Warriors to host Osceola in highly anticipated Kickoff Classic

WINTER GARDEN Kickoff Classic games are an opportunity for high-school football teams to get warmed up for the regular season, putting their hard work from fall camp into action against a live opponent. Generally, the results are not the focus so much as improving for respective Week One contests seven days later.

When the West Orange Warriors host the Osceola Kowboys in their Kickoff Classic at 7 p.m. Friday, though, the preseason game may be an exception of sorts — the Kowboys ended the Warriors’ dream season in the Class 8A state semifinal last fall.

“We really want to win, even though it is a preseason game,” senior defensive lineman Julian Pittman Jr. said. “It means a lot to us.”

Head coach Bob Head said — although he expects his boys to be fired up — the focus from a coaching standpoint would be getting his team valuable reps against a great opponent.

“A game like that — when you play such a good opponent, it’s hard to get young guys in,” Head said. “We’re going to try and do the best we can and get everybody in the game.”

Contact Steven Ryzewski at [email protected].