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St. Thomas More quarterback Caleb Holstein gets off pass against Teurlings Catholic during their high school football game Friday, Oct. 13, 2017 at Teurlings Catholic High School in Lafayette, La
Host of top area players featured on select 7-on-7 teams, still as controversial as it is popular
By Mike Coppage
The concept of elite 7-on-7 football — skill position players competing in a game of touch on a 40-yard field — doesn't convey its popularity or controversial nature.
Receivers, defensive backs and quarterbacks, the latter of whom have four seconds to throw a pass before an electronic timer is sounded, love it.
Hardcore recruiting fans flock to websites like 247Sports and Rivals, where readers can learn about prospects from across the state who combine to form all-star 7-on-7 teams that travel to tournaments in Atlanta, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
High school coaches, meanwhile, have a variety of opinions about select 7-on-7, which requires players to spend time away from their own school's team.
"I've dedicated five years to learning as much as I can about it," St. Thomas More offensive coordinator Shane Savoie said. "Right now we're in Year 3."
All three of Savoie's quarterbacks at STM dot the rosters of the two premier 7-on-7 programs in the state: the EPS Blaze and the Louisiana Bootleggers.
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Houston sends 16 teams to State 7-on-7
It is time to play for a football state championship - a 7-on-7 crown to be exact.
The annual State 7-on-7 Tournament takes center stage starting on Thursday in College Station at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex. The Division II and Division III Tournaments begin on Thursday, while the Division I Tournament begins on Friday.
The Houston area hasn't brought home the Division I State Championship since The Woodlands won it all back in 2016. Since 2005, Baytown Lee (05), Seven Lakes (2014) and The Woodlands (2016) have been the only Houston teams to bring back the title.
College Station is the defending champion heading into this year and will open play in Pool G with Parkland, Pearce and United. So, which Houston team could upend the reigning champs?
Houston is sending 16 teams to the tournament this weekend in Division I play and this is how their pool assignments played out.
- POOL A - A&M Consolidated, Arlington, Bridgeland, John Tyler
- POOL B - Anderson (Austin), Bowie (Arlington), Klein Cain, Lufkin
- POOL C - Eastwood (El Paso), Horn (Mesquite), Manvel, Marcus (Flower Mound)
- POOL D - Clear Brook, Hutto, Port Neches-Groves, Southlake
- POOL E - Belton, Brandeis (San Antonio), Cy-Fair, Lamar (Arlington)
- POOL F - Cedar Hill, Clear Springs, Lake Travis, West Brook (Beaumont)
- POOL G - College Station, Parkland (El Paso), Pearce (Richardson), United (Laredo)
- POOL H - Cy Falls, DeSoto, Mission, Round Rock
- POOL I - Dickinson, Eisenhower, Guyer (Denton), Vista Ridge (Cedar Park)
- POOL J - Coronado (Lubbock), Lovejoy, Ridge Point, Rockwall
- POOL K - Lone Star (Frisco), Midway (Waco), Montgomery, O'Connor (San Antonio)
- POOL L - Heath (Rockwall), Klein Oak, Midland Christian, Midlothian
- POOL M - Foster, Frisco, Veterans (Mission), Westlake
- POOL N - Coppell, Katy, LBJ (Austin), Rider (Wichita Falls)
- POOL O - Cy Woods, Hebron (Lewisville), Pioneer (Sharyland), Temple
- POOL P - Central (San Angelo), Mansfield, North Forney, Fort Bend Travis