Marble Falls hosting 7-on-7 state-qualifying tournament
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
MARBLE FALLS — An explosion of 7-on-7 football action is making a stop at Marble Falls High School.
The Mustangs have hosted a weekly league in past years. But on June 22, Marble Falls will welcome 15 other teams for a state-qualifying tournament that starts at 9 a.m. Marble Falls will play pool games at Mustang Stadium, 2101 Mustang Drive. Mustangs offensive coordinator Bill Poe, a member of the state 7-on-7 board, said Marble Falls is looking forward to being a host.
“(It is) bringing in some notoriety and bringing in some people, some different schools into the town of Marble Falls,” he said. “And being able to come out and compete and be on our home turf … hopefully, we’ll make something of it.”
Teams are put into four pools. Pool winners make up a single-elimination tournament. The squads that play in the final each receive a qualifying bid to the state tournament.
Three teams that will be in attendance — Burnet, Lake Travis and Round Rock Westwood — have already qualified for state.
Poe said he believes 7-on-7 helps in a team in the passing game and has helped quarterbacks work on their technique and footwork. He said about 25 percent of NFL quarterbacks either played college or high school football in the state. In all, at least 17 of them were on pro rosters last season.
“They were all involved in 7-on-7 during the summer, and I think people are starting to understand how important it is in the state of Texas,” he said. “It gives us an opportunity for our kids to throw and catch in the summer and play a little cover defensively, and so it’s a growing sport. And we’re excited our kids are getting better and better, and it’s helping them prepare for the football season.”
jfierro@thepicayune.com[box]STATE-QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT
All pool games start at 9 a.m. June 22 and last an hour each.
• Pool A (at Mustang Stadium, 2101 Mustang Drive) — Marble Falls, Burnet, Hutto and Bastrop
• Pool B (at the high school practice fields, 2101 Mustang Drive) — Lake Travis, Del Rio, Round Rock and Vista Ridge
• Pool C (at Pony Stadium, 1511 Pony Circle Drive) — Round Rock Cedar Ridge, Austin High, Round Rock Westwood and Georgetown
• Pool D (at the middle school practice fields, 1511 Pony Circle Drive) — Copperas Cove, Cedar Park, San Antonio Alamo Heights and Austin Bowie
Pool winners make up a single-elimination bracket that begins at 1:15 p.m. at Mustang Stadium with the championship game at 2:15 p.m.[/box]