Can CHS Bounce Back?

As strange as it seems, there are more things the same about the Leesburg and Central High football teams right now than their are differences.
Both teams come off winning seasons last year. Leesburg was 8-2 in 2007 and won the Class 4A, District 6 title while Central was 6-4 last season.
Both schools lost their starting quarterback to graduation along with many of their skill position offensive players.
Leesburg and Central are each coming off disappointing opening-game losses to begin the 2008 season. Leesburg committed four turnovers in losing 13-9 to Tavares while Central lost four turnovers in losing to Hernando, 16-7.
But tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Lake County, the Bears make the second of three straight road games to open the season. Central's third-year Head Coach Cliff Lohrey believes his team needs to clean up some mistakes they made last week.
"We were able to move the ball pretty consistently," remarked Lohrey, Hernando County's defending two-time Coach of the Year. "It was just a text book example of how not to win a football game."
Central outgained Hernando last Friday 233 yards to 191 on total offense, but four sacks and four lost fumbles killed any chance the Bears had to win.
"The turnovers combined with the ill-timed penalties, it was a great example of how not to win a game," Lohrey added.
It is a coincidence that Leesburg football Charles Nassar said almost the identical same thing on a blog he writes for the high school web site.
"We haven't played a game this poorly in many years," Nassar said. "Not to take anything away from Tavares and their coaches, we handed them the game. We made more mistakes in the backfield in one game than we've made in the last 10."
Lohrey also believes the two teams come into the game facing the same problems.
"Leesburg is in a similar situation in regards to us in that they had quite a few turnovers," pointed out Lohrey, who is 14-8 lifetime at CHS. "It's two teams that obviously have to cut down on the turnovers in order to win."
For Central, all was not gloom as new starting tailback Austin Forte ran for 125 yards while new starting quarterback Dallas Waugh completed 13-of-16 passes for 127 yards.
But it was the turnovers that cost Central against Hernando as Waugh was sacked multiple times and the Bears lost four fumbles to Hernando, who played error free football.
Lohrey believes that his team can improve on those mistakes, starting this week.
"It's going to get better," Lohrey said. "If we eliminate the turnovers, we have a good chance to be a pretty good football team. We have to show we can improve not only from week one to week two, but every week and we're looking forward to getting out there and playing again."

Going to the game?

If you're going to the game take Cortez Blvd. (State Road 50) east to the I-75, turn left. Go north 27 miles and turn right on Exit 329 (St. Road 44). Go 12 miles into downtown Leesburg (Main Street), the school is located in the downtown section on the right side.