Trip to state 7-on-7 tourney shows Panthers’ buy-in

The Colleyville Heritage football staff has worked to put a mantra into the heads of their players – if you come, the program will build.

This offseason, it has taken hold as the program has seen numbers increase during voluntary summer workouts.

The results have already begun to appear.

For the first time in four years, the Colleyville Heritage 7-on-7 team earned a berth in the state tournament, held each year in College State.

“The number of guys we have to show up to voluntary workouts has been key,” Panther 7-on-7 coach Ryan Young said. “The coaches have done a really good job of contacting these athletes and encouraging them to just be engaged. The athletes have done a really good job of engaging, showing up and really working hard.”

The Panthers walked through the June 20 qualifying tournament at Pennington Field undefeated, thanks to strong defensive play by senior cornerback and Bosie State commit Reid Harrison-Ducros and offensive leadership from senior quarterback Jacob Shepherd.

“Reid Harrison-Ducros has been great,” Young said. “Whenever he’s on the field, just his presence and his leadership helps raise the level of play from the other athletes on the field, especially the younger guys.”

Heritage is a No. 2 seed in Pool O, which features Fort Worth All Saints, Richmond George Range and The Woodlands. The Panthers open play against top-seeded All Saints when the tournament begins Friday.

However, just earning the tournament berth isn’t enough of a turnaround for Young.

“I think they understand there’s still a lot of work to be done,” he said. “Even though we qualified, I think you see where we’re ranked in the tournament they still have a lot to prove on the field. It’s one thing to qualify and be a part of the 64 and another to go down and really have a good showing.”

Success at state 7-on-7 would be positive momentum after a 5-6 season in the fall and a first round exit from the playoffs at the hands of what would be the 6A Division II state champions, Cedar Hill.

“What I’ve got from the guys that are going is they’re hungry and they’re ready to show that they’re going to be a formidable opponent in the fall in the state,” Young said.

This story was originally published July 6, 2015 at 3:19 PM with the headline "Trip to state 7-on-7 tourney shows Panthers’ buy-in."