Osceola and Lake Nona have widely been regarded as the favorites in Class 7A District 6, but St. Cloud has served notice that they will have a say in who wins that district.
The Bulldogs moved to 4-0 for the first time since 1999 with a 52-8 win over Celebration Friday at Tom Gannarelli Field in the first district game for both teams.
Bryan Johnson, Central Florida's second-leading rusher entering the game, ran for 128 yards and three touchdowns, and the Bulldog defense held Celebration to 107 yards and forced five turnovers, scoring on one of them.
St. Cloud Bryan Johnson said he was happy to see his junior-laden team sort itself out late in the second quarter, when this was an 8-8 game and Celebration held the ball with a chance to take the lead.
"The rain got them out of their set schedule before the game, but they battled back and that was good to see. We're excited because whoever wins our next one comes out with the district lead, and none of our kids haven't experienced that yet."
St. Cloud looked to run away with the game right from the opening kickoff, which Jarque Harper took 90 yards for a touchdown, then ran in the ensuing 2-point conversion out of the swinging gate.
Celebration, without starting quarterback Grant Crider, answered by tying it on their first drive. Sophomore Willy Boyd led a 13-play, 71-yard drive, hitting Dillon St. Gordon from 11 yards on third down on the only pass of the drive. Boyd then ran in the 2-pointer.
It was all St. Cloud from there. The Bulldogs took the lead back after Chris Pennel intercepted a pass and brought it back to the Storm 27 midway through the second quarter. Bryan Johnson scored five plays later from the 4, then after the defense forced a punt quarterback Hunter Weismore (8-for-16, 115 yards) hit Reace Austin on a 15-yard scoring pass that made it 23-8 going into halftime.
St. Cloud kept the momentum in the second half when Danny Rincon recovered a fumble on the first play of the third quarter at the Celebration 40. Johnson punched it in from the 4 five plays later and the Bulldogs were well on their way to 4-0.
Celebration, winners of its first two games this season after losing 30 straight games on the field, fell to 2-2.
In other games in District 7A-6, Osceola defeated Liberty, 35-13, and Gateway defeated Harmony, 7-0. Lake Nona was idle.
Next week St. Cloud will travel to Gateway -- the winner will sleep on at least a share of the district lead -- Harmony will go to Osceola and Liberty visits Lake Nona. Celebration will host Cypress Creek (0-4), which has yet to score this season, in a non-district test.