Football Year in Review: Lake County, December 14, 2011

Leesburg at Clermont East Ridge (PHOTO BY ASHLEY BEYER/September 23, 2011)

By Jeff Radcliffe, BHSN
Last Updated: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 

Two teams in Lake County stood out in 2011. Both were in 7A, both were in region 1, and both were in district 4. It’s too bad that the surprising Evans Trojans were also in 7A, because the East Ridge Knights and Leesburg Yellowjackets were both playoff worthy squads.

The Yellowjackets who had an 8-2 record, missed the postseason because they finished 3rd in the 7A “district of death”. Both losses came at the hands of teams ahead of Leesburg in the final standings.

One of the best defensive teams in the area, Leesburg allowed fewer than 10 points scored in 6 different games. That defensive unit was led by 6-foot-4, 240-pound linebacker Noor Davis, a tackling machine that will be suiting up at Stanford next year.

Bud O’Hara’s Knights were senior-laden, and the district runners up to Evans. East Ridge, led by quarterback J.J. Martin and running backs Randy Bergan, & Jerami Singleton played its best football when it counted.

The Knights opened up the playoffs with a 21-18 come-from-behind upset win over Oviedo. East Ridge then turned the tables on the Trojans 34-26 in the second round, in what was a rematch of a district game won by Evans in the regular season.

The season came to and end the next week against state finalist, Jacksonville First Coast. The Knights lost by a touchdown in the state semifinals 28-21.

Resources

Jeff Radcliffe 

Bright House Sports Network

www.bhsn.com

December 14, 2011

Leesburg Public Library
http://www.ci.leesburg.fl.us/library/

 

Article provided by:
Gerald Lacey
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
1986 Varsity Jackets Football Lettermen #82
Class of 1988 Leesburg High School  

leesburgyellowjacketsfootball@yahoo.com
www.leesburgyellowjacketsfootball.com

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