Jackets Face Each other Friday Night, September 11, 1969

H.O. DABNEY STADIUM, HOME OF THE LEESBURG YELLOW JACKETS

Daily Commercial
Thursday September 11, 1969

If predictions and forecasts and previews and practices are correct, Leesburg High's Yellow Jackets face some of the toughest competition Friday night that they'll face all year-themselves.

It's the Orange & Black Game, staged by the Dad's Club, in which Varsity Jackets are combined with the Junior Varsity Jackets into two teams for a gladiator-display at Memorial Field.

Game time is 7:30 and tickets are one dollar for adults, fifty cents for students. All proceeds go to the Dad's Club to finance the various projects they sponsor for the team.

It should be an offensive duel extraordinaire with at least three fine quarterbacks looking for place to play Mike Napier, varsity backup Andy Carlton and Jayvee's Kenny Nappi.

Look also in the first appearance of the Yellow Jackets at home, for ends Greg Williams and Sherrill Lackey and Ricky  Bosanquet of the JV.

The Junior Jackets include several boys who played on the fine Leesburg Junior High team last  year, when it posted a 6-1 record.

Article provided by:

Gerald Lacey

Staff Writer

Carver Heights Quarterback Club

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.

 

LEESBURG MAN CALLS SIGNALS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1973

 

WINSTON-SALEM:

Leesburg native, Andy Carlton, will be calling sign this Saturday as the Wake Forest Deamon Deacons host the Seminoles of Florida State in their home opener of the 1973 football season.

"It won't be quite like any other game," said the 6-0, 180 pound Sophomore, who started four varsity games in his first year at Wake last year. "First of all, it'll be the only time in my two years at Wake Forest that we're scheduled to play a team from Florida."  Andy admits that there'll be a little bit of native rivalry there, especially since Florida State showed little interest in recruiting him "because they said I was too small."

Secondly, there is Greg Johnson, a high school teammate of Andy's who plays on the Seminole's defensive team. "I played five years with Greg in high school," said Andy of the High School All-American defensive tackle. "In high School he was recognized as the most valuable lineman, and I was the most valuable back. It should make an interesting game with the two of us competing for the first time against each other"

Broadening the outlook on the season opener, Andy expressed the importance of the game for the team as a whole. The Deacons will began their second season in a row with a new head coach Chuck Mills brought with him from Utah State a highly competent coaching staff and a winning record which he has high hopes of continuing at Wake Forest.

"Coach Mills has created a whole new environment around here," Andy commented. "All the coaches have taken control and proven better for the whole team."

"it's going to be important for us to win early," Andy stressed. We can't get off to another bad start or we could end up with another disaster like last year," when the team compiled a 2-9 record. "Florida State will be a key game for us in trying to get off on a winning foot."

The new Deacon coaching staff is concentrating on the passing game this season. Andy commented that "the running game is pretty strong, but the coaches just like to throw."  They must be impressed with his performance in practice thus far, as Andy seems to feel that he has the starting quarterback position wrapped up if all continues to go well.

Andy is optimistic and excited about the Wake Forest football season ahead. Highlights of the year included Wake's first meeting with the Longhorns of the University of Texas and a post-season exhibition tour to Japan for two games in January.

Resources

Daily Commercial

September 14, 1973

Article provided by:

Gerald Lacey

Staff Writer

Carver Heights Quarterback Club

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.

Leesburg High School Stadium Seat

1971 LEESBURG YELLOW JACKETS VARSITY FOOTBALL ROSTER

1    TIM WESLEY  WO  160  SR

2    JIM BUSBY  WO  150  JR

14  STEVE EZELL  DB  165  SR  

15  ANDY CARLTON  QB  185  SR

16  JEFF HANCOCK  QB  165  JR 

17  GENE ELTON  TE  180  SR

20  TROY WILSON  DB  160  SOPH.



21  WILLIE NEELY (HUDSON)  RB  160 JR

22  CHUCK WARD WO  160 JR

23  CLIFTON MORRELL  WO  170  SR

30  HAYWOOD RICHARDSON  160  SR

31  JOE GIACOBBE  RB  185  JR

32  LaVALLE RIXIE  RB  160  SR

33  JACK VICKS  RB  185  JR

40  REDDICK WILLIAMS  RB  150  JR

41  ROBERT KILGO  WO  150  SR

42  MARVIN KING  RB  160  JR

50  BILL POLK  C  185  SR

51  DANNY COFFIE  T  220  JR

52  DANNY DOWLESS  C  180  JR

60  BILL KELLER  G  160  SR

61  LEON SCOTT  G  160  SR

62  CHUCK ROGERS  G  160  JR

63  JAY LUKENS  T  175  JR


64  CHARLES RECTOR  G  170  SR

65  JAMES CHARLES  G  220  SR

70  JEFFREY JOHNSON  T  175  JR

71  CHARLES PENLY  G  150  SR

72  CLIFFORD WILLIAMS  T  175  SR

73  SAM CARSON T  185  SR

74  SAM MACKEY  T  185  SOPH

75  GREG JOHNSON  T  215  SR

80  MIKE NEFF  DB  150  JR

82  CHUCK SMITH  TE  175  SR

HEAD COACH WILBUR LOFTON

ASSISTANT COACH MAX WETTSTEIN

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR E.P. BURT

PRINCIPAL RALPH C. PRATT

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FRED McDANIELS

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL WAYNE BARNINGHAM

Resources
Daily Commercial
1971

Article provided by:
Gerald Lacey
Staff Writer
Carver Heights Quarterback Club
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.

Johnson Going Home To Play Alma Mater Leesburg

FORMER LEESBURG YELLOW JACKET STANDOUT GREG JOHNSON AT FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

September 22, 1989

By Joe Williams Of The Sentinel Staff

 

LEESBURG — Juanita Tanner's son is coming home.

Greg Johnson, a star on the Leesburg High School football teams from 1968 through 1971 and an integral part of the 1969 Yellow Jacket team that went 11-2 (9-1 in the regular season) and lost to Tampa Blake, 27-6, in the Class A state championship game, will return to Memorial Field tonight.

Johnson returns as a conquering hero who Leesburg fans and players hope can be conquered. Johnson is the coach of Osceola High School in Kissimmee, Leesburg's opponents in a non-district game beginning at 7:30.

''It's fantastic. It's just a dream come true,'' said Tanner, who lives in Fruitland Park, and can barely wait for tonight's game. ''We are thrilled to death. All the neighbors and friends have been calling. Everyone is tickled to death.''

Although she has watched Johnson many times as a player, this will be her first opportunity to watch him work as a coach. It's a moment she has been waiting for and preparing for for a long time.

Win or lose, Tanner and her family, will be there in the stands rooting for Johnson's Kowboys. She will have to change her allegiances at least for tonight.

''We may have to move out of the county because we are going to sit on his side and root for him,'' she said. ''Though we want him to win, we hate to see Leesburg lose. The whole family is going to be there. The stands may be taken up by the family.''

Although it may seem strange for Tanner and her family to be sitting on the visitor's side, they actually will be sitting on the same side of the field they sat on to watch Johnson play. Leesburg swapped sides of the field a few years ago when the field was renovated and new concrete bleachers were built.

''I know that we'll be on the side that I played on,'' Johnson said. ''I poured out a lot of blood and sweat and some tears on that side of the field. It is going to be a little bit like deja vu.

''This will be the first time I'll be back there. I know some of my friends will be in the stands. It will be funny and strange. I know some of my friends have kids playing for Leesburg, but I don't know if any are on the varsity. There is some personal pride to coming in and winning. It will make my homecoming more memorable.''

Johnson, who was 6 feet 4 and weighed 220 pounds his senior season, played defensive end and offensive tackle for the Yellow Jackets and Coach Wilbur Lofton. He later played defensive end at Florida State University and was drafted in the fifth round of the NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1976.

After a couple of preseason games, he was traded to the Baltimore Colts. He played a season for the Colts before being traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he was a backup to defensive end Lee Roy Selmon.

He finished his professional career by playing for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League in 1978 and 1979.

Johnson returned to FSU in 1979, finished his degree, and, after working two years in the insurance business in Jacksonville, started his coaching career at Episcopal High School in Jacksonville. He came to Osceola as an assistant in 1984 and became the school's coach last year.

Yes, Johnson is going home, and just like when he played for Leesburg, his family will be in the stands rooting for him. But, for his mother, this is a special occassion.

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