BELLEVIEW RATTLERS (5A-District 6)
2014 RECORD: 1-9
HEAD COACH: Phillip Yancey (6th year)
KEY PLAYERS: Jared Burgess (Sr., DB), Daniel Claudio (Sr., LB), Mark Rivera (Sr., WR), Gage Kilcollins (Sr., OL), Jordon Ortega (Sr., OL), Mitchell Scaglione (Sr., OL), Trent Lecorn (Jr., RB/LB), Daniel Rockwell (Jr., LB), Earl Watson (Jr., DL), Andrew McClain (Jr., OL), Julian Heppner (So., OL/DL)
2015 PREVIEW: The Rattlers will run a balanced offense in 2015 following the graduation of dual threat QB Erik Pitts (1,151 total yards). They have a nice, young QB in Dakota Fairburn. The sophomore is going to be very good, but he has no weapons at WR this season. Their best receiver, Shakir Fontenot, transferred to Trinity Catholic a week ago. Fontenot averaged 15.9 yards per catch last year. The Rattlers have a very good downhill RB in Trent Lecorn, who is a cousin to former TC star Dion Lecorn. He’s a bruiser. The junior, who also plays linebacker, is the real deal. Lecorn sat out all of last season with a bad shoulder. He would have started last year at LB if he wasn’t hurt. The offensive line is young but solid.
Last year, Belleview really struggled on defense. The Rattlers gave up 38 points per game. Their situation on defense this year doesn’t look good, particularly at DB and DL. Linebacker Daniel Claudio is their best returning player on the defensive side of the ball. Claudio, who had 49 tackles last season, is the brother of Erik Pitts.
The good news for the Rattlers could also be bad news. They are in a three-team district with North Marion and Eastside (Gainesville). That means that just one win against either the Colts or the Rams puts them in the postseason. However, that also means that the margin for error is much smaller.
“It will be very important for us to return to the type of football that the successful Belleview football teams played,” said Yancey, who enters his sixth season as head coach after 22 years at Vanguard (Ocala). “We need to play a very disciplined and physical brand of football with great effort for us to have a good season.”
2015 SCHEDULE
Aug. 28 – at The Villages
Sept. 4 – at Weeki Wachee
Sept. 11 – vs. Crystal River
Sept. 18 – vs. Dunnellon
Sept. 25 – OFF
Oct. 2 – at Lake Weir (Ocala)
Oct. 9 – at Keystone Heights
Oct. 16 – at Eastside (Gainesville)*
Oct. 23 – vs. North Marion (Citra)*
Oct. 30 – vs. Crescent City
Nov. 6 – vs. Williston
*District game
“The Prep Zone” has been counting down to kick-off with a preview of high school football teams in the North Central Florida area. Past team previews:
July 20 – BELL BULLDOGS
July 21 – BELLEVIEW RATTLERS
July 22 – BRADFORD (STARKE) TORNADOES
July 23 – BRANFORD BUCCANEERS
July 24 – BRONSON EAGLES
July 25 – BUCHHOLZ (GAINESVILLE) BOBCATS
July 26 – CHIEFLAND INDIANS
July 27 – CITRUS (INVERNESS) HURRICANES
July 28 – COLUMBIA (LAKE CITY) TIGERS
July 29 – DIXIE COUNTY (CROSS CITY) BEARS
July 30 – DUNNELLON TIGERS
Aug. 1 – EASTSIDE (GAINESVILLE) RAMS
Aug. 2 – FOREST (OCALA) WILDCATS
Aug. 3 – FORT WHITE INDIANS
Aug. 4 – GAINESVILLE HURRICANES
Aug. 5 – HAMILTON COUNTY (JASPER) TROJANS
