Southlake Carroll, Aledo and Kennedale each finished in the top 10 of their respective classifications of the Texas Dodge Dealers Lone Star Cup, which celebrates the best all-around athletic programs in the state.
Carroll finished second in Class 5A with 80 points, four points behind The Woodlands. Carroll, which won Lone Star Cups in Class 4A in 2001 and 2002, had another banner season as three of its girls teams won state championships (cross country, golf and soccer). The baseball team reached the state final and the boys cross country team finished second at state. In addition, the boys and girls swim teams, the boys track and field team and the boys golf team all finished in the top 10 at the state competition. The football and tennis teams also reached the regional semifinals.Aledo tied for third with Waco Midway with 78 points in Class 4A. Highland Park won with 98 points and Friendswood was second with 80.Aledo?s campaign was capped when its softball team won the state championship. The girls golf team was third and the boys team was eighth at the state meet. The football team made it to the state semifinals, the girls soccer team reached the regional final, the volleyball team reached the regional semifinals and the girls basketball team appeared in the regional quarterfinals.In Class 3A, Kennedale placed seventh with 54 points. Canyon won the competition with 74 points.Kennedale?s basketball teams were the class of the state as the boys won the state championship and the girls reached the state final. The baseball team also fared well, appearing in the regional semifinals.The participating schools accrued points based on their results in district and state competitions. The winning schools in each class received the Lone Star Cup trophy and a $1,000 scholarship from Texas Dodge Dealers. State and area marching band, one-act play and academic performances were also applied.Euless Trinity, which last December claimed its second state championship in three years, can add a new highlight to its football resume.
The Trojans are No. 1 in Dave Campbell?s Texas Football Magazine.The team sits atop the Class 5A preseason Top 25 compiled by the 48-year-old publication, long respected as the summer?s best source of information about Texas high school football. It went on sale Monday.?From top to bottom, this team is a legitimate title contender, if not the outright favorite,? the magazine said.The Trojans, who have running back Tray Robinson and linebacker Elikena Fieilo back among 11 returning starters, are not alone in the 5A Top 25.Seven-time state champion Southlake Carroll is No. 3, and Arlington Bowie -- coming off its best season ever, a 12-2 campaign that took it to the Division I quarterfinals -- is No. 20.In Class 4A, Everman and Stephenville are in the top 10. Everman is No. 5, and Stephenville, with new coach Joseph Gillespie, is No. 8. (Former Stephenville coach Chad Morris has his new team, defending Division I champion Lake Travis, at No. 1).Mansfield Timberview, returning to 4A, is No. 20, and Aledo, which must replace two-way standout Cole Loftin, is No. 21.In 3A, Glen Rose, powered by 3,200-yard passer Derek Thompson, is No. 15.The magazine also predicted district finishes.The projected district winners are Bowie in 4-5A, Trinity in 5-5A, Carroll in 6-5A, Aledo in 6-4A, Fort Worth Southwest in 7-4A and Everman in 8-4A.Kennedale is the projected runner-up in 12-3A, Glen Rose is picked second in 7-3A.Trampas Wilson, who led Fort Worth Paschal to two state-tournament appearances in boys golf, including a state championship in 2006, has been hired as the boys golf coach at Mansfield High.
The Mansfield school board approved the hiring Tuesday night. Wilson replaces Chris Coursey as boys coach. Coursey will coach the girls team.?I hate to leave Paschal,? said Wilson, 35, a former Mansfield assistant coach. ?I?ve been here eight years, and we?ve done a lot of great things.?Assistant coach Mark Furtik will replace Wilson at Paschal, said Fort Worth school district athletic director Herb Stephens. Mansfield school district officials could not be reached to confirm the move.Paschal?s state championship in 2006 was the school?s first in 35 years, and the school has a history of success in the sport. The Panthers were state runners-up in 2007, losing the championship to The Woodlands in a playoff, and were state tournament qualifiers in 1998.Wilson said the move to Mansfield makes sense because he lives there, is a member of Walnut Creek Country Club and used to coach at Mansfield as a football, basketball and golf assistant.?There are pluses and minuses, but I?m excited about the opportunity to go over there,? he said. ?Maybe it?s time to do something different and something new.?Wilson is a Salado native who played football at Tarleton State.AUSTIN -- This year's Class 5A state football championships will be held at Reliant Stadium in Houston.
It's the third year of the University Interscholastic League having the title games in Texas' biggest classification at the same site. The first two years were at San Antonio's Alamodome.It will mean long trips again for teams from the Tarrant County area.UIL officials have said they plan to pursue the same-site format for six years, and they hoped for two-year rotations among San Antonio and the Houston and Dallas areas. Wednesday's announcement addressed only 2008.The 5A Division II championship game will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20., followed by the Division I game at 7 p.m.Reliant Stadium is home to the NFL's Houston Texans.Last year, the Euless Trinity Trojans defeated Converse Judson 13-10 in the Class 5A Division I title game at the Alamodome. Two years ago, the Southlake Carroll Dragons defeated Austin Westlake 43-29 in the Class 5A Division I title game at the Alamodome.It was during the mid 1990s when current Arlington Bowie head football coach Kenny Perry, then an assistant at cross-town Lamar High School, remembers witnessing the shift to wide-open offensive schemes from bruising ground games.
The action was thrust to the forefront on 7-on-7 football fields across the state during the dog days of summer.?I think at that time you saw football changing,? said Perry, whose saw the Lamar Vikings lose in the first-ever state tournament?s semifinals in 1998. ?The wide open offense is the thing now.?It was then and it certainly will be on Saturday when Arlington Bowie hosts a 16-team qualifying tournament for the 11th annual FSN Southwest 7-on-7 State Championship Tournament. It will start at 9 a.m. at the school?s practice fields. ?The thing about it that I love is that every play is a huge play,? Perry said. ?If you get behind 7-0 in 7-on-7 it?s like 14-0 in a regular game. It is just so fast pace. The field is short (45 yards). It teaches your kids to react under pressure, that?s why I like it.?Southlake Carroll, Fort Worth Eastern Hills, Irving MacArthur and South Grand Prairie will compete in Pool A. Pool B consists of West Mesquite, Fort Worth Paschal, Arlington Martin and Grand Prairie. Colleyville Heritage, Arlington Seguin, Midlothian and Aledo make up Pool C. And Plano East, Arlington Sam Houston, North Crowley and Flower Mound Marcus round out Pool D. Each pool is a round robin format. The winner of each pool then competes in a single elimination format against the other pool winners.The top two schools in the event advance to the Class 4A-5A state tournament July 11-12 at Texas A&M, preceded by the Class 1A-3A tournament July 10-11. Bowie, Lamar, Arlington, Stephenville and Richland will also compete in the tournament. But each has already qualified for state and has agreed to participate in a separate round robin pool to allow two other teams to qualify. They will only face each other.Bowie assistant coach Jeff Kemp said 10 sixth and seventh grade teams, six eighth and ninth grade teams and eight junior varsity teams will also compete.?You go out on any given Saturday and it can be 105 degrees and everyone is inside except those 7-on-7 kids,? Perry said. ?There was AAU basketball and summer baseball but there was nothing for summer football. I think this gives the football kids a chance to stay in shape over the summer.?This is one of 32 qualifying events, held on high school campuses around the state, to determine the 64 teams that will compete in College Station.The 7-on-7 format stresses passing using a 45-yard field and a one-hand touch for a tackle. All players, except the center, are eligible receivers. Two 20-minute halves will determine the winner. Players wear T-shirts and shorts.Local teams that have already qualified for the 4A-5A state tournament:Arlington Arlington Bowie Arlington Lamar Richland Stephenville Local teams that have qualified for the 1A-3A state tournament:Glen RoseARLINGTON ? While most of his teammates celebrated, Arlington Martin?s Chris Omigie reached down and dumped a cooler of ice cold water over his head, briskly shaking around like a pigeon playing in a puddle.
Sure, it was hot outside. But there wasn?t anything hotter than this tall glass of water, all 6-foot-5 of him, that is.Omigie caught two touchdowns, including the game-tying one against Southlake Carroll in overtime on Saturday, and hauled in the decisive extra point to give the Warriors a 40-39 victory in the semifinals of a 16-team qualifying tournament for the 11th annual FSN Southwest 7-on-7 State Championship Tournament at Arlington Bowie on Saturday.By being one of the top two teams from the tournament (Colleyville Heritage being the other), Martin advanced to the Class 4A-5A state tournament July 11-12 at Texas A&M.?I?m known as that playmaking receiver so I need to be there whenever they need me,? said Omigie, a senior. ?Whenever the team?s looking for a touchdown they are looking for me.?We haven?t been in a very long time. Now that I have my quarterback he has just opened us up. I?m real glad to have him on my team.? He?s talking of Cruz Garcia, who transferred from Arlington Lamar six months ago. Garcia calls Omigie, ?my savior.??It means so much to go to state with these guys,? Garcia said. ?Last year (Lamar) almost got to the state championship game. We were one point away from playing in the state game in College Station. To come over here and qualify again means a lot.?Heritage defeated Martin 26-12 in the championship game, which had both teams resting its starters for most of it. The games that really counted were the semifinals. Heritage jumped out to a 20-0 halftime lead over Arlington Sam Houston and cruised to a 28-15 win. The other see-sawed back and forth at a rapid rate.It looked as though Martin would take a 14-7 lead into the half when Carroll quarterback Kyle Padron threw an interception in the end zone as time expired. But a holding penalty gave the Dragons one more chance, which they capitalized on. Carroll failed the extra point on its first attempt but converted the second chance given to them by another Martin holding penalty.Padron hooked up with Ryan Walker for a touchdown with 45 seconds left to tie the game at 33-33. The duo came together again to give Carroll a 39-33 lead on the first possession in overtime, which starts at the 15-yard line. The Dragons missed the extra point.Garcia threw all three of his overtime passes toward Omigie, who caught all of them. Omigie held on to the football for about five minutes after the game before dropping it to reach for the cooler.?Our coaches are just great, it is a true family over here,? Garcia said. ?I mean I love Lamar to death, but I just feel more tight with these guys in the six months I?ve been here than in the three years I was at Lamar.?Arlington Sam Houston, Heritage and Martin each went through pool play undefeated.Because the Dragons, Irving MacArthur and South Grand Prairie each ended Pool A play at 2-1 the team with the most combined points advanced to the semifinals. Carroll had 103 points, Irving MacArthur had 101 and South Grand Prairie had 92.Local teams that have already qualified for the 4A-5A state tournament:Arlington (Southlake Carroll)Arlington Bowie (Coppell)Arlington Lamar (Colleyville Heritage)Arlington Martin (Arlington Bowie)Colleyville Heritage (Bowie)Nik Bosnyak became the team’s top all-around gymnast this season and took to his new leadership position quickly. He won the Region IV all-around title and shared the all-around title at state with Bryan’s Matthew Kelly. L.D. Bell finished second at state after winning the state title in 2007. Bosnyak, who first started gymnastics in seventh grade, finished second on high bar – his favorite event – at state.
Getting to know BosnyakHow did you get into gymnastics? I did football in sixth grade and didn’t like it at all. I was really scrawny and small. In junior high, they were going to make us take football again unless we did gymnastics or P.E. I knew how to do a handstand, so I tried out for the gymnastics team. I progressed pretty evenly. I just enjoyed it. Why is high bar your favorite event? I’ve always been the swinger, bars type of guy when it comes to gymnastics. I like parallel bars and high bar the best. Rings are not my favorite, and I’m not a powerful tumbler, so floor and vault are out. High bar scares so many people, and so many people have trouble with it. Do you have any other hobbies? I’ve been in the IB [international baccalaureate] program at Bell. It’s like Advanced Placement but internationally based. I like movies. I was president of a Fandango club at school. Shawshank Redemption is my all-time favorite movie. I liked Iron Man. Are you going to keep competing in gymnastics? I’m definitely going to try it in college. They have a development program at Oklahoma. You train for two years, then try to walk on. You get to train with their gymnasts. They’re just awesome. They send a bunch to the Olympics. I have an academic scholarship but not a gymnastics scholarship. They only give out about 25 scholarships in the country. Do you know what you want to study? I like math. I want to do engineering or business. I’d like to maybe start my own business. I’m setting up my IRA this month. All my friends have set theirs up. I feel like I’m behind.An unreleased preliminary report by the UIL shows that only two high school athletes have tested positive during the first wave of random statewide testing for anabolic steroids, said a staffer for one Texas legislator.
A two-year mandatory steroid testing program was signed into state law in June 2007. So far, 10,407 athletes at 195 schools have been tested in a program that didn?t launch until after the 2007 football season.Jenni Franks, chief of staff for Rep. Dan Flynn, R-Van, confirmed Tuesday that the UIL contacted Flynn?s office five weeks ago with the preliminary results. Flynn co-sponsored the steroid bill.Speaking for Flynn, Franks said the low number of positive tests so far are proof that steroid use can be deterred through a fear of being caught.?It?s evidence that by testing, it?s a threat sent to those student athletes,? Franks said. ?They?re less likely to use steroids if they believe there?s a chance they can be one of those tested.?The UIL penalty for a first positive test is a 30-day suspension. A second positive results in a one-year suspension. Permanent loss of high school eligibility results from a third positive.UIL assistant athletic director Mark Cousins contacted Flynn with the preliminary results. Cousins said Tuesday the UIL won?t comment until the final report by Drug Free Sport, which administers the tests, is complete. That is expected in a few weeks, he said.The taxpayer-funded $6 million program is expected to test around 45,000 athletes in two years but has yet to test football players before or in season. Several were tested during off-season workouts, but the total tested in that sport should rise sharply.Franks said the UIL didn?t reveal which sport(s) had the two positives or how many athletes per sport were tested.State-mandated testing passed easily in the Texas House and Senate, with only seven legislators voting no. Sen. Chris Harris, R-Arlington, was among those who opposed it, but his office had no comment on Tuesday.The two positives represent .00019 percent of those tested, though Franks said she was told several samples are being retested because of ?confusing? results. Both of the positives, she was told, were absolutes.?It?s at least two,? she said. ?That number will not go down.?Depending on how lawmakers view such a low instance of positives could determine future funding. Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, said in Tuesday?s Houston Chronicle that so far, $1.5 million has been spent per positive result, a ?ludicrous? waste of funding. Patrick also opposed state-mandated testing.Franks countered, saying that for Flynn, steroids testing ?wasn?t just something he felt like doing.? In 2006, Flynn sat on a committee that presented a report on steroid use among Texas athletes. That report, which included a 2002 Texas A&M survey that found 42,000 athletes had used steroids, was the basis for testing becoming law.?People were coming to us and saying ?my child died because of steroids,? or ?my child was damaged by steroids,?? Franks said. ?There were four years of studies and focus on this before it happened.?Aledo football coach Tim Buchanan and Crowley coach Brad McCone interpreted the low number of positives as solid deterrence of steroid use. Both though, say, the No. 1 local concern to coaches, parents and administrators is illegal street drugs.Until testing for those are done, the problem of all banned substances won?t be solved.?Anytime you can drug-test, it?s positive,? Buchanan said. ?I?ve been around athletes for 25 years and suspected three kids of using steroids. If I had to pick one of the two, I?d prefer testing for recreational drugs.?Said McCone: ?If out of 10,000 we have two positives for steroids, then imagine what a test for street drugs could deter. That?s a battle we?re losing. You can?t talk about it until you?re blue in the face, but until you or the law catches them, you can?t do anything without proof. It would be money well spent.?Arlington Bowie, Justin Northwest and Mansfield Timberview will play out-of-state opponents as part of the Kirk Herbstreit Varsity Football Series on Labor Day weekend.
The national series, which had been held in Ohio the past three years, expands to Texas for the first time.?It?s going to be exciting to see all these teams come to the city of Dallas and play in Texas Stadium,? Timberview coach Terry Cron said. ?This is a great opportunity to represent our school, our school district, the Metroplex and the state of Texas.?The series consists of 15 games played over two days in Ohio and Texas among 30 teams representing 11 states. Five of the teams are from Texas and four of them will play in a quadruple-header Aug. 30 at Texas Stadium (Klein Forest will play in Canton, Ohio on Aug. 30). Northwest kicks off the action against Pittsburgh Woodland Hills at 11 a.m., Timberview plays Buford (Ga.) at 2 p.m., Cedar Hill plays Cincinnati LaSalle Catholic at 5 p.m. and Bowie concludes the day against Trotwood-Madison (Ohio) at 8 p.m. The series serves as an exciting beginning for the three area schools. Class 5A Bowie and 4A Timberview enter their season openers with high expectations as they are ranked No. 20 in the state by Dave Campbell?s Texas Football magazine. Northwest will use the series as motivation to bounce back after a difficult 3-7 season.Advance tickets are $14 for adults and $10 for students/youth for a three- or four-game session and are available at www.ticketmaster.com or www.ticketweb.com. Tickets will cost $16 and $12 on game day. Tickets should also be available at the participating schools or school athletic offices soon.The 2009 class is shaping up quickly, and in impressive fashion.
Schools continue to get early commitments before the 2008 season begins, and once again, Tarrant County is churning out more prospects. The latest news and notes: Buffs nab DardenKeller Central wide receiver Jarrod Darden committed to Colorado. "He had quite a few offers, but this is one he felt good about," Chargers coach Bart Helsley said. "He had a good feeling for the coaches and the school."Other schools Darden considered were Stanford, Cal, Minnesota, Iowa State and Texas Tech.First of threeKeller offensive lineman Bryan Collins committed to SMU on Wednesday. Collins, who is entering his second year as a starter, had offers from Vanderbilt, Iowa State, Rice and Houston. Collins, who has played at guard, is going to play tackle."He’s exactly what they’re looking for," Keller coach Kevin Atkinson said. "He’s very athletic, mobile and he’s a great pass protector and run blocker. The best thing they liked were his feet."Collins will likely be one of three Division I offensive lineman for Keller, along with Nick Ash and Nate Richards. Dragons pipelineSouthlake Carroll defensive lineman Brayden Burnett committed to Missouri, continuing the Dragons pipeline that’s seen quarterback Chase Daniel and offensive lineman Michael Prince also pick the Tigers.All Saints updateFort Worth All Saints quarterback Doak Raulston received interest from Air Force. Tight end Hutson Priloeau has already committed to Texas A&M, and coach Aaron Beck said linebacker Antonio Debose is receiving heavy interest from Dartmouth.High praisePlenty are impressed with Arlington Bowie quarterback Christian Matthews, who committed to Kansas. A writer from Dave Campbell’s Texas Football recruiting blog put him on the same level as one of the nation’s top QBs: "You’re going to have a hard time finding a kid with better numbers not named Garrett Gilbert ..." Gilbert is the Austin Lake Travis QB who has committed to Texas and is ranked 15th among the top 100 national recruits by Rivals.com.Area flavorSeveral area players are ranked highly in Rivals’ position rankings. Mansfield Timberview running back Eric Stephens is fifth nationally among all-purpose backs and Hutson Priloeau is 10th among tight ends. Brownwood quarterback Casey Pachall, who’s committed to TCU, is ninth among dual-threat quarterbacks.Five others are in the top 20: Mansfield running back Stepfan Taylor (16th), Mansfield Summit defensive end Nosa Equae (14), Keller Fossil Ridge outside linebacker Brandon Mahoney (19), and Euless Trinity cornerback Eryon Barnett (19) and safety Prinz Kande (17). BrieflyFormer Glen Rose and Stephenville football coach Erik Slaughter confirmed on Tuesday that he is the Texas A&M-Commerce defensive coordinator. Slaughter said he’s had the position since March, but it has just recently been made public.
After leading Class 3A Glen Rose on its deepest-ever playoff run last season, Slaughter was the lone finalist to become Stephenville’s next head coach in February. But he backed out the next day and returned to Glen Rose. Slaughter was then put on administrative leave and eventually resigned from Glen Rose for unspecified reasons. Slaughter didn’t comment Tuesday on the Stephenville situation.GRAND PRAIRIE — They are Amarillo’s Elite, which happens to be the name of their club team that finished second nationally in the club division at last week’s USA Volleyball Junior Olympics in Dallas.
On Wednesday, Amarillo’s Brianne Barker, winner of the 2007 Andi Collins Award given to the nation’s best senior setter, and Amarillo Tascosa’s Caitlin Higgins showcased their skills at the Texas Girls Coaches Association girls volleyball all-star game at Grand Prairie High School.Barker had a match-high 21 assists, many as a result of Higgins’ match-high 15 kills that helped the West to a three-game sweep in the 4A-5A game (25-23, 30-29, 25-22).Now it’s on to Oklahoma, where both have signed."When I committed first, I pushed her to go with me," said Barker, who was the TGCA 4A-5A Volleyball Athlete of the Year. "She really liked it; it feels good to go with a friend."It might come as a surprise to some that the two have no problem coexisting. Their high school teams are fierce rivals that partake in "Hell Week," named for the week of their volleyball and football games."It’s the most intense game, it’s more intense than state," said Barker, who helped Amarillo to back-to-back state titles in 2006 and 2007."You’ve got 2,500 fans, standing room only. A lot of people tell us they drive from neighboring cities to watch that match."In the earlier 1A-2A-3A game, the West won in four games (25-11, 25-21, 18-25, 30-28).No one knew they?d need a hospital room for the tournament?s MVP.
Do-everything athlete Phillip Gonzalez suffered severe cramps during Richland?s hour-long wait in between the semifinals and the championship game on Saturday and was at the hospital while his teammates came from behind to beat Mesquite 35-32 in the Division I (4A-5A) title game at Kyle Field. It is Richland?s first 7-on-7 state championship.?I am happy for our kids,? said Richland coach Gene Wier, who was a spectator because players' parents coach 7-on-7 teams. ?It is a momentum builder.?Quarterback Tyler Cotton, who threw one interception for Richland (8-0), led the Rebels from a 26-14 halftime deficit without his most dangerous threat, Gonzalez. Mesquite had the ball first to start the second half, but was unsuccessful. Richland scored each time in the second half.?We had over an hour delay (before the final) and while (Gonzalez) was sitting there he started cramping,? Wier said. ?He made play, after play, after play.? Gonzalez was treated and released, Wier added.By qualifying for the state championship game, Richland qualifies for the Adidas 7-on-7 National Championship, July 30-31 in Atlanta. They?ll decide Monday if they?ll accept the invitation.The Rebels ousted Colleyville Heritage 42-24 in their semifinals duel, beat Rockwall Heath 47-20 in their first game at 9 a.m., topped Coppell 43-37, and beat Stephenville 40-34 in the quarterfinals.?We hoped to get to this point by the end of the summer with our secondary,? Wier said.? ?They are all brand new, all juniors. That?s why we?ve been playing so much.?Heritage shut out Gregory-Portland in the second half to beat the Wildcats 31-13 in the first game. The Panthers held on to their first halftime lead of the tournament to beat El Paso Montwood 50-29, and followed that with a 39-26 win over Plano in the quarterfinals.Arlington Lamar lost a heartbreaking decision in the semifinals for the second straight year, this time 34-33 to Mesquite in overtime. The score was tied 27-27 at the end of regulation. Mesquite score first in overtime and was successful on its one-point conversion. The Vikings went for two after they scored but couldn?t complete the attempt.?They really played well, played their hearts out, great experience,? Lamar head coach Eddy Peach said. ?You are always disappointed when you don?t make the finals but I am really proud of them.?Lamar's defense had been stellar all tournament. After shutting out Tyler John Tyler 36-0 in the last game on Friday, the Vikings began Saturday with a 26-0 victory over Plano and then beat Georgetown, the defending 7-on-7 state champions, 34-7.Arlington Bowie, one of nine teams to go undefeated after Day 1, lost to Georgetown 34-20 in the first game of the championship bracket.?We fell a part, turned the ball over a few times and that?s all she wrote,? Bowie coach Kenny Perry said.Arlington Martin?s bid for a lengthy Saturday of backyard football came to a premature halt with a 34-27 loss to Lufkin in its first game. The Warriors, who fell two points short of being undefeated after Day 1 (20-19 loss to Austin High), were down 27-13 at one point in the second half.?We came out and our kids made a couple of adjustments, which was good that they made those adjustments themselves,? coach Brian Byrd said. ?We held them and tied the score 27-27 with seven minutes left. We stopped them and got the ball to go up but then they stopped us and scored with two minutes left.?The Richland Rebels, champions of the FSN Southwest 7-on-7 football state championship tournament, will compete in the Adidas 7-on-7 National Championship in Atlanta on July 30-31, according to head coach Gene Wier.
Richland defeated Mesquite 35-32 to win the Division I (4A/5A) tournament on Saturday in College Station, beating out 63 other teams. It was the program?s first 7-on-7 state title. Both teams qualified for the tournament in Atlanta.?All the kids wanted to go,? Wier said. ?Of course, funding is an issue but I think we will make that. We?ll fly. (The tournament) will pay for 15 people but we have five others and we aren?t going to leave anyone behind.?Richland was 8-0 in the tournament.Richland Rebels fans, more than 100, reserved at least 25 hotel rooms to support its 7-on-7 squad at the FSN Southwest state championships in College Station this week.
No one knew they?d need a hospital room for the tournament?s MVP.Do-everything athlete Phillip Gonzalez suffered severe cramps during Richland?s hour-long wait in between the semifinals and the championship game on Saturday and was at the hospital while his teammates came from behind to beat Mesquite 35-32 in the Division I (4A-5A) title game at Kyle Field. It is Richland?s first 7-on-7 state championship.No one knew they?d need a hospital room for the tournament?s MVP.Do-everything athlete Phillip Gonzalez suffered severe cramps during Richland?s hour-long wait in between the semifinals and the championship game on Saturday and was at the hospital while his teammates came from behind to beat Mesquite 35-32 in the Division I (4A-5A) title game at Kyle Field. It is Richland?s first 7-on-7 state championship.?I am happy for our kids,? said Richland coach Gene Wier, who was a spectator because players' parents coach 7-on-7 teams. ?It is a momentum builder.?Quarterback Tyler Cotton, who threw one interception for Richland (8-0), led the Rebels from a 26-14 halftime deficit without his most dangerous threat, Gonzalez. Mesquite had the ball first to start the second half, but was unsuccessful. Richland scored each time in the second half.?We had over an hour delay (before the final) and while (Gonzalez) was sitting there he started cramping,? Wier said. ?He made play, after play, after play.? Gonzalez was treated and released, Wier added.By qualifying for the state championship game, Richland qualifies for the Adidas 7-on-7 National Championship, July 30-31 in Atlanta. They?ll decide Monday if they?ll accept the invitation.The Rebels ousted Colleyville Heritage 42-24 in their semifinals duel, beat Rockwall Heath 47-20 in their first game at 9 a.m., topped Coppell 43-37, and beat Stephenville 40-34 in the quarterfinals.?We hoped to get to this point by the end of the summer with our secondary,? Wier said.? ?They are all brand new, all juniors. That?s why we?ve been playing so much.?Heritage shut out Gregory-Portland in the second half to beat the Wildcats 31-13 in the first game. The Panthers held on to their first halftime lead of the tournament to beat El Paso Montwood 50-29, and followed that with a 39-26 win over Plano in the quarterfinals.Arlington Lamar lost a heartbreaking decision in the semifinals for the second straight year, this time 34-33 to Mesquite in overtime. The score was tied 27-27 at the end of regulation. Mesquite score first in overtime and was successful on its one-point conversion. The Vikings went for two after they scored but couldn?t complete the attempt.?They really played well, played their hearts out, great experience,? Lamar head coach Eddy Peach said. ?You are always disappointed when you don?t make the finals but I am really proud of them.?Lamar's defense had been stellar all tournament. After shutting out Tyler John Tyler 36-0 in the last game on Friday, the Vikings began Saturday with a 26-0 victory over Plano and then beat Georgetown, the defending 7-on-7 state champions, 34-7.Arlington Bowie, one of nine teams to go undefeated after Day 1, lost to Georgetown 34-20 in the first game of the championship bracket.?We fell a part, turned the ball over a few times and that?s all she wrote,? Bowie coach Kenny Perry said.Arlington Martin?s bid for a lengthy Saturday of backyard football came to a premature halt with a 34-27 loss to Lufkin in its first game. The Warriors, who fell two points short of being undefeated after Day 1 (20-19 loss to Austin High), were down 27-13 at one point in the second half.