TAMPA, Fla. — The Gaither High School football team was so close to being the kings of Class 6A football last year.
“Having that feeling of losing in the fourth round last year, everyone is hungry this year,” senior defensive back Jordan Oladokun said. “Everyone wants to win. That’s the biggest recipe that we have.”
Sprinkle in a few transfers to that recipe, including quarterback Kiael Kelly (Ball State commit), and you have something special. But, 11 games into the season, and 11 wins, the best is yet to come from the Cowboys.
“I think with some of the transfers we got in we are still building chemistry,” Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Silbert said. “I don’t think we’ve hit on all cylinders yet at all. I’m hoping we are still building and building.”
The unbeaten Cowboys blanked Countryside 49-0 to advance to the Class 6A Region 2 final last week.
In five of Gaither’s 11 wins this season, the Cowboys defense has not allowed the opposing team to score a single point.
“We all fly to the ball. Where ever the ball is going, pass, run,” Oladokun said. “We all take our responsibility huge. We don’t want to lose. We don’t want to give up points.”
“The key to success is this team comes ready on Friday nights,” Kelly said. “Everybody turns on the switch. We come out, play well, we show it on the field. Defense plays well, offense scores a lot of points.”
Gaither is making its fourth trip to the region finals and second in a row. The Cowboys will travel to Lake Minneola on Friday night.
