Moving down a couple classes didn’t matter much for the Edgewater football team as they entered the postseason last week (after not qualifying a year ago) and took care of business at Eagle Stadium, 29-8, against visiting Haines City.

The lopsided win in Class 4A Region 2 came courtesy of several contributors on both sides of the ball. That now sets up this week’s matchup in Lakeland against Lake Gibson, who defeated St. Cloud 42-12.

After missing out on the postseason for the first time in 10 years the Eagles were reclassified to 4A by the state and are now just one of three local teams below Class 6A to still be alive in the playoffs. On Friday, Lake Highland Prep is at Tampa Catholic in Class 2B and Osceola takes on Lakeland High School in Class 5A.

In the opening round the Eagles held the visiting team virtually immobile as Haines City compiled just 88 yards, 64 of those on the first drive of the game, in a penalty-plagued first half that saw Edgewater get out to a 22-0 lead.

Sophomore linebacker Karl Joseph stuffed a run play on fourth down from inside the five on that first possession for Haines City and tallied four tackles-for-loss on the night.

The Eagles would take over at their own five but stall themselves nine plays later when they also came up shy of a first down following a fourth-down attempt. But with the Edgewater defense playing so well, field position was in their favor from that point on. Haines City went on to punt three times and have another drive end with the halftime whistle in the first half to help set up quarterback Kent Gainous and the Edgewater offense.

“Our defense helped our offense out greatly because it gave us good field position and an opportunity to score,” said Gainous afterwards.

Gainous reached the end zone for the first score of the night on a 15-yard run up the middle – on the third play of a drive that started at their opponents 26 – by sidestepping a number of defenders with 1:34 to go in the first quarter. He went on to rush for two scores on 116 yards rushing while also throwing five completions to four different receivers, one of which went for a score, for 136 yards through the air.

In the second quarter a 40-yard return by senior C.J. Stevens followed a Haines City safety that set up another touchdown for Edgewater as Gainous found R.J. Altman in the end zone from six yards out with 6:05 left in the half. At 16-0 the route was already on.

“If we’re going to advance he’s got to stay healthy and make those kind of plays,” said Edgewater Head Coach Bill Gierke of his quarterback.

Stevens broke up a couple key pass plays in the secondary while other big plays on defense were turned in by junior Kelvon Davis, senior Jayson Patrick and senior Xavier Hicks.

Senior Tyler Williams returned a punt 19 yards and caught passes for 58 and 22 yards in the win while junior Keith Craven (42 yards) and freshman Johnathan Altman (38 yards) contributed out of the backfield.

Edgewater has now won their last eight opening-round playoff games since Gierke came on board in 2000.

–– More Edgewater Football Coverage ––

- Video highlights at WFTV

- Story at Orlando Sentinel