Burnett has rushed for 128 yards and gives the Blue Streaks another option out of the backfield.

Senior wide receiver Sam Robinson is the main target for quarterback Jamarle Fletcher when Sebring goes to the air.

"We have to block and execute on offense to win this game," Hamlin said. "Okeechobee plays a 4-3 defense and will blitz on just about every play and if we pick up our blocking assignments we could make some big plays.

"We're going to have to make some big plays on offense, defense and special teams to give us good field position," the fourth-year Blue Streak coach said.

"We have our hands full and we're going to have to play well to beat a very good Okeechobee team."

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Okeechobee High School.