By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

Harmony travels to Inverness Citrus High for the regular season football opener Friday at 7:30 p.m.

After a 49-6 setback to First Academy in the Kickoff Classic, Coach Jerrad Butler said his team must reduce costly turnovers and mistakes if it wants to successfully begin the regular season.

“We put the ball on the ground five or six times,” Butler said. “We’re going to have to take better care of the ball.”

Quarterback Sterling Hicks scrambled 9 yards for Harmony’s only touchdown in the second half.

“Part of it is that First Academy has a pretty good team. It’ll be interesting to see how they do as the season goes along,” Butler said. “But, we have to reduce our turnovers. We have to have some young guys step up and fill the holes.”

Linebacker Colton Keene played well both on offense and defense, something that many more Longhorns must do this season, Butler said.

“We have five or six guys who are going to stay on the field, and that’s just the way it has to be,” Butler said.

One of the team’s best running backs, Forrest Osborne, is out with a shoulder injury and Butler isn’t sure when he will return. Receiver Tristan Reaves also will miss the opener after a groin injury.

The Longhorns played the Kickoff Classic without lineman Jacob Sammon.

Those absences, and several others, handicapped the Longhorns, but Butler said the team must work through injuries.

Jeremiah Murray will start at quarterback Friday, Butler said.

The Longhorns beat Citrus, 14-7, in last year’s season opener. Citrus beat Poinciana, 62-7, in the Kickoff Classic last week.

“That’s funny, because Citrus lost to Lake Sumter by something like that same score last spring, so we’re not sure what to expect,” Butler said. “The good thing is that we’re all 0-0 right now.”