Best of the Best

FAYETTEVILLE — Lake Hamilton guns for its third straight passing title in the Vype Select 7-on-7 Tournament this weekend on the University of Arkansas campus. The Wolves won the Sonic Air Raid in Searcy and the Shootout of the South in Little Rock last month. The Wolves go for the sweep against the top passing teams from Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Texas. Lake Hamilton earned a berth the to the national tournament in Hoover, Ala. "It is going to be a good field," Lake Hamilton coach Jerry Clay said. "In 7-on-7 there's not a lot of difference," Clay said. "Anybody can beat anybody on any given day. The big thing on 7-on-7 with one half, it makes a big difference who has the ball first. That is a big advantage." Vype Arkansas Football magazine picked Lake Hamilton, last year's 6A runnerup, to win the 2008 6A title. Three more preseason No. 1's are competing for the title — Fayetteville (7A), Pulaski Academy (5A) and Lonoke (4A). Little Rock Christian ranks No. 2 in 5A and Nashville and Shiloh Christian No. 2 and No. 4 in 4A, respectively. Ten other teams rank in the Top 10 of their respective classes. Blue Valley (Kan.) High coach Steve Rampy's teams won 5A state titles in 1991, 1998, 2003 and 2006. The tournament also features some of the region's top college recruits. Lake Hamilton senior quarterback Phillip Butterfield is Vype's No. 1 ranked quarterback, and the No. 6 overall player. Butterfield committed to Tulsa and Springdale quarterback Ashton Glaser recently pledged to Missouri. Little Rock Christian's Griffin Kuhn and Pulaski Academy's Spencer Keith also attract college interest. "I'm a little biased, but I like Phillip," Clay said. "Philip is a winner. His main thing is he is a gamer. He may not have the strongest arm, or be the most accurate passer, but he is very smart and gets the job done. He showed a lot of courage in the pocket last year and ignored the rush and threw 40-yard touchdown passes with guys in his face." PA senior receiver Neal Barlow ranks as the No. 4 recruit and has several Division I offers. Lake Hamilton senior receivers Josh Proffit and Tauno Vannucci each earned Vype 6A Squad honors. Little Rock Christian junior running back Michael Dyer (more than 2,400 rushing yards last fall) will be one of the nation's top recruits in the 2010 class. "This is going to be a good tournament," Clay said. "Our kids are excited (about playing at the UA). We have really been preparing for this tournament and nationals the past few weeks."