Trivers Coaching Record The Best Since Max Wettstein 1973, 1974, October 19, 2011

Leesburg second year Head Coach Randy Trivers.

LEESBURG - Leesburg High School second year head coach Randy Trivers has produced a resume in his distinguished coaching career. Despite losing 37 seniors from last season he is making a name for himself already in the history books of Leesburg High School Football. In his first seventeen games as head coach at Leesburg he has compiled a 12-5 regular season record. This is the best start for any Jacket head coach since the 1973 and 74 football seasons. 

The late Max Wettstein whose jersey is retired at Leesburg, led the Yellow Jackets to a 7-3 record in 1973 and a 7-0 (combined 14-3)  start in 1974. The Jackets were ranked #1 in the 1974 Class 3A (there were only 4 classes at that time 4A,3A,2A and 1A) State Poll for several weeks in that year and would lose only once to the eventual state champion Ocala Forest High School. There have been seven different coaches since Wettstein and Trivers is off to a faster start then the previous seven.

Trivers' Jackets have reached a #16 ranking in the Orlando Sentinel Super 16 High School poll, #1 ranking in the Daily Commercial 13 and received votes in the Associated Press Class 7A Top Ten High School Poll. Trivers record at Leesburg High School after 17 games is 12-5, his overall coaching record is 85-32.

What is remarkable about this feat is that Trivers took over the reins at Leesburg in the summer of 2010. Trivers didn't have the opportunity to be with the team during the spring and he only had a few weeks with the team before the season. Leesburg had been a option football team for about the last thirty years and within a few weeks before the season implemented a hurry up spread offense that emphasized the passing game.

The result was a 6-4, (5-2) record and the best passing season stats wise for the Jackets in 41 years. The Leesburg offense broke several regular season passing records in 2011. The Jackets were in FHSAA Playoff contention all the way down to the last six minutes of the of the 2010 season. Trivers' offense tied the state record for the most passing touchdowns in a game in 2010 against Mount Dora.

Five players received college football scholarships Dondelaro Crosby was the first to sign in the Trivers era with Missouri State University, R.J. Peppers (Towson University), James Asibey-Bonsu (Edward Waters College), Luther McDowell (Monmouth College), and Tim Erving (Monmouth College).

Trivers has his Fighting Yellow Jackets back in the FHSAA Playoff hunt with a 6-1 (1-1) record going into Friday Class 7A District 4 showdown with Orlando Maynard Evans High School Trojans 6-0 (2-0) who are ranked #10 in the Associated Press Class 7A High School Football Poll this week. The Jackets two best players have missed most of the season with injuries. The nations #17 ranked player overall according to the ESPN150 High School Poll (6-4, 225) OLB Noor Davis has missed three games and most of two others with a hyperextended knee. 2012 University of Miami Commit WR D'Mauri Jones (6-5, 190) has missed two games and parts of 3 other games nursing a high ankle sprain. Trivers likes the position that his Jackets are in right now and that excitement has spread all over the Lakefront City of Leesburg.

Coach Trivers talks with his team during a timeout in the game against Clermont East Ridge (PHOTO BY ASHLEY BEYER/September 23. 2011)

"All our goals are still intact we want to be a playoff team," said Trivers. "In order to do that we still have plenty of football ahead us. Hopefully we will be better prepared to compete and get some wins in those district ball games." "That's a goal that we have and that's still very much achievable for us. So we are excited to be able to improve, work together and go after that goal."

After a devastating lost to East Ridge at the "Dungeon" in Clermont, Trivers team has regained focus and have come away with some impressive wins in the last few weeks. Last weeks epic 13-6 win over 5th ranked Bushnell South Sumter High School will be talked about for years to come. It doesn't get any easier for the Jackets as they face their second ranked opponent in a row. The Yellow Jackets will be on the road for the fifth time in six weeks and are banged up, but Trivers is very optimistic about his team chances down the stretch.

2012 Under Armour All-American OLB Noor Davis (right) Head Coach Randy Trivers (middle) and 2012 University of Miami Commit WR D'Mauri Jones.

"We try not to let our guys look to far ahead than this one game," said Trivers. "It's a big picture and we let the guys know hey just because we lost one that doesn't mean that the season is over." "We got plenty of football to be played. All our goals that we have all the dreams we have are still sitting out there for us".

The road to ending Leesburg's 19 year playoff win drought goes through Orlando Maynard High School at Trojan Field formerly known as Double E Stadium.

Wins - Losses - Ties

Wilbur Lofton (43-23-1)
1966 6-5 Elks Bowl loss
1967 2-7-1
1968 7-4 Holiday Bowl win
1969 11-2 District Champs
1969 State Runner-Up
1970 9-2 Azalea Bowl win
1971 8-3 District Champs

Tom Perrin (5-4-1)
1972 5-4-1

Max Wettstein (38-34)
1973 7-3 Christmas Bowl
1974 10-1 Rotary Bowl Champs
1975 4-6
1976 7-4 Rotary Bowl Loss
1977 4-6
1978 3-7
1979 3-7

Steve Schaap (1-19)
1980 0-10
1981 1-9

Gene Foster (20-40)

1982 2-8
1983 6-4
1984 3-7
1985 4-6
1986 4-6
1987 1-9

Richard Kennedy (6-4)
1988 6-4

Ken Weir (18-12)
1989 5-5
1990 5-5
1991 8-2

Ed Hoffman (17-35)
1992 10-2 District Champs,Regional Champs
1993 3-7
1994 1-9
1995 2-8
1996 1-9

Bud O’Hara (25-27)
1997 3-7
1998 5-5
1999 5-5
2000 6-5 Wild Card Berth
2001 6-5 Wild Card Berth

Charles Nassar (41-42)
2002 2-8
2003 4-6
2004 3-7
2005 8-3 District Runner-Up
2006 7-4 Rotary Bowl win
2007 8-3 District Champs
2008 5-5
2009 4-6 

Resources

Photos 

Orlando Sentinel

Ashley Beyer

Freelance Photographer

Class of 2001 Leesburg High School

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."

Article written by:

Gerald Lacey

Staff Writer 

Carver Heights Quarterback Club

1986 Varsity Jackets #82

Class of 1988 Leesburg High School

www.leesburgyellowjacketsfootball.com

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.