Celebration Storm (2-3) at St. Cloud Bulldogs (3-0)

When: Friday, 7:30pm

Where: Tom Gannarelli Field, St. Cloud (2000 Bulldog Lane)

TV: BHSN (Channel 47 and HD 1147)

Coaches: Celebration – Joel Smeenge (1st, 2-3); St. Cloud – Bryan Smart (4th, 20-14)

About the matchup: Osceola County foes get together for an important Class 7A, District 5 matchup.

St. Cloud is attempting to start 4-0 for the second consecutive season. Friday will serve as the home opener for the Bulldogs, who have had one game cancelled and their bye week. Junior quarterback Colt Smith is at the controls of an offense that is averaging more than 40 points per game. Smith, in his first season as the starter, has thrown for 849 yards and six touchdowns. The receiving corps includes speedsters Seth Johnson (19 rec, 423 yds, 2 TD) and Brandon Taylor (9 rec, 175 yds, 2 TD) along with Johnny Fritz (7 rec, 150 yds, TD). Fritz, a 6-3, 180-pound junior, already holds an offer from Kentucky. The primary ball carrier for St. Cloud is junior Charles Robinson, who has found the end zone six times. The Bulldogs defense has generated 11 turnovers, including eight interceptions, through the first three games. Two of those picks belong to leading tackler Jean Pierre Andiarena (25 tackles) followed closely by linebacker Tyler Williams (24). Williams holds an offer from Middle Tennessee State.  

Celebration won its first two games of the season but has since dropped three straight. The Storm is coached by former NFL defensive lineman Joel Smeenge, who moved from Texas to Osceola County earlier this year for his first head coaching position. Celebration’s top player is Blaze Alldredge, a 6-3, 210-pound senior who rarely leaves the field. He is among the team’s leading tacklers and has four receiving touchdowns. Alldredge has offers from Columbia and Stetson with interest from UCF, San Diego State and Fresno State. Dual threat quarterback Chris Knight has thrown for 490 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions while rushing for 87 yards and a touchdown. Willie Boyd, the team’s leading rusher last season, is being used primarily as a pass catcher this season and has 14 grabs for 140 yards and a touchdown. Celebration lost its first district game against East River and needs a win in this one to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Three and out:

1. Celebration has never defeated St. Cloud in nine tries on the field. The lone win for the Storm in this series came in 2004 when St. Cloud had to forfeit a game.  

2. St. Cloud won last year’s game 34-27 with all 61 points being scored in the first half. Heavy rain in the second half resulted in the team’s combining for seven turnovers.

3. The opening of these schools was nearly 100 years apart. St. Cloud was founded in 1909 while Celebration opened in 2003.