Sonic Air Raid Kicks Off 2013 7-on-7 Season

Tradition continues on Saturday, June 1, as the 2013 Sonic Air Raid 7-on-7 Tournament will again be held on the campus of Harding University. One of the state's elite tournaments and considered the first leg of the Arkansas "Triple Crown" of 7-on-7's, this year's field should provide some great competition to open the season.

The Sonic Air Raid features 4 divisions of 4 teams in a round robin format. The top 2 teams from each division will be seeded into the 1st Security Bank championship bracket while the lower 2 teams will compete in the Land-O-Frost consolation bracket.

This year's tournament will feature former champions Searcy (2012), Pulaski Academy (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011), and Lake Hamilton (2008). Other championship contenders should be Conway, Watson Chapel, and Wynne.  Three teams bring new coaches to the tournament with Jeff Weaver's Little Rock Christian Warriors, Weaver's former school, Mena, with Tim Harper, and Harper's former school, Searcy, with Jeremy Poole.  Greenbrier has graduated most of their starters off of last year's team, but Coach Tribble will have them in contention every game.  Harding Academy will do well as usual, but may not have enough depth at day's end to win the title, and the same could be said of Mayflower, who returns a very good quarterback.  Other teams competing will be Stuttgart, Corning, and Clinton.

SCHEDULE
Division A
10:00 PA v Conway, LRCA Green v Lake Hamilton Maroon
10:45 PA v Lake Hamilton Maroon, LRCA Green v Conway
11:30 PA v LRCA Green, Lake Hamilton Maroon v Conway

Division B
10:00 Watson Chapel v Lake Hamilton Gold, LRCA Blue v Stuttgart
10:45 Watson Chapel v LRCA Blue, Lake Hamilton Gold v Suttgart
11:30 Watson Chapel v Suttgart, Lake Hamilton Gold v LRCA Blue

Division C
10:00 Corning v Mena, Harding Academy v Greenbrier
10:45 Corning v Harding Academy, Mena v Greenbrier
12:30 Corning v Greenbrier, Mena v Harding Academy

Division D
10:00 Wynne v Clinton, Mayflower v Searcy
10:45 Wynne v Mayflower, Clinton v Searcy
12:30 Wynne v Searcy, Mayflower v Clinton

Predicted Division A Finish

1. Conway
2. Pulaski Academy
3. Lake Hamilton Maroon
4. LR Christian Green

Predicted Division B Finish

1. Lake Hamilton Gold
2. Watson Chapel
3. LR Christian Blue
4. Stuttgart

Predicted Division C Finish

1. Harding Academy
2. Greenbrier
3. Mena
4. Corning

Predicted Division D Finish

1. Wynne
2. Mayflower
3. Searcy
4. Clinton

Good luck to all the teams and enjoy the weekend of competition. Anyone who has updates please send them to us at ArkansasFootballBloggers@gmail.com.

Thanks!

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Sonic Air Raid Rules

• 7 defenders and 5 receivers
• Each possession begins on the 40-yard line.
• First downs are made by crossing the 25 yd. line and the 10 yd. line.
• 3 downs to make a first down.
• PAT snaps at the 5 yd. line (1 point) or 10 yd. line (2 points).  No kicking.
• Possession changes after PAT attempt, failure to make a first down, or a turnover.
• Length of games will be 25 minutes with a running clock.
• Every formation must be a legal football formation.
• New play must begin 25 seconds after the spot. 
• Penalty = loss of down
• The ball is dead once it hits the ground and team keeps possession (no fumbles).
• After a catch, all offensive players must stop except the receiver - no blocking downfield.
• One hand touch is considered a tackle.
• The QB will have 4 seconds from the snap for the ball to leave his hand. The ball must be snapped to the QB.
• There are no interception returns; defense is awarded possession and 2 points.
• No running plays allowed.
• No laterals after a reception.
• Pass interference
• Defensive Penalty
• Automatic 1st Down at the spot
• If it occurs in the end zone, it results in a 1st Down at the 1 yd. line
• Offensive Penalty
• Loss of the next down.
• Defensive holding
• Automatic 1st Down at the spot
• Overtime
• Each team will get one attempt from the 5 yd. line or 10 yd. line.
• Loser of first coin toss will get the choice of possession.
• Scoring
• Offensive
• Touchdown = 6 point
• PAT from 5 yd. line = 1 point
• PAT from 10 yd. line = 2 points
•  Defensive
• Interception = 2 points
• Defensive coaching only from the sidelines. 
• No coaches on the field on the defensive side of the ball.