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| (Joshua C. Cruey, Orlando Sentinel/October 14, 2011) Leesburg's Trevone Perry runs the return for a touchdown breaking a 0-0 tie during third quarter action of a high school football game against South Sumter in Bushnell, Fla. on Friday October 14, 2011. |
By Gerald Lacey
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
May 30, 2012
LEESBURG - Leesburg High School's Trey Perry has signed a letter of intent to play football at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City Tennessee. Perry played running back and safety for the Jackets last season. He helped lead the Jackets to a 8-2 (2-2) record in 2011. Perry has big play ability from either side of the ball and can score from anywhere on the field.
Perry's most memorable plays were his 96 yard kickoff return against Class 3A #5 ranked South Sumter at Raider Field in Bushnell Florida. The play broke a 0-0 score and led the Jackets to their first win over a ranked opponent in head coach Randy Trivers two year tenure at Leesburg. Perry also had a 90 yard interception return against Orlando Maynard Evans that was called back negating a Leesburg score and a tie for the district lead.
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| Carson-Newman's Burke-Tarr Stadium |
Perry is the grandson of another Yellow Jacket great Mathis Walker. Walker led the Leesburg Boys Basketball team to its first ever state Championship in Leesburg High School history in 1977. His father Bill Perry led Eustis to the Class AA Boys Basketball State Championship game in 1992. His sister Ashley Perry who is a senior at Leesburg helped lead the girls basketball team to a Class State Final Four appearance in 2011.
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| Mathis Walker 1977 Class 3A Boys Basketball State Champion. |
He will get the chance to play for Ken Sparks who is in his 33rd season as Carson-Newman head coach.
Sparks has built a
national football powerhouse first at the NAIA level and now at the
NCAA Division II level. The numbers speak for themselves when
examining the success Sparks has brought to the Eagle football
program - five national championships, four national runner-up
finishes, 21 South Atlantic Conference championships and 22 NAIA or
NCAA playoff appearances. A respected and well-known coach at any
level, Sparks has accumulated the best won-lost record and highest
winning percentage of any coach in Carson-Newman football history.
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| Carson-Newman College Head Coach Ken Sparks |
In 31 seasons at the wheel of the Eagle machine, the 1968 C-N
graduate has guided his troops to a 294-74-2 record. Sparks is the
all-time winningest coach in NCAA Division II and he is third in
total wins among active coaches in all divisions of the NCAA behind
St. John's (Minn.) John Gagliardi and Penn State's Joe Paterno.
The Eagles report for fall camp in early August to begin preparation for
their 33rd season under Sparks, who begins the season with 299 career
wins. Carson-Newman went into spring shorthanded and Perry may have chance to play right away in his freshmen year.
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| Carson-Newman College Head Coach Ken Sparks |
"Some kids really made a lot of strides," head coach Ken Sparks
said. "We've got a lot of guys that had to go the extra mile this
spring so they had to play a lot of positions. They can't complain about
not getting enough reps. We've got some pieces that are pretty good,
but we have some pieces that have got to be a lot better."
Carson-Newman's Assistant Football Coach and Recruiting Director Aaron Hutsell is excited about adding Perry to his team's roster.
"Trey’s
signing will have a huge impact on our program," said Hutsell in a interview with Carver Heights Quarterback Club Staff Writer Gerald Lacey. "He is a very versatile
athlete who brings a strong work ethic and natural leadership. He has
the ability to influence others with
his strong character and drive."
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| Carson-Newman's Assistant Football Coach and Recruiting Director Aaron Hutsell |
Perry and others have benefited from Trivers college style system that he has bought to the Leesburg program and community. He has sent 10 Jackets to college in his two years at Leesburg, with more waiting to sign. At his former school Germantown Northwest (MD) he sent over 60 players to college.
I asked coach Hutsell did the solid program that Trivers has built at Leesburg help in the decision to recruit Perry. Hutsell said that Trivers system and reputation played a part in the signing.
"I
believe that certainly helped'" said Hutsell on Trivers and the Leesburg football program. "Coach Trivers has been very helpful
throughout the entire process. After we did our research on Trey,
it just turned out to be a great fit for both sides."
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Ken Sparks Athletic Complex |
Perry will go into the Carson-Newman program as a defensive back but with his athleticism he could find himself lining up in several different places in college.
"Trey
will be coming in as a Defensive Back, and we will see how he
progresses," said Hutsell. "There are a lot of things that he could play athletically"
Perry is the first player from Leesburg to sign with Carson-Newman since Ken Rooney in the 1990's. Carson-Newman may not be done yet in Leesburg but is very happy to get Perry signed for the 2012 season. Hutsell said he doesn't remember anyone from Leesburg signing with the Jefferson, Tennessee college recently.
"I
don’t think we have in the last couple of years (signed anyone from Leesburg High School), but Coach Sparks has
been recruiting Florida for a long time so I would imagine that
at some point there has been a player from Leesburg who has attended
Carson Newman.
"Coach
Trivers has been excellent during the recruiting process with Trey. He
has experience as a college coach, so he knows what information that we
need to have in order
for us to be able to make a decision on a player."
"Leesburg is a
football program that has always had really good athletes. Coach
Trivers and his staff will do a great job of pushing their players to
get it done on the field as well as in the classroom."
Resources
Aaron Hutsell
Assistant Football Coach/ Recruiting Coordinator
Carson-Newman Football
Ken Sparks Athletic Complex
904 E. Mountcastle St.
Jefferson City, TN 37760
(O) (865) 471-4794
(F) (865) 471-4466
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