Leesburg Wins Close One In St. Cloud 38-36 Now 4-1, October 1, 2011

Leesburg against St. Cloud at sold out Tom Gannarelli Field on the Campus of St. Cloud High School. It was Homecoming on Friday night for the Bulldogs (PHOTO BY ASHLEY BEYER September 30, 2011)

By Gerald Lacey
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
October 1, 2011

LEESBURG - The last that the Yellow Jackets of Leesburg High School visited Tom Gannarelli Field was back in 1993, Ed Hoffman's Jackets dominated the Bulldogs that night 19-0. Eighteen years later Leesburg returned to the city of St. Cloud coming off a 38-21 loss to Clermont East Ridge last week. Leesburg second year head coach Randy Trivers and the Yellow Jackets had hopes of being undefeated at this point of the season.


"You are absolutely right we would love to be 4-0 right now you are never happy or satisfied with a loss," said Trivers a few minutes before the game against St. Cloud. "The best thing is to get back out there and see if you can get back on the winning track soon as possible and turn this thing into a 4-1 deal."

Leesburg at St. Cloud game action. (PHOTO BY ASHLEY BEYER/September 30, 2011)

2012 USA versus The World High School All Star Football Game participant OLB Noor Davis missed his third consecutive game Friday night hampering the Jackets defense. Leesburg came into this game banged up missing offensive line starters and other key players. Trivers was asked about Davis status minutes before the game he notified the press that Davis would be out for the game against the Bulldogs. 


"He will be out again," said Trivers on Noor Davis game status. " We missed him and two other starters off the line last week. Hopefully will be getting some guys back this week. Hopefully sooner or later we will getting all our guys back healthy and out there battling for us out on the field.

Leesburg second year head coach Randy Trivers giving last instructions before Friday's game against St. Cloud. Trivers Jackets are now 4-1 (0-1) on the season after beating St. Cloud 38-36.

It was a beautiful homecoming night in St. Cloud at sold out Tom Gannarelli Field the site of St. Cloud 2011 homecoming game. The Jackets Nation held its breath till a interception late in the fourth quarter by the Jackets defense ended the Bulldogs hope of a homecoming win Friday night. After eight lead changes the Jackets finally prevailed on the road for a 38-36 win. It was Leesburg first win ever over a Class 7A opponent. The series is now tied at five games apiece. It was the fifth time that these two teams have faced each other in a homecoming game.


Bulldogs Head Coach Mike Short and his team came into the game with added incentive to win after learning that St. Cloud High must forfeit football victories against Kissimmee Gateway and Orlando Agape Christian and pay a $500 fine. The Florida High School Athletic Association determined Thursday that the Bulldogs used an ineligible player during its first five games of the season. St. Cloud has had to forfeit football games two years in a row and has had three head coaches in the last year. St. Cloud football coach Mike Short declined to comment on Friday.

Senior running back Emmanuel Nelson runs to daylight on Friday night in Leesburg's game against St. Cloud.

Leesburg second year head coach Randy Trivers knew coming in into the game that he was going to be facing a very physical defense. He knew that the Bulldogs were going to be playing with a chip on their shoulder and that it was important his Jackets got off to a fast start.

"They are a very physical defense and very aggressive," said Trivers on his pregame show (the Randy Trivers Show on Friday Night Lights). "They are a very excellent ball team so the games don't get any easier. We got real respect for them the way they play the game on film"

"We are going to have to play better than we did last week to be competitive and hopefully get a win."

The "Black Jackets" defensive unit set the tone for Leesburg early in the contest and forced St. Cloud to a three and out on the first possession of the game by either team. The Bulldogs were forced to punt and after a high snap on the punt attempt which gave Leesburg the football with good field position.

Leesburg took over and on second and 9 from the Bulldogs 47 yard line University of Miami 2012 commit D'Mauri Jones picked up 11 yards on a end around for a first down. Junior quarterback Undra Mitchem, Jr. than had a 7 yard carry up the middle. After a Mitchem incomplete pass on second and 3, Emmanuel Nelson took a handoff and went off tackle for 17 yards down to the Bulldogs 27 yard line. 2 plays later Emmanuel carried up the middle for a 11 yard gain. On first and 10 from the St. Cloud 14 yard line Mitchem stood in shotgun formation and delivered a pass to senior wide receiver Juilliard Roberts, Jr. in the end zone for the first score of the game. St. Cloud was called for a penalty moving the ball closer on to the goal line and Leesburg decided to go for two. Nelson went in easily on a hand off and the score was 8-0 Leesburg with 7:55 left in the first quarter.

Assistant Coach Curt Bradley giving instructions to the defense during Friday night's game against St. Cloud High School (PHOTO BY ASHLEY BEYER/September 30, 2011

Sophomore place kicker James Eldridge put the kickoff in the end zone and St. Cloud started its next possession from it's own 20 yard line. St. Cloud senior quarterback Phillip Steinmetz completed a 13 yard pass to give St. Cloud a first and 10 at the 33 yard line. On the next play St. Cloud fumbled and Leesburg recovered at the Bulldogs 46 yard line. The Yellow Jackets ran three plays and couldn't pick up the first down and another golden opportunity was missed. On fourth down sophomore punter Austin Walker's punt was partially blocked giving St. Cloud the ball on it's 39 yard line. After a incomplete pass on first down by Steinmetz, junior running back Eric Pfeifer took a Steinmetz hand off and it appeared that he was stopped in the backfield for a loss. Pfeifer broke through the pile of would be tacklers and cut back against the grain then sprinted 69 yards for St. Cloud's first score of the game. The P.A.T. was good and the score was now Leesburg 8 St. Cloud 7. 

The Jackets took over after Roberts returned the kickoff up to the 17 yard line. Once again the Jackets were called for a penalty backing them up to 12 yard line. The Jackets failed to pick up a first down and had to punt. After a short punt by Leesburg the Bulldogs had excellent field position at the Jackets 34 yard line. Leesburg once again was called for a penalty giving St. Cloud first and 5 from the Jackets 29 yard line. On second and 10 Steinmetz picked up 12 yards on a carry to give St. Cloud first and 10 from the Jackets 12 yard line. On the next play Steinmetz threw a 12 yard touchdown pass and the Bulldogs had taken the lead. The P.A.T. was good and the score was now St. Cloud 14 Leesburg 8 with 3:44 left in the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter Leesburg James Eldridge kicked a 37 yard field goal giving the visitors a 18 to 14 lead with 5:55 left in the period. The Jackets special team came up big once again and Zach Mahan blocked a Bulldogs punt, junior outside linebacker Jordan Tucker picked up the loose ball and return it 25 yards for touchdown. The P.A.T. by Eldridge good and Leesburg was now up 25-14 with 2:07 left in the half.

(PHOTO BY ASHLEY BEYER September 30, 2011)

St. Cloud returned the kickoff up to the 36 yard line. Steinmetz then completed a 12 yard pass up to the 48 yard line. Leesburg once again showed lack of discipline and committed a personal foul moving the ball into Jacket territory at the 36 yard line. On the next play Steinmetz hit Patrick McCloskey - Sr., TE-OLB (6-2, 220) with a 36 yard touchdown pass. The P.A.T. was no good but Leesburg committed another personal foul and St. Cloud decided to go for two. The two point conversion was good and now the score was Leesburg 25 St. Cloud 22. 

On the kickoff Leesburg fumbled the football and St. Cloud recovered at the Leesburg 45 yard line and it look like the Jackets were getting ready to self destruct like they did at East Ridge.

"It was a tough ball game for us," said Trivers on the East Ridge loss. "We certainly had our chances when you look at the first half of the football game."

On first and 10 Steinmetz hit Austyn Jandrew - Sr., WR (5-11, 155) with a 19 yard pass setting up a first and 10 from the 26 yard line. Six plays later Steinmetz kept the football himself and found the end zone with 16.2 seconds left in the first half. The P.A.T. was good and St. Cloud had regained the lead 29-25. The Jackets ended the half with 70 yards in penalties. 

Sophomore Austin Walker upends St. Cloud wide receiver Brett Biller in a physical football Friday night at St. Cloud High School. (PHOTO BY ASHLEY BEYER/September 30, 2011)

On the opening possession of the second half the Jackets offense got on track and went on a 11 play drive that ended with a 10 yard touchdown run by Emmanuel Nelson. The P.A.T. was good and Leesburg had regained the lead 32-29 with 6:43 left in the third quarter. 

On the next kickoff Jordan Tucker made a great special teams play and tackled the St. Cloud return man down on his 9 yard line. Two plays later Steinmetz threw a 88 yard scoring strike to put St. Cloud back in front again. The P.A.T. was good and St. Cloud led 36-32.

The Jackets answered with a 6 play drive that ended with another Eldridge field goal and now Leesburg had pulled within one point 36-35 with 2:50 left in the third quarter. After the kickoff the Jackets defense once again came up big. Steinmetz set up to pass and was hit hard as he threw it sophomore defensive back Demetric Blue picked off the pass and returned it 12 yards. The third quarter ended and Leesburg had the ball deep in Bulldog territory. The Jackets failed to get into the end zone and Eldridge came in to attempt to take the lead with a field goal attempt. The 26 yard kick was good by Eldridge and now the Jackets had the lead for good 38-36.

PHOTO BY ASHLEY BEYER/September 30, 2011

The Jackets defense came up with another stop and Leesburg had possession of the ball with 10:22 left in the game. The Jackets ground game moved the ball down to the Bulldogs 38 yard line before the drive stalled but they had taken off precious time off the clock. The Bulldogs had a first and 10 with with 5:00 left in the game. Steinmetz moved his team deep into Jacket territory before the Jackets defense stood its ground and the Bulldogs turn it over on downs with 3:00 left in the game.


Leesburg than ran three plays and ran the clock was down to :58.5 seconds. St. Cloud moved into Jacket territory but Steinmetz last pass was picked off by the Jackets defense to seal the win. Leesburg is now 4-1 (0-1) heading into next weeks district home game against Lake Minneola. The loss combined with the games it forfeited drop St. Cloud to 0-5 overall and 0-1 in 7A District 6.

"We try not to let our guys look to far ahead than this one game its a big picture." said Trivers. We let the guys know that hey just because we lost one game that doesn't mean that the season is over." "We still got plenty of football to be played." "All of our goals that we have and all of the dreams that we have are still sitting out there for us." "Before we can get there to do any of that stuff that comes at the end of the road, we have got to take care of this today and thats St. Cloud."

Resources

Photos 
By Ashley Beyer
September 30, 2011

Ashley Beyer is a freelance photographer who will be working with the Carver Heights Quarterback Club this season. She started photographing as a hobby when she was 13 with a manual SLR Canon film camera. In 1998 she received her first automatic Canon SLR camera. In the begining as a hobby photographer her cousins and friends babies were her favorite subjects. Now, she is getting the chance to share her Leesburg High School football pictures with many people through Facebook and the Leesburg Yellow Jackets Football blog.

"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

Class of 2001 Leesburg High School 

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.