Marble Falls 7-on-7 team makes it championship bracket
COLLEGE STATION — The Marble Falls High School junior varsity 7-on-7 team earned a triple-overtime win July 9 that propelled them to the championship bracket of the state tournament.
“They’re the first (Marble Falls High School team) to actually get out of pool play,” said former coach Billy Parnell, father of incoming slot receiver Aidin Parnell. “We were the only Class 4A team that advanced to bracket play.”
IN PHOTO: The Marble Falls High School junior varsity 7-on-7 team includes J.T. Watson (kneeling, left), Hunter Ragland, Austin Jones and Justin Torrez; head coach Sebastian Roman (standing, left), Cody Seelig, Austin Ellis, James Bryer, Brian Shrubar and Jay Watson. Not pictured are Austin Byrd, Carson Bowen and Aidin Parnell. Photo by Lorna Ellis The Mustangs defeated the Arlington Colts 20-12 in triple overtime but lost to Plano High 18-12.
Against Arlington, Marble Falls scored first to take a 6-0 halftime lead. But the Colts tied to send the game into overtime. Neither side scored until the second overtime, which ended in a 12-12 tie.
Quarterback Austin Ellis hit J.T. Watson for a 5-yard score.
The game ended on an interception by James Bryer, who caught a tipped ball by Carson Bowen. Bowen tipped the ball to him after reaching the ball thanks to a tip by Hunter Ragland.
The triple-overtime win made the loss to Plano High School difficult. The Mustangs didn’t receive a break between the two games, which meant they faced Plano immediately after beating the Colts.
Still, Marble Falls scored to take a lead at the half and were driving for another touchdown to start the second half.
But Plano intercepted the ball and ran it back for a touchdown to tie the game, adding another touchdown late to secure the victory.
The Mustangs advanced to the championship bracket thanks to point differential.
“Arlington got beat (by Plano 33-12),” Parnell said. “Going into the game, they had to beat us by 10 points. They were only able to beat us by five.”
The results of pool play set up a meeting with the Young Stangs in the championship bracket. Marble Falls lost 36-18.
“Our boys just ran out of steam,” Parnell said. “They were bigger, stronger, faster.”
On flip side, Plano lost to WCT Bulldogs, 19-18, in the championship, while the Young Stangs finished fourth.
Had Marble Falls beaten Plano, it would have entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed from its pool and faced Hebron Hawks
“I truly believe had we not gone into triple overtime, we would have beat Hebron,” Parnell said. “Going down there with no expectations, I thought our boys did well.”
For the class of 2014, this marked a return trip. As sixth-graders, the players finished third at the state tournament.
Parnell said he hopes the athletes gain more confidence from the experience they can apply to the 11-man football.
“Plano is five times our size,” he said. “We played them play for play. We were athletically better than the other two teams.”
• Game statistics: offense — J.T. Watson, 4 touchdowns; Austin Bird, Jay Watson, three touchdowns; Carson Bowen, Aidin Parnell, 1 touchdown. Defense — Carson Bowen, Brian Shrubar, Jay Watson, 2 interceptions; Cody Seelig, James Bryer, 1 interception.