State 7-On-7: Pool Matchups To Watch For Montgomery County Teams

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TX — From Thursday through Saturday, footballs will be flying every which way at Veterans Park & Athletic Complex in College Station as the Texas State 7-on-7 Championships roll into town.

Among the 128 teams heading to the Brazos Valley are three from Montgomery County: Grand Oaks, The Woodlands and The Woodlands Christian.

Teams learned their pool play draws Monday. The Woodlands Christian starts pool play Thursday in Division II, while Division I teams Grand Oaks and The Woodlands get underway Friday.

The 7-on-7 game provides a thrilling, fast-paced show for spectators and is an opportunity for skill position players to hone their craft in the offseason. No tackling or blocking are allowed, nor are run plays, and the game is played with a running clock in two halves, which provides for an air-heavy affair with a rapid pace. Here is the most exciting pool play matchup for each Montgomery County team.

The Woodlands Christian vs. Brownwood

The Woodlands Christian has a matchup against defending Class 4A Division I state champion Argyle that could have been the pick, but a matchup against Brownwood could be a solid measuring stick for the Warriors. Brownwood was a playoff team last year in 4A-DI, a solid test for rising junior quarterback Josh Johnson and his receivers.

"Kids are learning multiple schemes and different situations, different ways of thinking about football and the passing game especially," said The Woodlands Christian head football coach Chris McClanahan. "I want to see who's going to go across the middle in 7-on-7, who's going to catch the deep route, who's going to turn into guys we can rely on in crucial situations. It allows our guys to grow in terms of route running, throwing the football and pattern read principles."

The Woodlands vs. Colleyville Heritage

The Highlanders secondary will be tested against the Panthers, as incumbent quarterback AJ Smith-Shawver threw for over 2,500 yards and 25 touchdowns in leading Colleyville Heritage to the third round of the playoffs. There's no keying on one or two receivers as Smith-Shawver spread the ball around evenly, with six receivers having over 200 yards.

Grand Oaks vs. College Station

The Grizzlies had a respectable showing in its first year competing in a UIL district, finishing 7-3 overall and 2-3 in District 13-6A. Grand Oaks just missed out on the playoffs, and they get to face another young squad, but one that has been a perennial playoff team in College Station. Grand Oaks is a run-heavy team, but rising junior Hudson Hamilton will get a chance to air it out at 7-on-7 after a solid sophomore season in which he tossed nine touchdowns to just one interception. Defensively, the Grizzlies will have to contend with a high-flying unit that features quarterback Jett Huff, who completed 72.6 percent of his passes last season for 2,612 yards and 30 TDs, and receivers Dalton Carnes and Houston Thomas.