Difference makers and next steps for Marion County playoff football teams
The road to the state title only gets hard from here. Two Marion County football teams survived the second round of the playoffs on Friday night.
Vanguard ended Zephyrhills' season after a 34-14 win. Trinity Catholic blew Holy Trinity's doors off 55-7 to silence the naysayers. Cocoa continues to be a thorn in Dunnellon's side after a 35-0 loss ends the Tigers season.
This deep into the playoffs, teams are hitting their stride. Follow along as we break down the X-factors and next steps for Marion County playoff teams.
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And then there were two...
The playoffs can be a cruel mistress. One wrong move and your dance can be over in a blink of an eye. Dunnellon experienced that fate Friday night while fighting Cocoa tooth and nail.
That leaves Trinity Catholic and Vanguard in search of state championship glory. Win and survive is the name of the game, and neither team wants to end the season on this side of Tallahassee.
What's next for Trinity Catholic?
The Celtics hit the road after proving why they earned home advantage in the first round. Their next stop will be with top seeded Melbourne Central Catholic.
One hundred fifty miles and four quarters of competitive play separates Trinity Catholic from back-to-back final four appearances. They've already started to dive into film to prepare for the Hustlers.
What's next for Vanguard?
The regional finals are a day after Thanksgiving. Fortunately for Vanguard, it will only need to drive to Booster Stadium to play an undefeated Lake Wales team. It's the 1-2 matchup every fan of the 3S bracket has waited on.
The Knights' last trip to the regional final was 2021, where they lost to Jones 28-26. Armed with home field advantage and difference makers at every major position on the field.
The Preston Wright Show
Wright threw strikes like he was back on the mound during Trinity Catholic's first-round win. He found four receivers for four touchdowns in the game. That's a season high for the junior quarterback.
Since the P.K. Yonge district title game, Wright's taken his play to another level. He's thrown 17 touchdown passes this season, and eight have come in the last three games. Whether it's the offense opening or Wright ascending at the right time, the Celtics only benefit when he's playing well.
There's X factors then there's...
Tayjuan Leslie-Farmer is becoming one of the most underrated weapons in Marion County football. The senior speed demon has a chance to blow past defense and break through the goal line with a field of defenders in his wake.
Friday night, Leslie-Farmer totaled more than 100 all purpose yards with the two touchdowns. It's his fourth game crossing the 100-yard plateau and his second time doing it during the playoffs. He has that big play energy you can't teach.
Vanguard's linebacker core deserves a shoutout, too. Markell Davis reeled in a pick six. Terrance and Josiah Farmer both recovered fumbles to shift the game in the first half.
Gerald Lawton, John Hayes, and Austin Holder were three of the seven players to break into the end zone against Holy Trinity. Their speed and shiftiness helped them make dynamic plays to push the Celtics into the semifinals.
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Preston Wright steps up, Knight make big play and more in playoff games
