This weekend the drive for the 7 on 7 State Tournament in College Station gets thrown into overdrive with several state qualifying tournament on the slate, including the first of four scheduled tournaments in Central Texas this year with a loaded 16-team qualifier at Round Rock High.

Several of the area's top prospects have their respective teams in the field, including James Kirkendoll and Alex Russian (Round Rock), Detron Lewis and Drew Dudley (A&M Consolidated), Jeremy Kerley (Hutto), and Joseph Reese and Josh Gaines (Pflugerville Hendrickson)..

The field already features one team (Brenham) that has qualified for the state tournament and two other teams (A&M Consolidated and Brownwood) that were in the 64-team state tournament last season.

2006 ROUND ROCK SQT POOL PREVIEWS & PICKS

POOL A

Austin Bowie

Brady

Brenham

Round Rock Westwood

Brenham might be the best overall team in the field with blue chip quarterback Jarrett Lee and Texas bound tight end Ahmard Howard among a fleet of Division I prospects. The Cubs however cannot advance beyond pool play as they qualified for the state tournament in the Houston Texans qualifier two weeks ago leaving three teams vying for a spot in the semifinals. Westwood, led by quarterback Chase Rich and a fleet of experienced receivers, operates regularly from the shotgun making them likely candidates to succeed at 7 on 7. Bowie, outside of Brenham, has the best collection of athletes in the pool with the likes of Eric Bishop and Jordan Wehr and more often than not, the team with the best athletes usually has the best success in the 7 on 7 format. JEFF'S PICK: Austin Bowie

POOL B

Austin High

Belton

Burnet

Round Rock

On paper this pool is Round Rock's to lose. The Dragons have one of the state's best receivers in the class of 2007, James Kirkendoll as well as speedy athlete Jimmie Anderson and a Division I tight end prospect in Alex Russian. Belton has two very good-looking underclassmen in Keith Daniels and Khiry Robinson as well as senior-to-be Brandon Wilde, who is one of the biggest sleeper prospects in the area. Burnet will definitely be a factor in pool play with Thomas Levens, a two-way all-District selection last season, leading the charge. Austin High has a sleeper prospect of their own in dual threat quarterback Cameron Jones but what the Maroons have in the cupboard beyond their fleet-footed signal caller is unknown. JEFF'S PICK: Round Rock

POOL C

A&M Consolidated

Hutto

Pflugerville Hendrickson

Round Rock McNeil

This pool is oozing with talent and top to bottom looks like the best pool of the four. Consol competed very well in the Houston Texans qualifier two weeks ago and with help of Lewis, Dudley, and Daniel Palmer they look like one of the best bets to qualify. But it will not be easy especially with Hendrickson boasting Reese, who has already committed to Texas A&M and might be the best overall player in the tournament. Hutto's Kerley is right there with Reese in terms of being the best overall player in the tournament. McNeil's Chase Markette looked good throwing the ball last season when he was under center and he and players like Desabian Washington will need to step up big time if the Mavericks are to advance to the semifinals. JEFF'S PICK: A&M Consolidated

POOL D

Brownwood

Cedar Park

Cuero

Pflugerville

Brownwood made the Sweet 16 in the last year's state qualifying tournament, but key contributors Kye Darden and Bart Johnson among a host of others are gone due to graduation. Cedar Park has one of the area's best kept secrets in running back Tyler Smith and they last qualified for the state tournament two years ago when they made a run to the state quarterfinals later in the fall. If Reggie Madu takes the field for Pflugerville then they might have enough to make it through the pool as they have plenty of talent, like Melvin Green, to go along with playmaking defensive back. When things are all said and done however, Cuero might be the last team standing as the Gobblers have several outstanding players including receiver Trey Gray. JEFF'S PICK: Cuero

SEMIFINAL PICKS:

AUSTIN BOWIE vs. ROUND ROCK

The Dragons appear to have too much firepower for the Bulldogs to handle. JEFF'S PICK: Round Rock

A&M CONSOLIDATED vs. CUERO

This should be a very good matchup with the slight edge going to Consol, but how much energy will the Tigers need to expend to get out of pool play will become a huge factor. JEFF'S PICK: A&M Consolidated

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME PICK:

ROUND ROCK vs. A&M CONSOLIDATED

The title game is a mute point since both participants will be headed for College Station, but the Dragons get the nod to win their host tournament. JEFF'S PICK: Round Rock