7-on-7 Football: Early start for summer

Quarterbacks — new and old - will be under the microscope when the 14th season of summer 7-on-7 football begins with the Houston Texans-Sam Brown State Qualifying Tournaments this week.

The 16-team field on Saturday, May 21, includes Cinco Ranch, Texas City, Channelview, Weslaco, Pearland, Pasadena Memorial, Belliare, Lewisville, Chavez, Kingwood, MacArthur, Lamar, La Marque, Bay City, Milby and Magnolia going for two state berths.

On Sunday, May 22, Dawson, Manvel, Dulles, San Antonio Alamo Heights, Baytown Lee, A&M Consolidated, Port Arthur Memorial, Seven Lakes, Klein Oak, Klein, Bush, Fort Bend Travis, Clear Creek, Cy Creek, The Woodlands and Langham Creek will do the same on the outdoor fields and in the bubble at the Texans Methodist Training Center across from Reliant Stadium.

Lamar defeated Chavez on Saturday and Alamo Heights downed Klein Collins on Sunday in last year's championship games.

"It's a great opportunity for the kids to play where the Texans work out, and these two events kick off the 7-on-7 season in kind of a special way," said tournament director Mike Jackson, who was recently named the new football coach in La Marque after leading Chavez to five consecutive playoff appearances.

"It's limited to the first teams that get their deposits in, and it always fills up pretty fast, and it's not always the same schools and players, and that makes it interesting."

The 7-on-7 season benefits quarterbacks who are potentially stepping into starting roles, like Cy Creek senior-to-be and returning varsity letterman Brandon Pryor, and rising juniors Dylan Pugliese and Cole Barbe.

"It's limited to the first teams that get their deposits in, and it always fills up pretty fast, and it's not always the same schools and players, and that makes it interesting."

The 7-on-7 season benefits quarterbacks who are potentially stepping into starting roles, like Cy Creek senior-to-be and returning varsity letterman Brandon Pryor, and rising juniors Dylan Pugliese and Cole Barbe.

The 7-on-7 season benefits quarterbacks who are potentially stepping into starting roles, like Cy Creek senior-to-be and returning varsity letterman Brandon Pryor, and rising juniors Dylan Pugliese and Cole Barbe.

"The reps (repetitions) they get in 7-on-7 in that environment is such a valuable thing, especially during the summer," Cy Creek coach Greg McCaig said. "It's still a very positive thing for all the players involved, and for quarterbacks, it's a dream come true because they get to throw the ball on every snap."

Graduation took starting quarterback Chuckie Keeton (Utah State), who led Cy Creek to Class 5A Region III Division I playoff wins over Hastings and Cinco Ranch last season (Cougars fell to eventual state champion Pearland in third round).

"We have to find some new receivers to go along with our new quarterback, and that's been a big part of our spring workouts," McCaig said. "Some of the biggest highlights of the spring have come from (returning starters) Devan Demas (running back) and Jarred Gibson (wide receiver), but we expect big things out of them.

"Beyond that, we're trying to find out who can play and trying to avoid any major injuries."

"Beyond that, we're trying to find out who can play and trying to avoid any major injuries."

The Cougars wrap up spring workouts with scrimmages at 5:30 and 7 p.m. on Friday, May 20, at Cy Creek High School.

Cy Creek will host a 7-on-7 SQT on May 28 (Texas Bowl), and also plans to compete in SQTs at Terry (June 4), The Woodlands (June 11) and Cinco Ranch (June 25)

This week, the Cougars go on Sunday, May 21, against The Woodlands, Langham Creek and Clear Creek in Pool D.

The schedule for both days has pool play games at 9, 10 and 11 a.m., semifinals matching the four pool winners at 1 p.m., and the championship and third place outings at 2 p.m.

The schedule for both days has pool play games at 9, 10 and 11 a.m., semifinals matching the four pool winners at 1 p.m., and the championship and third place outings at 2 p.m.

The tournaments are part of a memorial scholarship fund named for former referee Sam Brown.

"The officials honor the late Sam Brown by donating their time and fees, and raising money for three scholarships from the proceeds," Jackson said.

The 2011 Division I 7-on-7 state tournament is July 15-16 at Texas A&M University in College Station.