Faith football fights hard against big schools at state 7-on-7
STAFF WRITER JENNIFER FIERRO
FORT WORTH — Though the Faith Academy of Marble Falls 7-on-7 football team didn’t win a game at the state tournament of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools, the Flames did gain something very valuable.
Their new coach’s admiration.
In six games on June 23, coach Pete Rhoades, who was named to the head spot May 3, and seven of his players faced opponents fielding at least 14 athletes.
“We persevered and got after it,” Rhoades said. “I was so proud of them.”
The tournament wasn’t divided into divisions for big schools and small schools.
Faith lost to Houston St. Pius 20-0, Houston Westbury Christian 21-0, El Paso Cathedral 35-13, Tyler Grace Community 21-6, Brook Hill 20-0, and Grace Prep 14-6.
“Most of those schools have over 300 kids,” Rhoades said.
Faith has just over 100 students at the high school level.
Houston St. Pius and Houston Westbury have more than 600 at their respective campuses.
Faith Academy used the tournament to work on its passing game with quarterbacks Travis Hughes and Garrett Henderson leading the offense. The rest of the team was comprised of Cab Booth, Seth Cozby, Gunner Blair, Mitchell Elwartowski, and Mitchell Thornley.
Thornley, Cozby, Henderson, and Blair each caught a touchdown pass.
“The kids really competed well,” Rhoades said. “They fought through fatigue, exhaustion. The turf was 105 degrees. It was like stepping on a skillet.”
Faith begins the 2017 season at Center Point High, 207 China St. in Center Point, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 31.