Leesburg, Fla. — Leesburg High School’s Yellow Jackets football team is set to face off against Ocala’s Vanguard Knights in the FHSAA Class 6A Regional Quarterfinal Playoffs on Friday night. This highly anticipated rematch comes months after Leesburg suffered a narrow defeat against Vanguard during the regular season, falling just short 21-14.

Leesburg (6-4) enters the playoffs determined to capitalize on lessons learned from their previous encounter with the Knights. Head Coach Frank Scott is optimistic that his squad’s recent growth and preparation will turn the tables this time around. “We’ve focused on our fundamentals and staying sharp in high-pressure situations,” Scott said. “The team is locked in and ready to give it their all.”

(Head coach Frank Scott has put together a fine program in 2024. He won back to back district championships with Eustis High and has maintained a strong team at Leesburg.)

Leading the charge for Leesburg is star quarterback Xavier Irrizary, who has proven himself as one of the best quarterbacks in Lake County as well as a leader on the field. With a season total of 2,267 passing yards and 28 touchdowns, Irrizary’s ability to make plays in critical moments has been crucial to the Yellow Jackets’ success. On the ground, senior running back Carlos Villalongo has been a force, with over 712 yards rushing yards, providing Leesburg a balanced offensive attack.

But its been freshman sensation Lamar Garrison who has proven why he is one of the top wide outs in the USA. Garrison has 923 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns this season. He only needs 77 yards to break through 1,000 yards receiving which would be massive.

(Xavier Irizarry has passed last year’s quarterback Salomon Georges for total yardage thrown. He needs just 1 touchdown to tie Salomon’s 29 touchdown throws in 2023 and two to overtake him.)

Vanguard (9-1), led by standout linebacker Josiah Farmer, has one of the stingiest defenses in the region, holding opponents to an average of 14 points per game and they have only given up 88 points this season. The Knights are well aware of the threat posed by Leesburg’s offense and will look to apply pressure on Irrizary, hoping to disrupt his rhythm and force turnovers.

“We know they’re hungry for this win, but so are we, I was hoping for this rematch. It’s playoff football, and there’s no room for mistakes.” says Leesburg quarterback coach Max Tucker.

(From left to right #7 James Benton, #6 Sylvester Dority, #3 Lavoctris “Muscles” Patterson, #8 Xavier Irizarry.)

The matchup will likely be decided by which team can win the battle in the trenches and execute under pressure. For Leesburg, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Many people counted this program out at the beginning of the year after many players and coaches left to go to The First Academy in Orland. But the players, coaches and community have believed in this team and here they are with a rematch against Vanguard.

While Leesburg is fired up, they will be in a hostile enviornment as they travel to Vanguard. This will certainly be one of the best games of the year and if you are able to attend, make sure you do if your a fan of football.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Booster Stadium in Ocala. The winner will advance to the regional semifinals to face either Lake Wales or New Smyrna Beach next week.