Trinity has been the talk of the town
OCALA - Since its first varsity game against West Oaks in 2001, Trinity Catholic's football program has been the talk of Marion County.
Over the past six years, the Celtics compiled a 45-16 record under coach Kerwin Bell and appeared in a pair of Class 2B state title games.
Trinity Catholic went 8-3 in the state playoffs over the past four seasons and along the way, had many of its key players rewrite the area record book in terms of state tournament play.
John Brantley, the state's all-time leader in touchdown passes, threw for 748 yards in last year's state tournament, second all-time for county quarterbacks behind Vanguard's Daunte Culpepper, who threw for 850 yards in the 1994 tournament.
John Brantley's totals came in just four games, though, while Culpepper competed in five.
In 2005, John Brantley threw for 737 yards in leading the Celtics to the Class 2B title, beating Pahokee 37-30 in the championship game, for the fourth-best tournament total for an area quarterback.
North Marion's Mike Brinkley threw for 748 yards last season in the state playoffs for the third-best effort by an area quarterback in the postseason.
Here are some of the other all-time area tournament bests for area players.
Most Yards Rushing: 1. Alvin Young, Dunnellon, 582 (1978) 2. Johnie Presley, Vanguard, 557 (1994) 3. Marty Allen, Dunnellon, 540 (2003) 4. Derrick Sheffield, North Marion, 527 (1996).
Most Yards Receiving: 1. Dion LeCorn, Trinity Catholic, 355 (2006) 2. Kenny Clark, Vanguard, 321 (1994) 3. Thomas Jefferson, Forest, 290 (1975).
Most Receptions: 1. Antonio Wilkerson, Vanguard, 19 (1998) 2. Dion LeCorn, 18, Trinity Catholic (2006) 3. Patrick Nelson, 17, Trinity Catholic (2006).
PASSING FANCY: Area teams have began to throw the football more and more.
This has become apparent in some of the all-time postseason bests in terms of yards passing.
Scott Thomas threw for 268 yards for Vanguard in a 21-16 loss to Daytona Beach Mainland in 1998 to set the all-time mark for the most yards passing by an area quarterback in a state playoff game.
Since then, four quarterbacks have been able to eclipse that mark.
West Port's Bobby Kissane passed for 351 yards in a 50-34 loss to Umatilla in 2002, 19 better than Brinkley's total in North Marion's loss to Pensacola Pine Forest in last year's Class 3A state semifinals.
John Brantley added a 310-yard passing effort against Lake Butler Union County in 2005, while Seth Watts of North Marion tossed for 288 yards against Crystal River in 2003.
LONG TIME COMING: When Trinity Catholic's LeCorn and North Marion's Eddie Rocker returned punts in last season's regional quarterfinal round, it snapped a nine-year drought for area teams without a punt return for a touchdown.
Belleview's Jared Hetzel had the area's last punt return in the state playoffs, prior to the last year's regional playoffs, against Merritt Island in 1997.
Meanwhile, Derrick Dempsey's kickoff return against Blountstown in last year's 2B state semifinals were the first for an area player since Glen Fowler ran one back for Forest against Clermont East Ridge in 2004.
BY THE NUMBERS: 3- Number of teams from Marion County to reach consecutive state title games. Forest (1974-75) and Dunnellon (1978-79) joined Trinity Catholic's 2005-06 teams as area squads to play for back-to-back state titles. Of the three, only the Celtics did not repeat. 7- Number of games won in a row by Trinity Catholic in the state playoffs, prior to last year's 2B title game. 10- Number of area teams who lost to the eventual state champion in the state playoffs. Last season, the Celtics lost in the Class 2B state championship game to Pahokee; 18- Number of consecutive home wins for Trinity Catholic. The last loss for the Celtics came against Belleview in 2004. 22- Number of consecutive regular season wins for Trinity Catholic; 27- Number of consecutive games won by Trinity Catholic prior to its loss to Pahokee in last year's 2B finals.
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