Strong second half carries Nature Coast past Leesburg

C.J. Risak Staff writer

LEESBURG - Blame it on the time of year. After all, it is October and Halloween season.
Or how about that full moon?

However one wishes to describe it, there certainly was a Jekyll-and-Hyde act on display at Friday's Brooksville Nature Coast-Leesburg game. And it was Nature Coast that took better advantage of it.



After a lackluster first half, the Sharks turned it on quickly in the second to knock off the Yellow Jackets 23-18.


Tevin Drake proved to be the ultimate difference for Nature Coast. Limited to 32 yards on seven carries in the first half, the 6-foot, 200-pound senior sliced through the Leesburg defense for 160 yards and two touchdowns in the second, totalling 192 yards rushing on 24 attempts.

"We just looked horrible in the first half," said Nature Coast coach Mark Lee. "I don't know what it is. We just challenged them (at halftime), and they played the way in the second half the way they should have been playing all game."

First half: Nature Coast totaled 34 yards in offense and trailed 6-0, losing a fumble and having a punt blocked. Second half: The Sharks gained 209 yards, scored three touchdowns and added a field goal.

For Leesburg, the game could easily be described as missed opportunities.

"They're good," Yellow Jackets' coach Charles Nassar said of Nature Coast. "You can't leave all the points on the field we left in the first half. We didn't expect that lead to stand up."

Still, it was Leesburg that struck first when Trey McKinney got through the line and blocked Nature Coast's Richard Hart's punt attempt, recovering it and taking it in for the score. The extra point was blocked, but the Jackets were up 6-0.

It remained that way until the Sharks attitude adjustment at halftime, Hyde substituting for Jekyll (or vice versa). On Leesburg's second play of the the second half, Luther McDowell fumbled on the exchange with quarterback Efrain Negron and Nature Coast recovered. It took the Sharks three plays to travel the 21 yards, Drake going the final eight for the score and a 7-6 lead.



They followed that with a 19-yard field goal by Tyler Callaghan to increase their lead to 10-6 and, after a Leesburg three-and-out, the Sharks constructed a 12-play, 77-yard drive culminated by a 10-yard scoring pass from C.J. Baker to Anthony Carlucci.


That made it 16-6 early in the fourth. Leesburg, which failed to get a second-half first down until nearly the midpoint of the fourth quarter, got two late TDs from Jalen Dozier, one on a 24-yard sweep and another on an 11-yard scramble.

"We didn't block anybody," Nassar said. "Finally in the fourth quarter we got some blocks."

But it was too late. Dozier's second score came after Drake put the game away for the Sharks with a 44-yard cutback score that made it 23-12. Dozier's final TD came with just 19.8 seconds to go.

The game had major implications in District 3A-6. Nature Coast, the pre-season favorite, is 4-1 overall, 2-1 in the district. Leesburg is 3-2 overall, 1-1 in the district.

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C.J. Risak Staff writer
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Cannon Big Noise In Leesburg Attack

October 01, 1985

By Joe Williams of The Sentinel Staff
 
LEESBURG — There's no mistaking that Leesburg High School's Jon Cannon is a major- college prospect.
College recruiters are at almost every game, and many stop by to watch him practice. One came by Monday afternoon's practice session. Others will drop by from time to time just to see how he is doing.

The University of Minnesota and Florida State University are the two biggest followers now. But before it becomes time for him to commit to a college next February, other schools will probably join in.

Cannon, 17, is under the microscope. Every move he makes is scrutinized. But Cannon, who is smart enough to realize a pot of gold in the form of a grant-in-aid awaits him, knows that each day brings a new beginning. He attacks each practice and game with intensity. He is one of the hardest workers on the Yellow Jackets' football team and that dedication is beginning to pay off.


Cannon, who rushed for 105 yards on 20 carries and scored the tying touchdown Friday night when Leesburg came from behind to defeat Eustis, 7-6, has been selected the Lake Sentinel's Player of the Week. He edged Wildwood linebacker Darin Glover, who caused two fumbles and recovered both to set up touchdowns in the Wildcats' 41-0 victory over New Smyrna Beach.

Cannon, 6-feet-3, 225 pounds, is playing fullback for the Yellow Jackets, but the colleges are interested in him as a tight end. He would rather be playing tight end, but he is playing where he's needed.

''I know I don't have the speed to be fullback in college,'' Cannon said. ''I'd like to be playing tight end, I like catching the ball, but I don't mind playing fullback.''

He has put together a rather impressive seven-game streak of 100-yard plus games. It began with a 172-yard effort against New Smyrna Beach last season. He finished the year with 115 yards against St. Cloud, 139 against Orlando Bishop Moore and 103 against Eustis. He gained 143 yards in the season opener against Candler Lake Weir and 116 yards two weeks ago against Rockledge for 893 yards during that span.


Statistics like that don't surprise Leesburg Coach Gene Foster.

''He's getting in shape, he's stronger and more mature than he was at the start of last season. He's reading his blocks extremely well,'' Foster said. ''He has committed himself to being the best that he can be. I think he sees a future''

Despite all the attention he is receiving, Cannon said he doesn't feel any added pressure.

''If I thought about it, I suppose I would feel the pressure, but during a game I don't even think about it,'' Cannon said. ''I just try to play like I normally do.

''The scholarship is something down the road. School just started. The main thing on my mind is to work hard and be a leader.

''I try to look at it as though I'm just like everybody else,'' he said. ''I don't want to be the star, or get the big head.''

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By Joe Williams of The Sentinel Staff
Orlando Sentinel
 
Gerald Lacey
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