Area teams gear up for state 7-on-7 championship tourney

It wouldn’t be the second weekend of July without the state 7-on-7 tournament. The mid-summer event has become etched in the fabric of the Texas high school football off-season. This game’s popularity has expanded to where 128 teams from all classifications are participating.

While success in the tournament doesn’t serve as a precursor for what’s to come for the upcoming season, players are still competing at a high level and for a championship. Plus, football has evolved into a game where continuous offseason repetitions will mean something in the fall.

Of course, no high school coaches can be involved with these teams. They are run by third-party coaches.

When the state 7-on-7 tournament began in 1998, there was one division. It expanded to two in 2007.

Class 5A and 6A teams are in Division I. The lower classifications are in Division II. The two championships run Thursday-Saturday at Veterans Park in College Station. Teams start in four-team pools where teams will play the other three. The top two team advance to the championship bracket. The bottom two play in the consolation bracket.

Northeast Tarrant County is more than well represented. Carroll, Byron Nelson and Colleyville Heritage will all be competing in Division I.

Here’s a look at all three teams:

Carroll Dragons

Qualified: Justin Northwest tournament on May 30

Pool J: Carroll, Dickinson, Round Rock McNeil Abilene

Last state 7-on-7 championship: 1998, 2013

Notable: The Dragons will not have quarterback Montana Murphy for this tournament. Murphy is recovering from a back injury. However, Mason Holmes has been running this team for the entire 7-on-7 season. There will be significant contributors including wide receiver Zach Farrar and running back Lil’Jordan Humphrey. Defensively, Obi Eboh will lead that unit. It’s hoped that safety Robert Barnes will be able to play. He has been nursing a hamstring injury. The common denominator for the latter four is that they are Division I recruits. The Dragons should be the considered the favorite in this pool.

Colleyville Heritage Panthers

Qualified: Arlington Bowie tournament on June 20

Pool O: Colleyville Heritage, Richmond George Ranch, The Woodlands, Fort Worth All Saints

Last state 7-on-7 championship: 2006

Notable: The Panthers came on strong at the end and went undefeated at Bowie as they qualified to advance. They are being led by senior quarterback Jacob Shepherd. Defensively, defensive back Reid Harrison-Ducros has led that group. Colleyville Heritage won the last state 7-on-7 tournament before it split into two divisions. But the last time the Panthers won it, that team went on to the Class 5A Division I state quarterfinals. This is a pretty tough field for Colleyville Heritage. The Woodlands is a traditional Class 6A Top 10 program during the fall. Fort Worth All Saints is making its first appearance but always has talent.

Northwest Nelson Bobcats

Qualified: Frisco Liberty tournament on May 23

Pool N: Byron Nelson, Mesquite Horn, Manvel, Lindale

Last state 7-on-7 championship: None

Notable: The Bobcats are returning to the state tournament, but this is a really tough pool. Manvel’s football program features double-digit Division I recruits, led by athlete D’Eriq King, who has committed to TCU. Mesquite Horn has a tremendous quarterback-wide receiver combination of junior QB Chris Robison (committed to Oklahoma) and senior wide receiver Jared Atkinson (committed to Baylor). But the Bobcats feature their own wide receiver threats in Brandon Bowen, who will be playing Division I ball somewhere, and intriguing junior wide receiver Pascal Mondambo. This will be a good test for senior quarterback Preston Haire.

This story was originally published July 6, 2015 at 3:13 PM with the headline "Area teams gear up for state 7-on-7 championship tourney."