Vanguard dominates Leesburg 42-3
Knights overpower Yellow Jackets for third win in a row.
Vanguard’s Jasman Thomas (24) blocks a punt by Leesburg’s kicker William Henderson (4), which led to another Vanguard touchdown, during a football game at Booster Stadium in Ocala, Fla. on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Vanguard won the game 42-3. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2025.
The Vanguard High School football team opened defense of its Class 4A-District 5 championship in dominating fashion with a 42-3 thrashing of Leesburg High on Sept. 12 at Booster Stadium.
Vanguard, a perennial Class 4A state powerhouse, won its third consecutive game to improve to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in district competition. The loss dropped the Yellow Jackets record to 2-2 and 0-1.
The Vanguard offense, directed by dynamic junior quarterback Terrance Lewis, struggled in the first quarter and led Leesburg by only a slim 7-0 margin. But Vanguard sophomore defensive end Jasman Thomas broke through to block a Yellow Jackets punt that was returned for a touchdown late in the period to swing the momentum in the Knights favor.
The special teams play led to a 35-point explosion paced by excellent play from talented junior wide receiver James Bethea, who hauled in a pair of touchdown passes from Lewis to give the Knights a commanding 42-0 lead at the half.
Because of the disparity in the score, a running clock was used for the entirety of the second half. With the big lead, Vanguard veteran coach Edwin Farmer was able to rest his starters and give the backups some valuable playing experience.
Leesburg did manage to avoid a shutout with a field goal in the fourth quarter, but the swarming Knights defense limited the Yellow Jackets to a meager 37 rushing yards and senior quarterback Jacob Kinsy to just 89 passing yards for the game.
Vanguard will look to extend its winning streak to four games on Sept. 19 when the Knights host the Class 3A Dunnellon Tigers. The Knights and Tigers may be in different classifications but it’s a big-time rivalry in Marion County high school football.
Dunnellon will bring a 2-2 record into the game, but the Tigers have turned things around after an 0-2 start by winning back-to-back games against quality opponents. Dunnellon gave Vanguard all the Knights could handle in last year’s contest before falling by a final score of 21-20 in overtime.
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