7on7 recap: Kansas City, Buffalo and Atlanta
Photo via Jason Greenberg/The Daily Tribune News
The USA Football 7on7 series continued over the weekend with three more stops: Kansas City, Buffalo and Atlanta.
At each event, high school football teams convened to participate in 7on7 for the purpose for which 7on7 was created: to improve together as a football team.
Here's a breakdown of each 7on7 tournament:
Glendale rides high-powered offense to title in Kansas City
Glendale picked up where it left off at the end of the 2016 season: by being highly effective on offense.
Head coach Mike Mauk's squad posted 35 points in a title game victory over Arkansas power Shiloh Christian. The win allowed Glendale to finish a perfect 9-0 on the day.
Congrats @Glendale_FB! 2017 @USAFootball7on7 Kansas City Regional Champs! See you in Canton! pic.twitter.com/h3rhCbRwLb
— USA Football 7on7 (@USAFootball7on7) June 25, 2017
Glendale features Alex Huston, who will likely go down as one of high school football's all-time most prolific passers. As a junior, he threw for 6,131 yards and 76 touchdowns, improving on his sophomore year performance of 5,608 yards and 69 touchdowns.
Shiloh Christian, led by head coach Jeff Conaway (a recent guest on the USA Football Coach and Coordinator podcast), performed well in both pool play and the tournament.
Starpoint shines in Buffalo
Starpoint (N.Y.) is back-to-back Class A North champions. If the team's performance over the weekend is any indication, a three-peat is definitely in play.
In the tournament finals, Starpoint knocked off Cheektowga Central 22-12, after Cheektowga, the No. 12 seed, knocked off top-seeded Orchard Park in the semifinals:
@Spointfootball Congrats! On your Buffalo Bills Regional @USAFootball7on7 Championship!! See you in Canton! pic.twitter.com/2QUPh7YXgF
— USA Football 7on7 (@USAFootball7on7) June 25, 2017
In addition to Orchard Park, which captured state titles in 2008 and 2011, the field also featured a team from Pennsylvania, Avonworth.
Walton emerges victorious in Georgia
The Atlanta-area USA Football 7on7 always features some of the stiffest competition in the country, and this year was no different.
The loaded field included two-time defending state champion Cartersville, which features the country's top quarterback, Clemson-bound Trevor Lawrence.
However, it was Walton that would walk away with the trophy after defeating North Cobb 25-10 in the title game:
Never been so proud of a group of young men! @WaltonRecruits @usafootball #balldownballout #juiceitup #champs pic.twitter.com/KsGbgc9285
— Daniel Brunner (@coachdbrunner) June 23, 2017
Despite falling short in the tournament after going undefeated in pool play, Cartersville head coach Joey King is looking at his team's performance as a motivational opportunity as the team continues with its summer workouts.
“Not to be ultra-successful there at the end kind of leaves them a little hungry throughout the break,” he told the Daily Tribune. “So there’s always some positive in it, right?”