PHOTOS: Dr. Phillips stumbles against Osceola in Kickoff Classic | Observer Preps

KISSIMMEE  With a little over eight minutes left in the first quarter, Dr. Phillips placekicker Riley Stephens connected on a 32-yard field goal that gave the Panthers a 3-0 lead over the Osceola Kowboys in the Kickoff Classic preseason game.

Unfortunately, Dr. Phillips did not score again after that.

The Panthers were shut out the rest of the way in a game that saw plenty of staunch defense and miscues, ultimately falling 21-3. The preseason game was played at the new stadium at Austin-Tindall Sports Complex in Kissimmee.

On defense, senior captain Jaquarri Powell recovered two fumbles and had three tackles in just over two quarters of work while junior linebacker Stephen Dix racked up seven tackles.

The Panthers offense found its way into the Osceola red zone on a handful of occasions, but did not convert anything beyond the early field goal. Dr. Phillips shuffled between three quarterbacks — junior Brenden Cyr, sophomore Canaan Mobley and junior Isaiah Givens.

The game with the Kowboys was a rematch of a regional playoff game from 2017. It was a tall task for a Panthers roster that has several new faces in new roles, but the going will only get tougher when Dr. Phillips takes the field for its Week One game.

The Panthers are headed to Georgia to begin the season, facing off against Lee County — a state champion in 2017 — in an interstate showdown.