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| Leesburg Head Coach Randy Trivers out on the field before last Friday's game against Orlando L.C. Jones, Photo by Ashley Beyer, August 24, 2012 |
By Gerald Lacey
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
August 30, 2012
LEESBURG - The 2012 FHSAA regular season begins tomorrow night for the Fightin' Yellow Jackets of Leesburg High School. Expectations are high for the Jackets this season as they look to secure the school's first playoff win since 1992. This year Yellow Jacket squad hopes to end a 76 year state championship drought and the journey begins tomorrow night at Dr. Argin Boggus Stadium in Tavares, Florida.
Randy Trivers enters his 3rd season as head varsity football coach at Leesburg High School. Trivers has won more games than any Leesburg coach in his first two seasons since Max Wettstein in mid 70's. Trivers has a record of 14-6 over the past two seasons. Including in those wins are the programs first win over a Class 7A team, first win over a ranked team in the Trivers era last season, two straight winning seasons, the 2012 High School Butkus Award winner,10 players have signed letter of Intents to play college football and went 5-1 against Lake and Sumter County Opponents.
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| Leesburg 3rd year head coach Randy Trivers |
Gone are LB Noor Davis (Stanford) and WR D'Mauri Jones (Miami), but
Yellow Jackets continue to develop under coach Randy Trivers.The Yellow Jackets return 30 lettermen
off a squad that went 8-2 (2-2) in its first year of Class 7A football
competition. Even with the loss of Davis and Jones the Jackets are expected to make a strong push at its first District title since 2007 and its third since 1969. Leesburg has been picked to finish 3rd behind Orlando Maynard Evans and Clermont East Ridge in the Class 7A District 4 race.
"We have been preparing for this night as seniors for all of our lives
as this is our first game of our last year so we are pretty confident
and hope to come out on top," Senior OLB/P/RB Austin Walker said in a interview with Carver Heights Quarterback Club Staff Writer Gerald Lacey.
"I am pretty confident in our team because we train hard," Walker said on the team game preparation. "To get the win this week in practice we have worked hard to prepare for Tavares and it should all pay off."
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| Senior #9 Austin Walker will have a lot to do with any success the Jackets enjoy in the 2012 season Photo by Ashley Beyer, August 24, 2012 |
Tavares comes into the game after a big win against Ocala Lake Weir last week in the Kickoff Classic. Leesburg has outscored the Bulldogs in the last two meetings 76-21. Leesburg and Tavares first meeting was in 1929 with the Jackets prevailing 41-0.
Chris Gauntlett has taken over program for which he once played and has
been a longtime assistant. Although many players know him, there will be
growing pains.
“I am very, very excited for this opportunity,” Gauntlett said. “When
I played at Tavares we weren’t very successful [0-10, 1-9, 2-8 and 5-5
seasons, but I always wanted to come back and change the mentality
around here.”
In three seasons with Jones as the head coach, the Bulldogs were a combined 12-17.
Gauntlett 26, played defensive back at Tavares and was named the school’s
defensive player of the year as a senior. He played collegiately as
strong safety at Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C., and also
spent one year there as a graduate assistant before returning to
Tavares.
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| Orlando Jones vs. Leesburg, Leesburg Memorial Field at Hubert O. Dabney Stadium. Photo by Ashley Beyer, August 24, 2012 |
“Chris came across very mature in the interview process,” saidTavares principal June Dalton, who also is a Tavares graduate. “He is very ready for the
program. He’s in it for the long haul. He has a vested interest in
making the program a success. This was his program. When you are a
graduate of a school you are working at, you take a lot of pride it."
“We certainly hope that he can successfully run this program and be in it for many years.”
Gauntlett said his age could be viewed as an obstacle by some, but he wants to prove them wrong.
“I think that is the No. 1 thing that is the biggest concern with a
lot of people,” Gaunlett said. “I feel like I have taken on a pretty
good role as [defensive] coordinator when I was under Gavin. I feel
pretty confident in being able to be successful. I guess I will have to
prove a lot of people wrong.”
Leesburg
Coach: Randy Trivers
Last year: 8-2
Top players: OL Chris Smith (Sr., 6-0, 225), OL
Adriel Hansborough (Sr., 6-3, 240), DE-LB Jordan Tucker (Sr., 6-2, 210), Austin Walker, Demetric Blue, Bryant Benton, Brian Jefferson
The Buzz:
Yellow Jackets just missed playoffs in 2011 and head into season with
experience on offensive line, at quarterback and in secondary. WR-TE Lee Bennett (Jr., 6-1, 200) could have a breakout season.
Tavares
Coach: Christopher Gauntlett
Last year: 3-7
Top players:
OL Andrew Trinidad (Sr., 6-3, 235), LB Cory Perkins (Sr., 5-11, 210),
DE Wade Coulter (Jr., 6-1, 190), WR-DB Horatio Brown (Sr., 6-2, 165), RB
Greg Brown (Jr., 5-7, 170)
The Buzz:
Gauntlett is former Bulldogs player and assistant coach. Experience on
offensive line, in backfield and at receiver bodes well. Strong-armed QB
Christian Sears (Jr., 6-0, 180) will benefit from wide-open offense.
Resources
Articles provided by:
Gerald Lacey
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
1986 Leesburg Yellow Jackets Varsity Football Lettermen
Class of 1988 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
100 East Main Street
Leesburg Florida 34748
Leesburg Florida 34748
Articles provided by:
Gerald Lacey
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
1986 Leesburg Yellow Jackets Varsity Football Lettermen
Class of 1988 Leesburg High School
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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