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By Rick Pedone Sports Editor

The win lifts the Kowboys (12-0), into the Region 7A-2 finals next Friday at Kowboys field against Lithia Newsome, a 21-14 winner over previously unbeaten Plant City Durant.

It will be Osceolas first trip to the regional finals since 2007 and their seventh since 1997.

But, it may take the Kowboys and their fans a day or two to digest the victory over the Bolts (9-3), who repeatedly fought back despite turning the ball over three times and after trailing by scores of 15-7, 22-15 and 29-22.

The Kowboys thought they clinched the victory with 15 seconds left when quarterback Daequan Harrison hit running back Davante Small on a 15-yard TD pass play and Cristano Nogureas added the PAT to make it 29-22.

Harrison took the Kowboys 79 yards in less than two minutes, scrambling for key gains on runs of 10 and 6 yards for first downs to keep the drive moving.

But, Ridge Community quarterback Shykeem Pitts (6-11-146, 2 TDs), playing his last game for the Bolts, electrified the Bolts fans and stunned Osceolas with a 65-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jamari Butler on the last play of regulation.

There was confusion when officials threw a penalty flag on the play, which turned out to be a penalty against Osceola for grabbing the facemask.

That made it 29-28, and because the penalty moved the ball to the 2 for the conversion attempt, Ridge coach Richard Tate elected to go for the victory by running Davis off tackle. He seemed to have enough momentum to crash his way into the end zone, but the Kowboys didnt yield and Davis was held just short of the goal line.

Tate could have kicked the PAT and played for overtime. Last season, OHS won 13-7 in overtime against the Bolts in the first round of the playoffs.

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OHS holds on, 29-28