Pool A -

Hays Consolidated

Houston Langham Creek- Qualified at Cy Falls SQT. Few people expected the Lobos to bounce back after Ross Jenkins graduated but they have bounced back with Ross' brother Max looking to fill his brother's shoes. The Lobos have other quality quarterbacks to add depth but the highlight show is back in Tyler Melton. He gives the Lobos one of the best receivers in the entire tournament. Give credit to the defense for their play in the 7 on 7's to date also. They have played well and have come up with crucial plays when needed. Creek has a good shot of being in the winners bracket on Saturday, Wylie and Frenship are the two teams that might cause them the most problems.

Wolfforth Frenship- Frenship qualified by winning their own tournament after falling in the semi-finals to Rockwall at the Abilene SQT. Frenship is led by QB Seth Doege who put up tremendous numbers at Class 2A Crane as a sophomore. Doege could use the state tournament as a stepping stone (no pun intended) to make himself a household name on the state recruiting scene. WR/DB Clay West is his favorite target, Frenship doesn't have any blazing athletes but they are extremely solid and they don't beat themselves and will be a tough out for anyone.

Wylie- The Wylie Pirates have been a 7 on 7 mainstay over the past few years. The Pirates had a huge win last year upending the Southlake Carroll dragons in the championship bracket. This year, Wylie will have one of the most sought after quarterback recruits in the field with Patrick Witt. Tyler O'Quinn is his favorite target - and those two can win a game on their own. The rest of the Pirate Crew will have to step up for Wylie to have a successful run in the pool. Wylie was able to qualify at their own tournament, but lost in the championship game. The Pirates are more of an offensive team, with a defense that makes timely plays. If a team can shut down O'Quinn, Wylie is very beatable.

Pool B -

Beaumont Ozen- qualified at Houston Texans SQT (Sunday). Let's see, a college bound QB, London Durham, check. Two excellent receivers, Ronnie Fontenot and Herbert Labove, check. Two lock down cornerbacks, Ben Wells and Ryan Clark, check. Yup, they have the qualities to make noise in the state tournament. Ozen will compete with Lake Travis and Plano East for the two spots in the winner's bracket. Figure Plano East is the strongest team in this pool then that means Ozen has to take out Lake Travis and Cy Springs to get into the winner's bracket.

Cypress Springs- qualified at Cy Creek SQT. The Panthers qualified early in the 7 on 7 season and have been getting ready for the 7 on 7 state championship since then. The big playmaker on offense is Josh Lewis who is one of the best running backs in the state, he will be the favorite target at the tournament. Look for Matt Holquin and Lonnie Teal to get lots of look their way also. Panthers are strong in the secondary which is what is a must for the 7 on 7 season. Troy Randle and Randone Allen will lead the way for the secondary and have some of the tough matchups. They are in a very tough pool with Plano East expected to take this pool with Lake Travis and Ozen also being strong contenders. They will have to play near perfect ball to play in the winners bracket on Saturday.

Lake Travis-

Plano East- The Panthers have won both tournaments they have been in - ousting Southlake Carroll at the unofficial Hebron SQT and defeating Wylie at their own tournament. The Wylie tournament was the only SQT that Plano East was enrolled in. Three quarterbacks may rotate their way into the East roster. Recruiting fans will be at East games to watch the best linebacker in the state, Keenan Robinson. From A to Z, East probably has the most talent in the field. Although one long bomb or one tipped pass can keep a team from realizing a win, the Panthers should enjoy a long run in the state tournament. East's strength is defense this year, so some players on their offensive side will have to step up to make a run.

POOL C

Alvin - qualified at Alvin SQT. This team qualified early at their own tournament. They don't have the strong veteran QB you like going into the seven on seven state championship tournament. The team has played very good as a team, though they lack the star qualities that other teams have. This is not a particularly tough pool but I would slot them behind Wharton and Boswell in the pool pickings.

SA Clark- qualified at Brownwood SQT. Same problem as Alvin, no marquee quarterback, in fact they have no college prospects on the offensive side of the ball. They will have to play top notch ball as a team to have a chance in this pool. Greg Orr and Barry Pillow provide an excellent DB tandem to hold the offenses down.

Saginaw Boswell

Boswell qualified in the first round of DFW qualifying by winning the Granbury SQT in impressive fashion. Boswell is led by QB Taylor Weidman who has a cannon arm and has been prone to mistakes in the past but he seems to have settled down this summer. WR Paul Jacobs is Weidman's favorite target, keep an eye on RB Nate Smith who brings a much needed element of speed to the table for the Pioneers. The Boswell D is led by LB Sam Vest who has good size but is surprisingly agile. Boswell other than Smith doesn't have great speed and they rely on execution and not making mistakes to win games.

Wharton- Qualified at Rosenberg Terry SQT. They have two important qualities in the 7 on 7 games, a good quarterback and a great wide receiver. This is a passing team so they are used to airing it up thus giving them an extra advantage in the tournament. They played well at Rosenberg and knocked off a team with a lot more talent than them.

POOL D

Midlothian is a relative newcomer to the state 7 on 7 scene but they served notice as they upset Grapevine in the semi-finals of the Weatherford SQT earning a trip to the big dance. The amazing thing about the Midlothian upset was they did it without WR Ricky Simpson who has developed into a Division 1 prospect. Simpson should be 100% for the state tournament and that could mean good news for the Panthers. Junior QB Jake Phillippe has a big time arm and is developing into a big time QB in his own right, keep an eye on RB Bob Jackson who is shifty and very dangerous on the underneath routes. Midlothian would be a favorite to win some pools at this tournament but Pool D looks to be very difficult and it may be asking too much of the Panthers to knock off some of the powers in their pool.

Pearland- qualified at Alvin SQT. Sam Proctor transfered from Dobie making Coach Tony Heath very happy and he helps to round out one of the best overall offense in the Houston Area. They have a college bound running back in Foswhitt Whitaker who is very good at catching passes, plus a play making wide receiver in Roosevelt Weeks. Defensively they need more than just Jerod Stewart to have a big tournament, they have a tough pool and teams like Tyler Lee and Stephenville have multiple targets who are used to getting the ball. If you line this pool on the football field with pads then they would have a good chance of coming out the winner, but 7 on 7 has never been Pearland's strong suit.

Stephenville- Stephenville is a dangerous team at this tournament, young QB Cody Spano is super-talented and he is getting better each week. Stephenville has two excellent WR's in Brent McElfresh and Hunter Hendershot and they boast a host of other solid receivers who run solid routes and have great hands. DB Cody Davis was second team all-state as a sophomore but other than Davis the 'Jackets struggle against athletic teams in seven on seven play. Stephenville should advance into the championship round of play but unless things break right for them don't look for them to be around long on Saturday as eventually their luck will run out and they'll run into a team with athletes.

Tyler Lee- Tyler Lee is looking to rebound from their disappointing 2005 season and a disappointing showing at the 2005 7 on 7 state tournament where they went 0-3 in pool play. DB Tekerrien Cuba is as good as it gets patrolling the secondary and he is a threat to pick one off and take it to the end zone at anytime. On offense Lee boasts tremendous speed and athleticism, WR Jacob Amie looks like a linebacker but he runs like a deer and has great hands. QB Marcus Jackson has a big arm and he continues to improve on his decision making. RB Jazsman Mitchell boasts sub 4.4 speed and is dangerous on the deep ball. Lee when on their game is as good as any team in the state and they are a threat if clicking to repeat their performance in 2004 when they won the 7 on 7 state tournament.

Pool E -

Alamo Heights- qualified at Alamo Heights SQT. This is a team to watch out for. They have all the components you want in a seven on seven championship team. Quarterback Giovanni Vizza is very good, one of Central Texas' best, plus he is a senior so he won't rattle easily. They have three legit weapons on offense in Bobby Broadnax, Colton Haverda and Sam Diberell. Broadnoax is the only junior of the bunch. On defense Adam Bridgeman will get the tougher assignment and Charles Thaddeus will man the middle for the Mules. They have a ton of weapons and are good at 7 on 7. Still this is a tough pool and they have to knock off Katy Taylor or John Tyler to get to the winners bracket.

Katy Taylor- qualified at Houston Texans SQT (Saturday). The Mustangs have been one of the best 7 on 7 teams and this year they got their invite to the big dance out of the way early. Quarterback Robbie Woods leads the way on offense and is back for his senior campaign. The Mustangs like to spread the ball around to several targets and they use the team concept to it's fullest on offense. Cameron Sanford, who also plays quarterback, is one of the targets to throw to. The defensive side of the ball have five standouts who are college prospects to help on that side of the ball, they should be very good at keeping the tougher offenses down. Defenders Marchellous Martin, Blake Burkett, Jay York and Wayne McNeil give the team the most talented set of defenders they have brought to the 7 on 7 tournament. This is a tough pool with Alamo Heights and John Tyler being strong teams and Weatherford a frequent name in the 7 on 7 ranks.

Tyler John Tyler almost qualified at the Paris tournament before finally qualifying at the Tyler Lee/Tyler ISD tournament in Tyler. Defensive speed for Tyler John Tyler is amazing. Quarterback play is above average, and they have a 6'5 receiver named Martion Brown that although looks fragile, can haul down a jump ball which makes them deadly. They have a mix of athleticism but can be beat by a consistent attack usually associated with 7 on 7 teams like Baytown Lee, Arlington Lamar and Celina.

Weatherford will be playing with a short hand at the state tournament as their speedster RB/DB Willie Fielder will miss the state tournament due to family obligations. The Kangaroos qualified as the normally do at the Grapevine SQT, finishing runner up to host school Grapevine. Weatheford's key on offense at the state tournament will be the play of young QB Briley Worthington, if he is on Weatherford has a chance to advance out of a very tough pool if he struggles Weatherford could go 0-3. The Weatherford defense is led by a relative unknown however DB Austin White is a prototypical cover corner with good size and great feet. Weatherford is in maybe the toughest pool in the tournament and it will be extremely difficult for the 'Roos to advance to the championship round of the state tournament.

POOL F

Cypress Falls- Qualified at Cy Falls SQT. Cy Falls might have the best set of receivers in the tournament in Roger Holland and Jack Freeman, if Freeman plays. Both are playmakers and will be tough to handle in single coverage. At quarterback senior Jeff Welch took over late in the season and is looking to show what he can do in a full season. Shane Turner is another prospect to watch on offense. The questions are in the defensive side of the ball. Linebacker Derrick Stephens is the lone college prospect on that side of the ball and linebackers are mostly irrelevant in 7 on 7's though Stephens has great speed. Falls has a favorable pool draw and a great offense that should give them the edge in pool play.

El Paso Hanks

QB Omar Garcia is as good as it gets out in West Texas as he was the El Paso area MVP as a junior throwing for 31 touchdown passes. Garcia has the ability to take over a game by himself and with 7 on 7 being a game where the QB can dominate Hanks is not to be overlooked. Garcia has three targets he normally relies on Joe Enriquez, Garrick Harris and Quintin Pettis. Harris and Pettis are also mainstays on the Knights defense. Hanks will be tough early in the day but a lack of depth may come back to bite the Knights and keep them from advancing to the championship round in a wide-open pool.

Lewisville Hebron

It took Hebron a long time and a long drive to Lufkin to qualify but the Hawks will once again be at the state tournament. Hebron has been a classic Jekyll and Hyde act thus far in the summer managing to play two stellar games in every tournament but then laying an egg in their tournaments which kept them from qualifying. Finally the Hawks got it together and qualified at Lufkin. Hebron is led by QB Brian Aubuchon and super talented WR/DB Chris Miller who is a highlight reel waiting to happen. Keep en eye on LB Max Blue he is a prototype LB who can also cover. If Hebron can avoid laying the egg in pool play they are a threat to not only win their pool but possibly make some noise on Saturday.

Victoria Memorial- Qualified at Rosenberg Terry SQT. This team is gritty, they showed at The Woodlands SQT that they can make big plays and big comebacks when needed. There really is no marquee player on this squad but you have a series of guys making big plays and stepping up at various times. On offense some of the players to watch are Cleat Cooley and Andreas Foster while on defense Alvin Ford has played very well. Cy Falls is the favorite in this pool but Memorial should be favored against Hebron but that will depend on which Hebron team shows up.

POOL G

Arlington Lamar is one of two teams to have qualified for every state tournament and the Vikings once again continue their yearly trip to College Station. Lamar punched their ticket to College Station at the Southlake Carroll SQT. RB Housen Maxwell is listed as a running back but during 7 on 7 he lines up at WR and with his blazing speed and good hands he is one of the most dangerous receivers in the tournament. Lamar boasts several young WR's who are also dangerous especially 6'4 Sean Harrison who is as tough a cover as anyone in the tournament. The Lamar D also possess a shutdown corner in Lawrence Idiata. Lamar when hitting on all cylinders is nearly impossible to slow down if they are on they are a threat to win it all.

Houston Bellaire- Qualified at the Houston Madison SQT. The Cardinals are one of the most talented team on the offensive side of the ball in the entire tournament. Max Flinn is not only an excellent quarterback but an outstanding baseball prospect. He has quite a few quality receivers in Jeremiah Stewart, Lee Bryant, Donovan Estes and Glynn King. Also BRoderick Flowers and Patrick McGehee are note worthy on the offensive side of the ball. The defense is a bit shaky and has given up points. The big name on that side of the bal is Phillip Grove. This is not an easy pool with one team not your traditional 7 on 7 power, Westwood. That means Bellaire has to knock off Permian or Lamar to go to the winners bracket.

Odessa Permian returns to the state tournament after a hiatus in 2005, WR Bront Bird boasts great size and tremendous hands. MOJO also has excellent athleticism on offense with WR Lavorick Williams and RB Robert Murray. The Permian defense is led by DB Melvis Pride. Permian made the semi-finals at the Abilene SQT but fell to Copperas Cove, they rebounded the following week with a runner-up finish at the Frenship SQT to earn a trip to the state tournament. Permian is a solid team, however they are in a tough pool and it may be tough for them to advance to the championship round of play.

Round Rock Westwood-

Pool H

Georgetown

Houston Lamar- Qualified at the Houston Madison SQT. This is one talented squad with some serious offensive talent to boot. It starts at quarterback with Demetrius Woods who has a chance to show he is one of the best quarterbacks in the state. He has a variety of receivers but running backs Eric Eiland and Jeremy Craft. Defensively they will count on linebackers DeWayne Buggs and Plasee Conway to lead the group.

The Plano Wildcats made an impressive 7 on 7 run last year before being ousted in a close game by Bay City, in a game that might have been mismatched due to bracket confusion. The Wildcats have continued their 7 on 7, and although it is a different playbook, it has worked well. They qualified using several different quarterbacks before their primary QB, Greg Harrell (no relation to the famous Ennis family) returned from vacation. Rex Burkhead is a beast - and he hasn't stepped foot in a Plano Senior High classroom as of yet - he is a sophomore to be. Kris Lott is a name to watch out for as well - also a sophomore but has pretty good lineage. Plano is a methodical team that plays very aggressive defense but can be beat by pure athleticism without making mistakes.

Port Arthur Memorial- Qualified at West Orange Stark SQT. Port Arthur has performed very well in recent years at the state tournament. Though this team is considered to be a bit down compared to other teams brought they area still fast, athletic and can make plays. On the offensive side of the ball Davon Lewis is the quarterback and playmaker. He has a variety of receivers available but so far none has developed into that consistant go to guy. They qualified at West Orange Stark where they won but barely each time but in the championship game they nearly beat West Orange Stark. This is a tough team to face because they have so many new faces on the varsity so players are still establishing themselves and it is hard to make a book on how to beat them. If they get on a roll they will do well but Lamar looks to be favored in this one.

POOL I

Abilene

Many though Abilene High would struggle but junior QB Spens Lackey has shown he is more than ready to step in and lead the War Eagles. His favorite target is junior WR Kourtney McDow who could be the next big time WR from Abilene. The Eagles are much more athletic on defense this year and that could spell trouble for potential opponents, Keith Brown and Brian Johnson are the top performers on the defense. Look for Abilene to make a strong showing this year, it may be tough to top their 4th place finish last year at the state tournament especially as they are looking at a rematch of their 3rd place game last year in pool play.

Burnet

Colleyville Heritage

Despite losing QB Christian Ponder, Heritage is still extremely dangerous. QB Casey Russell continues to progress and he could make a name for himself at this tournament. WR Breece Johnson is his favorite target, the rest of the receivers are young and inexperience but they are all solid. The defense doesn't have the athleticism across the board like last year but LB Matt Howe has scouts drooling with his combination of size and speed. Colleyville is in a tough pool with Abilene, Burnet and Cypress Creek the four teams in the pool are all evenly matched Pool I will be one to watch.

Cy Creek- qualified at Cinco Ranch SQT. They did not make it out of pool play in their own tournament based on the points tiebreaker after losing to Mayde Creek. However they had perhaps their top offensive player out and several players out for SAT's and other things going on. Qualifying at Cinco Ranch they got by Katy to get into the finals where they lost to Cinco Ranch 40-33. This is another team that uses the complete team concept to get victories but still the loss of DJ Harper has hurt them and will hamper their chances at the tournament.

Pool J -

Baytown Lee- qualified at Houston Texans SQT (Sunday). Last year they won the entire tournament and this year they are dominating 7 on 7 once again. They qualified in the first tournament and now they have gone 11-0 in three tournaments with only two games decided by less than two touchdowns. Interestingly enough both of those games were the third game of the day after they had already clinched winning their pools. They are strong, very strong and will push for back to back titles this season. They have a good quarterback in Jeremy Moses, who has been to three of these now, plus a pair of quality receivers in Jarvis Moore and Rashad Mohammed. On defense they have two college quality defensive backs in Reggie Butler and Thomas Bates.

Bryan-

Graham

Graham qualified early on with a runner up finish at the Granbury SQT, the Steers are led by WR Chance McCoy and QB Cody Stansell. The Steers don't blow you away with size or speed but they have good depth for a 3A team and they are extremely scrappy especially on defense the Steers fly around and are always getting their hands on a pass making things difficult for the opposing offense. Unfortunatley for the Steers they are in a loaded pool with defending champ Baytown Lee and the ultra athletic North Mesquite Stallions.

North Mesquite- It was a tale of two tournaments for North Mesquite - in Wylie, North Mesquite went 0-3 in a very strong pool. At the Rockwall tournament, North Mesquite put it together for a 5-0 run to qualify for the state championship. The Stallions will use two quarterbacks, but one of the best is Junior Blair Johnson. North Mesquite's bread and better is the deep ball in conjunction with an aggressive defense. North Mesquite is not a move the ball down the field methodically team. They like to go over the middle and deep. Aaron Williams is a beast on both sides of the ball and may make some plays for North Mesquite to be increasingly successful.

POOL K

Alief Elsik- qualified at Katy Mayde Creek SQT. They were a bit of a surprise team to get this far. They are not a strong 7 on 7 team and they got a favorable slotting to make it to the state tournament. In their pool was a qualified Katy Taylor along with Mayde Creek and Atascocita, a team in it's first year. Still you have got to give it to them, they went out and beat other teams out there in a tournament that does not play to their strong suit. The lack the star player that other teams that have qualified for the tournament have. Their top two players are junior Jeremy Hills who plays running back, and senior Pat Shankle who plays defensive back. They will enjoy the trip to College Station but they should temper their hopes as Brownwood, Edcouch-Elsa and Southlake Carroll are very good 7 on 7 teams.

Brownwood-

Edcouch-Elsa

The road warriors of SQT the Yellow Jackets qualified out of the El Paso Hanks SQT which was only an 800 mile trip! Edcouch-Elsa is on a mission to show the state that the Valley is no pushover and they have the athletes to give teams big time problems. QB George Rubio has a big time arm and is a natural leader, he has a fleet footed stable of receivers including Mark Cardenas who also doubles as the team's top DB. The Yellow Jackets will be especially dangerous during the early part of pool play, however their lack of depth may be an issue late in the day. Perennial 7 on 7 powers Brownwood and Southlake Carroll should not overlook this team.

Southlake Carroll- Everyone knows the names, Riley Dodge, Tre Newton, Arius Ford, Anthony Ford we could go on for days. Southlake is as dangerous anyone on the offensive side of the ball. WR Anthony Ford along with Blake Cantu are both speed burners who run crisp routes and they have great hands. Dodge continues to improve as a leader and he has a cannon for an arm. Arius Ford is a prototype cover corner and can shut down an entire side of the field. SLC with their offensive firepower is a threat to win any tournament they ever enter but they are also everyone's Super Bowl and they'll get their opponents best effort every game.

Pool L -

Austin Westlake-

Katy Cinco Ranch- qualified at Cinco Ranch SQT. This team has been doing well at the Katy ISD mid-week tournaments but this is a very tough pool. In their favor they have a talented quarterback in senior J.J. McDermott plus another nice option in Shane Ross who can play multiple positions. A nice target is Joe Wiesner who plays tight end in the regular season. Defensively Curtis Fuhr and Matt Harris are the go to guys to slow down the other side. Westlake and West Orange Stark are the favorites in this pool but Cinco Ranch is right there with them.

Sherman- The Bearcats only entered one tournament in the 7 on 7 season, but they made the most of it. Most thought their Pool D appearance would be quickly outlived by Arlington Bowie - but after they made it past Bowie in a memorable overtime game, everyone scoffed at making it past a pool C winner which featured teams like Celina, Gilmer, Tyler John Tyler and Marlin. Sherman did that as well to advance. This is a young team with speed and a team that plays very intense defense. Sherman does not play high scoring games. They rely on a methodical attack to make plays. Taylor Dunlap and Matt Rome often alternate QB'ing during the regular season but mostly Dunlap takes the 7 on 7 snaps. The Bearcats will have to continue that defensive lockdown style - and due to their style they will be in most games - and in a game where a possession or a stop can matter, Sherman has proven it can be a force in its first 7 on 7 state appearance.

West Orange Stark- Qualified at West Orange Stark SQT. They dominated their own tournament defeating two seven on seven state tournament bound teams in Port Arthur and Edcouch-Elsa. What this team has is speed, more speed, and even more speed. Texas commit Earl Thomas has been fantastic in the 7 on 7's and shown his great hands that made him an early recruiting target by all the big schools. Jacoby Franks and DePaulrick Garrett are two more targets that can make plays and stretch out the defense. The players rotate to defense also and they have to watch out for that so they do not get too tired. On defense watch for junior Seth Thomas. This is a difficult pool and a good team will go to the Consolation Bracket on Saturday. The good news is that whoever from this pool goes to the consolation bracket will have a chance to go far in it.

Pool M -

Bandera- Qualified at Victoria SQT

Canton- Many thought that Canton after losing its top QB in GJ Kinne and its top WR in Houston Tuminello to Gilmer would be dead in the water. But, of East Texas 3A teams, Canton is the one that qualified out of the Paris tournament. Canton, which played intense football for the right to play Gilmer at the Paris tournament will have to find a way to bring that inspiration to the state tournament, especially with 2 strong 5A teams in their pool. Casey Bell and Travis Termin are now the focuses on the receiving corps without an all-stater to give them single coverage, and they will have to play big to have a chance in their pool. They have gone from a big play offense to a methodical 5-6 play drive on the 7 on 7 field offense. Defense may wilter in College Station heat as the team isn't very deep.

Rockwall was so close to beating Plano East at the Wylie pool, and then they were upset by North Mesquite at their own tournament. This team was determined and had to travel to qualify, but they did make the state tournament, and they are a dangerous team. In losing to Plano East they went undefeated in a strong pool which included Plano. They lost a heartbreaker to North Mesquite. This team can compete with the big boys. They rarely get blown out in 7 on 7 tournaments, and if a good streak of consistency and luck hit, they are a darkhorse simply because of their style. They are not a team that will throw 45 yard passes every single play. They love to throw to the sidelines and take what the defense will get them - which is very similar to their 11 man style. They do not take their style and shove it down their opponents throats. They do have some game breakers - Marcus Mathis, a running back can catch the ball short and take it to the house if he gets a crease. Tony Dabney is a pretty strong receiver as well and has hands like super glue. Braden Smith is a new QB but he makes good reads and doesn't make many mistakes.

Spring Westfield- Qualified at The Woodlands SQT. This is not the power house Westfield teams of the past few years. They have talent but it is not near the level it has been in previous seasons. Cameon Winn is the new quarterback and he has been okay but has not found his stride at this point. He has made several very nice passes and shows signs of getting comfortable back there, if he finds that spot the Mustangs could roll. The strength is the defense where you have players like Luther Eta, Broderick Brown and Marcus Sanders looking to make stops. This pool is one of the weaker ones so Westfield looks good to be in the winners bracket if they play well against Canton and Bandera.

Pool N -

Arlington Bowie, won their own qualifying tournament and have a head of steam into the 7 on 7 tournament. Momentum can be so precious and so crucial in 7 on 7 football, and Bowie might be a darkhorse simply because of that. Kenny Perry, a noted 7 on 7 fan and coach has taken over the head coaching position so the kids know that 7 on 7 is important to the coaching staff and it is serious business. Rafael Sears is one of two quarterbacks Bowie uses. At 6'4 - the kid has good size and speed. Andre Richardson and Chris Jones exemplify the speed and athleticism Arlington Bowie has. This is a team that can be beat by a very athletic team and also a team that plays solid team ball. Bowie is solid all around, but if they play a team with a great offense, a great defense or a dink and dunk team, they could be in trouble.

Copperas Cove

Katy High- qualified at Katy Mayde Creek SQT. They have not played well this 7 on 7 season and managed to get in the playoffs in the last tournament in Houston. The varsity only returns seven lettermen so they are starting from scratch. On the plus side they have Michael Fuda and Aundre Dean who will be pushing for all-state mention this year. Fuda is as sure a bet as it gets on pass plays and if they can get in a groove going to him they will destroy a defense. Bo Mitchell is the quarterback of the team and has been solid to date. The defense is inexperienced in varsity play but they have three players who can play on the next level in Brad Graham, Trent Hunter and Terence Henry.

McAllen Rowe- qualified at McAllen SQT. They are the longest of long shots in the tournament. They came in second at the McAllen tournament but that team was not deep in quality 7 o 7 teams. Throw in that they are in a tough pool and their hopes begin to fade. They will have to play near flawlees controlled 7 on 7 football to win this one and they cannot get into a scoring war with the other teams. They have solid football players but do not have the size and speed to match up with the top tier college talent that Katy, cove and Bowie will bring.

Pool O -

Cypress Fairbanks- Qualified at The Woodlands SQT. Which Cy Fair team shows up? The one who struggled defensively at Cy Creek or the one than freight trained everyone at The Woodlands? Their go to guy is Sam McGuffie who is one of the top juniors in the entire state. He is probably the fastest player in the entire tournament and has great hands, he will be used early and often. Oliver Galloway and Micahel Elliott are two others to watch out for, both are very fast and will stretch the defenses. This is a team where you better have four quality defensive backs or you will be in trouble. Kevin Sandlin leads the stop troups, if they play like they did at The Woodlands then Cy Fair will go far on Saturday.

Haltom- The Buffalos Stampeded to the championship over Arlington Bowie at the 7 on 7 state qualifier in Arlington Bowie. The Buffalos played an emotional semifinal game against fellow Birdville ISD Bunkmate Richland. Haltom is a perennial state qualifier and a team that takes 7 on 7 to heart. Last year, the football world became acquainted with Kyle McDonald. Although listed 6'2 - 185 on the program, he's much closer to 6'4 or 6'5 and 210. He passes the eyeball test and has a rocket for an arm. Having the guys to go up and get the ball will be the key, but one of those players is senior receiver Brent Kennard. Haltom is not afraid of the deep ball. They will go for the end zone 5-6 times in any given tournament without having reached a first down. They also like going for it deep when they just have a couple of yards to go for a first. They are a team where defense isn't as emphasized as offense - but the players can make plays. McDonald is interception prone with the deep ball, but the team is very solid. They have no significant weaknesses other than consistency. They can beat a very good team and then lose to a very bad team, as evidenced by their pool play when they destroyed Lincoln and lost to Saginaw Boswell's pickup team in pool play.

San Benito- Qualified at McAllen SQT where they won the tournament. This is a solid pool and San Benito looks to have matchup problems espicially against a team like Cy Fair that can throw four players out there with a timed fourty of less than 4.5. They are a solid football team but the 7 on 7 tournament is won by top level quarterbacks and having lots of receivers who can get open. They just have a lot of bad matchups in their pool and they will have problems on the day. They should try to slow the game down and keep it to a few posessions each half and take their time so they don't get in scoring battles with the other teams.

West Mesquite is an unlikely qualifier, but a well deserving one. This is a team that did not participate in 7 on 7 until a position opened up at the Bowie tournament. They were untested in the tournament, playing teams that had already qualified and only needing to beat The Colony to advance. What caught the eyes of the experts was their dominating defensive performances in their games, even against JV and second string teams. West Mesquite though did not keep it together and they lost in the semifinals to Arlington Bowie. They were eager to take a trip to College Station either way and decided to go to the 7 on 7 tournament at A&M Consolidated. The Metroplex represented well as Richland won its pool C and West Mesquite won its pool D - and West Mesquite upended Richland for the final spot to make it to the pool. West Mesquite is not an offensive juggernaut, but they have size and speed on the defense. Scoring on this team is tough. If you go vertical, they have the height for jump balls and the speed to cover the edges. Their biggest question mark is the offensive consistency of the team.

POOL P

Brenham- qualified at Houston Texans SQT (Saturday). This might be the most talented team to take the field during the weekend. They have five high D1 players and several have already committed. You start off with perhaps the best quarterback in the tournament in Jarrett Lee, who has proven that he is money when the game is on the line. You give him receivers like Justin Daniels, Ahmard Howard and Brandon Collins and you have defensive backs having nightmares. Then on defense you have fast linebackers with defensive back speed in Ryan Roberson and Kyle Mangan with Collins and Shawn Sullivan at the deep safeties. There is plenty of depth here also. Last year they got booted in the first round of the Championship bracket, I will be shocked if that happens again.

Grapevine- The Mustangs are in a rebuilding mode in 2006 but they managed to win their own tournament. GHS struggled early on in SQT play but progressively got better each and every week and finally took home a state tournament berth at the Grapevine SQT. The Mustangs don't boast any big names but they are solid across the board and could give some of the big names in their pool, Pool P may be the toughest in the entire tournament as not only is perennial 7 on 7 power Grapevine sits in the pool along with super talented Brenham and Lufkin and don't underestimate Houston Stratford.

Houston Stratford- qualified at Cy Creek SQT.- Almost any other pool and they have to be the favorite. The team has been playing great ball during the 7 on 7 season even when Andrew Luck was not there. Luck is perhaps the best junior quarterback and could be the best overall QB in the tournament. He has a fantastic receiver in John Sorsby who is a great hands guy, he runs perfect routes, gets open and catches the ball. Brandon Carlin also contributes on the offense but this team likes to throw to a variety of targets. The defense does not have the big names but plays big and knows how to defense a 7 on 7 team.

Lufkin- Qualifed at Lufkin SQT. Perhaps the top team in Class 5A the Panthers went to the winners bracket last year but lost in the first round of the playoffs. All the makings of a championship team are there. Lots of returning seniors who are talented including the top wide receiver in the state. You have a great quarterback in Jeremy Clayborn who has been through a couple of these tournaments now. At receiver Dez Bryant is probably the top receiver around, plus you have Ralph Thomas and James Davis who are darn good in their own right. On defense AJ PEnson plays defensive end but he will be used at linebacker in the tournament. Darrius Terry is just a junior but he is one of the best defensive backs in the state. He will be joined by Joe Jackson and a host of seniors on the defensive side of the ball.