By Gerald Lacey
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
September 29, 2011
LEESBURG - The Yellow Jackets travel to Osceola County to take on the Bulldogs of St. Cloud High School, St. Cloud, Florida tomorrow night. The Jackets will face St. Cloud for the first time since 1994, St. Cloud leads the series 5 games to 4. St. Cloud had won the last two games in the series.
The rivalry goes back as far as November 28, 1954 when they faced each other in the 1954 Elks Bowl, St. Cloud won that game 36-12. Four times this game has been the Jackets or the Bulldogs Homecoming Game. Both teams were once Orange Belt Conference and District opponents.
The rivalry goes back as far as November 28, 1954 when they faced each other in the 1954 Elks Bowl, St. Cloud won that game 36-12. Four times this game has been the Jackets or the Bulldogs Homecoming Game. Both teams were once Orange Belt Conference and District opponents.
Two of the most memorable games of the rivalry was the 1981 and 1982 games. Bulldogs Running back/Kick Returner Brent Fullwood racked up almost 800 yards total offense in both games. In the 1981 game at Tom Gannarelli Field He had 3 touchdown runs of 72, 84 and 47 yards for 324 total rushing yards. The Bulldogs shutout Leesburg 33-0 in that contest.
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| Former St. Cloud #22 Brent Fullwood at Auburn University had big games in the St. Cloud vs. Leesburg series. A unanimous All-America and All-SEC selection in 1986, Brent Fullwood rushed for 1,391 yards on 167 carries and scored ten touchdowns as a senior. His senior-season total was first in the SEC and the second-best single season total in Auburn history. His 8.3 yards per carry average led the nation in 1986 and placed him sixth on the Heisman Trophy ballot. Also during his senior year, Fullwood received the Wally Butts Memorial Award given to the best offensive back in the Southeast. He ended his career with 2,789 yards, fourth on the Auburn all-time rushing list. He went on to a short NFL career with the Green Bay Packers and the Cleveland Browns. |
In the 1982 game at Leesburg Memorial Field, Fullwood scored five touchdowns. Three of those were off of kickoff returns, of 96, 89, 85 yards. He scored on a 71 yard run from scrimmage, had a 35 yard punt return, and kicked 3 P.A.T.S. Fullwood also had 16 carries for 131 yards rushing and one reception for 9 yards. Little did Jacket fans know that night that they were seeing greatness and a future NFL player. Fullwood went on to a great career at Auburn University and was drafted as the #4 pick in the first round of the 1987 NFL draft.
There have been several notable Leesburg players who have played in this rivalry over the past few years. Leesburg players are Ashley Hunt (University of Cincinnati), Kahlill Tucker (South Carolina State), Henry Wright (North Alabama, University of Central Florida), to name a few.
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| #21 Brent Fullwood of the Green Packers shown here in game action against the Buffalo Bills. Fullwood played in the St. Cloud vs. Leesburg rivalry in the early 1980's he went on the become the #4 pick overall in the first round of the 1987 NFL draft. |
There have been several notable St. Cloud players who have played in this rivalry over the past few years. St. Cloud players are Brian Hendren (Appalachian State), Greg Shepherd, Clarence Waiters to name a few.
Leesburg comes into to the game after last weeks disappointing 38-21 district lost to Clermont East Ridge in the Dungeon. The Jackets fell out of the Orlando Sentinel Super 16 Have poll this week but remain on the watchlist. St. Cloud is coming off of a big win against Osceola County rival Kissimmee Gateway 45-20 last week. This non-district matchup will take place at Tom Gannarelli Field on the campus of St. Cloud High School.
The Jackets hope to rebound from last weeks performance where they turned the football over 5 times and were called for 6 pass interference penalties. The Jackets went into the game 21-14 late in the fourth quarter before East Ridge scored the games final 24 points to pull out the win. This is the third week of a six week strecth where the Jackets play on the road five times.
Leesburg comes into to the game after last weeks disappointing 38-21 district lost to Clermont East Ridge in the Dungeon. The Jackets fell out of the Orlando Sentinel Super 16 Have poll this week but remain on the watchlist. St. Cloud is coming off of a big win against Osceola County rival Kissimmee Gateway 45-20 last week. This non-district matchup will take place at Tom Gannarelli Field on the campus of St. Cloud High School.
The Jackets hope to rebound from last weeks performance where they turned the football over 5 times and were called for 6 pass interference penalties. The Jackets went into the game 21-14 late in the fourth quarter before East Ridge scored the games final 24 points to pull out the win. This is the third week of a six week strecth where the Jackets play on the road five times.
St. Cloud's 2-2 record can be deceiving, they opened up on the road against Class 7A #2 ranked Lakeland Dreadnaughts at Lakeland’s 8,000-seat Bryant Stadium where nobody wins. They lost the opener 48-14 and lost several players to injury against a hard hitting Dreadnaughts team. Senior quarterback Phillip Steinmetz was hurt in that game causing him to sit out the Bulldogs next game against Rockledge. They were beaten by Rockledge 14-7 without Steinmetz (6'4" 200 pounds, St. Cloud, Fla./St. Cloud) and the rest of the team was banged up after the Lakeland game. Steinmetz the best major college quarterback prospect in Osceola County since Poinciana’s David Tabor a decade ago.
“We ran 62 plays, we threw 40 times, and he probably got hit at least 30 times,” First year St. Cloud Head Coach Mike Short said. “The thing about Phillip is that no matter how sore he is, even if he doesn’t throw one time all week in practice, he’ll be out there Friday night firing away because that’s Phillip, that’s how tough he is.
The Bulldogs have gotten Steinmetz back in the lineup and have won their last two games. They will have their spread offense test Leesburg often and early on defense. The Jackets are hoping to have OLB Noor Davis back for Friday's matchup. He has missed the last two games to injury, they will need him to help slow down Steinmetz and the Bulldogs spread offense. Brett Biller, Jordan Reus, Louis Page, Pat McCloskey and Cole Harvey all took turns making plays for Steinmetz at wide receiver. Reus might be the best one of the bunch. But don’t tell Harvey, Biller or Jandrew (Harmony transfer) that.
“Offensively we’ll stay with what we’ve done. This program’s stepped up by leaps and bounds with the spread formation,” Short said.
“Offensively we’ll stay with what we’ve done. This program’s stepped up by leaps and bounds with the spread formation,” Short said.
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As a junior Steinmetz had 1,877 yards passing and 16 touchdowns. He also added 777 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Steinmetz is No. 39 on the Sentinel’s Central Florida Super60 list. He can make most of the throws asked of him and Steinmetz has improved his accuracy since last year. He prefers running rather being a traditional drop back passer. The Jackets will try to get to him early and put some pads on him to rattle him.
“I hate dropping back,” Steinmetz said during the third annual Sentinel Varsity Football Media Day. “I love being able to roll out. I am able to avoid taking hits a lot better. I feel like it opens things up more. If nobody is open, I am capable of lowering my shoulder and picking up a few extra yards.”
Steinmetz, the 2010 Osceola News-Gazette Offensive Player of the Year said he’s been playing quarterback for only three years, since the eighth grade, when a spot opened up on his youth league team. His older brother, Richard, was a defensive lineman for the Bulldogs. His younger brother, Brian, is a freshman who threw his first varsity TD pass against Gateway in the season finale.
“I played everything, but when quarterback opened I seemed to do pretty well, so I stayed there,” he said.
On offense the Bulldogs have a solid running game with junior running back Eric Pfeifer. Pfeifer had 250 yards rushing and four touchdowns last week in a win against Agape Christian. Steinmetz completed 14 of 20 passes for 170 yards and two TDs in the win.
Mike Short and Randy Trivers share the same philosophy on scheduling tough opponents. The Bulldogs, 2-2, got a taste of playoff-caliber football the first week of the season at Lakeland where hardly anyone wins, they dropped a 48-14 decision to the No. 5-ranked Class 7A Dreadnaughts.
“We needed a chance to go and see what we can do against the big boys,” Short said.
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| Head Coach Mike Short |
After graduating from BSU in 2000 with an education degree, Short visited family and friends frequently in Florida and chose to stay.
He taught at Denn John Middle School before becoming a football assistant, head freshman coach and varsity wrestling coach at Gateway in 2001. After four years, he left Florida to become offensive coordinator at Southern Lee Williams High in Sanford, N.C. for three seasons.
Look for Leesburg to try to get back on track on defense this week. The Jackets had a problem stopping the run last week and look to change that this week. They will try to put pressure on Steinmetz early. St. Cloud's offensive line is inexperienced as a whole.
“They’re young, they’re hard-headed, they don’t like criticism or anything like that, but the more we talk to them, the more that they (understand) they are the key to this offense, they’re starting to loosen up, learn and take down what they need to do,” Steinmetz said on young offensive line. “I've just got to learn that they’re younger than I am. They’re more of the team than I am. I just have to put things behind me, if I screw up, I screw up.”
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| St. Cloud at Lakeland |
“He probably was on the field for 100 snaps at center and nose guard, and that’s not against some little team, that’s against Lakeland,” he said Short on Schroeder durability.
The Bulldogs are very sound on special teams and have a big play return man in Pfeifer.
“We spend a lot of time on special teams, because I believe that is a solid third of the game,” Short said.
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| St. Cloud wide receiver Cole Harvery |
2012 University of Miami (FL) commit D'Mauri Jones is back in the lineup and will give Trivers another option in the passing game. This will be the first time this season when Trivers will have a healthy Jones, Juilliard Roberts and Jalen Dozier at the same time on the field for a whole game. The Jackets will look for mismatches in the passing game to exploit. Trivers says he will take whatever the defense gives him coming into any game.
"If we have to throw it 30 times than that's what we will do," said Trivers on the Jackets weekly game plan. "If we have to throw it 3 times than thats what we will do."
School: Leesburg High School, Leesburg, Florida
Class-District: 7A-5
2011 Record: 3 -1, (0 -1)
Head Coach: Randy Trivers (2nd season)Leesburg Coaching Record: 9-5
Overall Coaching Record: 82-32
NCAA FBS Prospects: WR D'Mauri Jones (Sr., 6-4, 190), OLB/DE Noor Davis (Sr., 6-4, 230), DB Trey Perry (Sr., 6-0, 190), OLB/TE Jordan Tucker (6-3, 200), WR Julliard Roberts, Jr. (6-1, 175)
Other top players: WR/RB Jalen Dozier (Sr., 5-5, 150), RB Anthony Miller (Jr., 5-7, 185), LB Chase O'Donell (Sr., 5-8, 185), DB Jermaine Gadsden (Jr., 5-11, 170)School: Saint Cloud
Class-District: 7A-6
2011 Record: 2-2
Head Coach: Michael Short (1st season)
Saint Cloud Coaching Record: 2-2
Overall Coaching Record: 2-2
NCAA FBS Prospects: Phillip Steinmetz - SR/QB (6-5, 205).
Other top players: Cole Harvey - Sr., WR (6-3, 185), Brett Biller - Sr., WR (5-8, 175), Austyn Jandrew - Sr., WR (5-11, 155), Jeff Spelman - SR/LB (6-0, 180), Patrick McCloskey - Sr., TE-OLB (6-2, 220), Anthony Ellis Sr., DB (5-10, 160), Hans Schroeder - Jr., OL (5-11, 190), Alex Southall - Jr., OL (6-2, 270), Jordan Reus - Jr., WR (6-0, 160), Austin Ocasio - Jr., OLB (6-2, 225), Eric Pfeifer - Jr., RB (5-8, 175), E.J. McKenzie JR/WR (6-2, 200)
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( JOSHUA C. CRUEY, ORLANDO SENTINEL / September 23, 2011 ) Leesburg's D'Mauri Jones and Braxton Bennet take a break while the defense plays during second quarter action of a high school football game against East Ridge in Clermont, Fla. on Friday, September 23, 2011. |
LEESBURG HIGH SCHOOL FHSAA PLAYOFF HISTORY
State Championships 1927, 1929, 1934
State Runnerup 1928, 1969
District Championships 1969, 1971, 1992, 2007
1969 A CLASS 2A District Playoffs: Leesburg 12, Auburndale 0
Semifinals: Leesburg 36, Belle Glade 23
Championship: Blake 27, Leesburg 6 Blake (Tampa)
1971 CLASS 3A District Playoffs: Haines City 34, Leesburg 0
1992 CLASS 4A District Playoffs: Leesburg 47, Land O’Lakes 0
1992 Class 4A Regional Playoffs: (Daytona Beach) Seabreeze 24, Leesburg 10
2000 CLASS 4A Regional Quarterfinals: New Smyrna Beach 34, Leesburg 0
2001 CLASS 4A Regional Quarterfinals: 37 Palm Bay (Melbourne), Leesburg 0
2005 CLASS 4A Regional Quarterfinals: Nease (Ponte Vedra Beach) 63, Leesburg 20
2007 CLASS 4A Regional Quarterfinals: Columbia (Lake City) 21, Leesburg 0;
FHSAA Finals Record 0-1
FHSAA Tournament Record 3-7
SAINT CLOUD HIGH SCHOOL FHSAA PLAYOFF HISTORY
1974 CLASS 2A District Playoffs: Citrus (Inverness) 7, St. Cloud 6
1977 CLASS 2A District Playoffs: Fort Meade 35, St. Cloud 0
1978 CLASS 2A District Playoffs: Mulberry 30, St. Cloud 0
1980 CLASS 3A District Playoffs: St. Cloud 20, Tarpon Springs 8
1980 CLASS 3A Regional Playoffs: Gainesville 41, St. Cloud 7
1989 CLASS 3A District Playoffs: Avon Park 27, St. Cloud 22
1992 CLASS 3A District Playoffs: Pasco (Dade City) 33, St. Cloud 13
1994 CLASS 5A Semi-State First Round: Seabreeze (Daytona Beach) 48, St. Cloud 6
1999 CLASS 5A Regional Quarterfinals:Mainland (Daytona Beach) 44, St. Cloud 17
2008 CLASS 3A Regional Quarterfinals: Gulf (New Port Richey) 49, St. Cloud 35
2009 CLASS 4A Regional Quarterfinals:Lake Gibson (Lakeland) 42, St. Cloud 12
FHSAA Finals Record 0-0
FHSAA Tournament Record 1-10
Resources
Photos by:
Stephen Dowell
Joshua C. Cruey
Orlando Sentinel
Ashley Beyer
Freelance Photographer
2001 Graduate of Leesburg High School
"It makes me happy to do that because I know there are families out there that would love to have pictures of their boys playing football and can't get to the games or don't have the means to record those memories." Ashley Beyer 2011
Article written by:
Gerald is a professional Internet marketer and social media marketing expert. His online business ventures and websites generate multiple streams of income annually. His consulting clients include best selling authors and international speakers. Gerald is the CEO/President of Lacey LLC and OmariWholesale, Inc. He runs his entire business from his home where he is able to spend quality time with his family and friends. He is passionate about helping individuals to build and monetize their personal brand online. |
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