Hustlin' Hermit Shootout Preview

Hermitage High School will host its first ever 7-on-7 tournament on Tuesday, July 13th.  The Hustlin' Hermit Shootout will begin with pool play starting at 2:00 PM.  Following a 30 minute break, the single elimination tournament will begin at 5:00 PM.  Championship and 3rd Place games will be played at 7:20 PM.  All games will be held at Hermit Field.

 

The eight teams in the event will be split into pools of four.  Pool A will play all games on Field 1 (EAST), with Pool B playing on Field 2 (West). Those pools are set up as follows:

 

Pool A:  Hermitage, Fordyce, Junction City, DeWitt

Pool B:  Bearden, Searcy (JV), Smackover, Warren

 

2:00 PM - Hermitage vs. Junction City / Warren vs. Bearden

2:30 PM - Fordyce vs. DeWitt / Searcy JV vs. Smackover

3:00 PM - Junction City vs. DeWitt / Smackover vs. Bearden

3:30 PM - Hermitage vs. Fordyce / Searcy JV vs. Warren

4:00 PM - Fordyce vs. Junction City / Bearden vs. Searcy JV

4:30 PM - Hermitage vs. DeWitt / Smackover vs. Warren

 

All pool and bracket games will be played with 20 minute running clocks.  The Championship and 3rd Place games will be played with two 15 minute halves.  Admission to the event is $1 per person.  A concession stand will be available throughout the day.  All participants will be provided a t-shirt and the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place squads will receive a plaque.

 

Sponsors for the Hustlin' Hermit Shootout include Warren Bank and Trust, First State Bank, The Mad Butcher, Hermitage Grocery, DMA Apparel, Clanton Farms, Harrod & Hensley Tomato Company, and Coca-Cola.

Oldest Tournament turns 15 this Weekend

The Fountain Lake 7-on-7 tournament begins this Saturday at 9 a.m. with 14 teams competing for 2 championships.  There will be a small school division (2A-4A), and a large school division (4A-7A).  This tournament is the longest running tournament in Arkansas as this will mark its 15th year.  The tournament will be held at Cutter Morning Star as Fountain Lake is in the process of installing an artificial surface on their football field.

The large school division will feature Benton, Bryant, Lakeside, Lake Hamilton, Nashville, Pulaski Academy, and Fountain Lake JV. 

The small school division includes Centerpoint, Charleston, DeWitt, Fountain Lake, Mansfield, Perryville, and Smackover.

Both divisions look wide open, but Arkansas Football Bloggers predicts that it will be Bryant or Pulaski Academy hoisting the trophy in the large division, and Fountain Lake keeping the hardware safely in their field house in the small division.

SCHEDULE
The top 2 teams in each division will play at 6:00 for the championship.

	Small School	Large School
9:00	Centerpoint vs Perryville	PA vs Fountain Lake JV
9:25	Fountain Lake vs Mansfield	Nashville vs Lakeside
9:50	DeWitt vs Charleston	Lake Hamilton vs Benton
10:15	Perryville vs Smackover	Bryant vs Lakeside
10:40	Fountain Lake vs DeWitt	PA vs Benton
11:05	Centerpoint vs Charleston	Nashville vs Lake Hamilton
11:30	Mansfield vs DeWitt	Fountain Lake JV vs Benton
11:55	Smackover vs Charleston	Bryant vs Lake Hamilton
12:20	Fountain Lake vs Centerpoint	PA vs Nashville
12:45	Perryville vs Charleston	Lakeside vs Lake Hamilton
1:10	Mansfield vs Centerpoint	Fountain Lake JV vs Nashville
1:35	Smackover vs Fountain Lake	Bryant vs PA
2:00	DeWitt vs Centerpoint	Benton vs Nashville
2:25	Perryville vs Fountain Lake	Lakeside vs PA
2:50	Mansfield vs Smackover	Fountain Lake JV vs Bryant
3:15	Charleston vs Fountain Lake	Lake Hamilton vs PA
3:40	DeWitt vs Smackover	Benton vs Bryant
4:05	Perryville vs Mansfield	Lakeside vs Fountain Lake JV
4:30	Centerpoint vs Smackover	Nashville vs Bryant
4:55	Charleston vs Mansfield	Lake Hamilton vs Fountain Lake JV
5:20	DeWitt vs Perryville	Benton vs Lakeside

Southwest Elite Begins Today

One of the top 7-on-7 tournaments begins today at Shiloh Christian with 15 teams vying for the Southwest Elite 7-on-7 Championship.  This is one of the premiere tournaments in Arkansas and will pit some of the top 7-on-7 teams and players against one another.

Arkansas teams that will be competing will be Shiloh Christian, Bentonville, El Dorado, Fayetteville, CAC, Greene County Tech, Rogers Heritage, Mayflower, Springdale, and Arkansas Baptist.  Shiloh and Fayetteville are the likely favorites, followed closely by El Dorado and Rogers Heritage.  All four of those teams were in the top 8 at the Shootout of the South three weeks ago.

Out of state teams include Olive Branch (MS), Heritage Hall (OK City), McAlister (OK), Muskogee (OK), and Hillcrest (Springfield, MO).  Arkansas Football Bloggers can only speak about Heritage Hall as we are unfamiliar with the other out of state teams.  Heritage Hall boasts two great athletes in wide receiver Sterling Sheppard, who was one of the top receivers at the Shootout of the South, and cornerback Barry Sanders, Jr, son of former Detroit Lions running back, Barry Sanders.  Although they will be very good, we don't think they can run the table to defeat the top level teams like Fayetteville and Shiloh.

The 16 teams (Bentonville will have two teams) will divide into 2 pools of 8.  They will play 4 pool play games on Friday beginning at 2:00 with the last games slated for 5:30.  They will then return on Saturday to play 3 pool play games from 9:00 to noon, then breaking for lunch.  When they return, the single elimination tournament will begin at 1:15.

Here are the pools:

POOL A
Arkansas Baptist
Bentonville
Shiloh Christian
Olive Branch
Hillcrest
Mayflower
Heritage
Heritage Hall

POOL B
Springdale
El Dorado
Muskogee
Bentonville 2
Fayetteville
CAC
McAlester
GCT

More information and schedules can be found on the tournaments website: http://www.elite7on7.com.

2010 Shootout of the South Preview

One of the Natural State’s biggest 7-on-7 tournaments begins Friday, June 18 with some of the best teams and most talented skill players from across the state.  The tournament will also feature teams and players from other states with none carrying a bigger name than Heritage Hall’s Barry Sanders, Jr.  Sanders is the son of the former Oklahoma State and Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders, considered by many as the greatest NFL running back of all time.

The sixth annual Shootout of the South presented by Baptist Health will begin Friday at 11 am at the Mighty Bluebird Complex in Little Rock.  Twenty-four teams will compete in the tournament with 19 from Arkansas, three from Oklahoma, and one each from Texas and Louisiana.  Each team will play five pool play games on Friday with the guaranteed-two game format tournament beginning Saturday at 10 am.  The finals will begin at 4 pm on Saturday.  The tournament champion will qualify for the 7-on-7 National Championship in Hoover, Alabama in late July.

Making the trip across the state lines will be Afton, Stigler, and Heritage Hall from Oklahoma, Allen from Texas, and Cenla Christian Academy out of Pineville, Louisiana.  Allen won the tournament in 2006 and Heritage Hall defeated Allen for the 2007 Shootout Championship.

The in-state teams are Central Arkansas Christian, Conway, Dumas, El Dorado, Fayetteville, Fountain Lake, Greenbrier, Lake Hamilton, Lakeside (Hot Springs), Magnolia, Nashville, Parkview, Pulaski Academy, Rogers Heritage, Russellville, Shiloh Christian, Warren, and Watson Chapel.  Fayetteville is the defending champion and Lake Hamilton won the 2008 title.

Four of the state’s top quarterbacks will be on display.  Shiloh Christian star and Auburn commit Kiehl Frazier and Fayetteville’s signal caller and Arkansas commit Brandon Allen are the two most highly regarded. Allen won the Top Gun Award at last year’s shootout, given to the tournament’s top quarterback.  Taylor Reed of El Dorado is a talented lefty who holds an offer from Arkansas State, and Darion Griswold from Dumas is a 6’5” 240 pound signal caller who also stars in basketball.

The receiving group will be highlighted by Fayetteville’s Demetrius Dean and Allen’s Jonathan Lee.  Dean has committed to Arkansas, and Lee committed to Baylor while turning down offers from Arkansas, Nebraska, and several others.  Sterling Shepard, son of former Oklahoma Sooner and Dallas Cowboy receiver Derrick Shepard, will play receiver and free safety for Heritage Hall.  Watson Chapel will feature a pair of 6’2” receivers in Mitch Lane and Kyle Coleman.  Warren, who is known for producing great receivers, will display Allen Tatum who has an offer from Louisiana-Monroe and junior Jalen Cobb, who has an offer from Arkansas and Arkansas State.  Two of the state’s leaders in receptions from a year ago, Garrett Lamb and Zac Reyna, will be playing for Pulaski Academy.  Barry Sanders, Jr. from Heritage Hall and Dylan Hale from Fayetteville are two division one caliber running backs who will be splitting out and catching balls out of the backfield.  Sanders will also play cornerback.

Defensive backs usually carry all the hype in 7-on-7 defense, but linebackers may be stealing the show this year.   Michael Johnson of Little Rock Parkview, Marc Robinson of Heritage Hall, and Melvin Spears of Allen are all top prospects at linebacker.  At defensive back, two juniors may be the best in the state at their position in cornerback Ajalen Holley from Lakeside and free safety Aum’Arie Wallace of Pulaski Academy.

Mighty Bluebird Complex is off Highway 10 West on Pinnacle Valley Road.  Admission to the tournament is $5 per car each day.  Concessions will be available.

List of all 24 teams:

• Afton HS (OK)
• Allen HS (TX)
• Cenla Christian Academy (Pineville, LA)
• Central Arkansas Christian (North Little Rock)
• Conway HS
• Dumas HS
• El Dorado HS
• Fayetteville HS
• Fountain Lake HS
• Greenbrier HS
• Hall HS (Little Rock)
• Heritage Hall (Oklahoma City)
• Heritage HS (Rogers)
• Lake Hamilton HS (Pearcy)
• Lakeside HS (Hot Springs)
• Magnolia HS
• Nashville HS
• Parkview HS (Little Rock)
• Pulaski Academy (Little Rock)
• Russellville HS
• Shiloh Christian (Springdale)
• Stigler (OK)
• Warren HS
• Watson Chapel HS

The tournament is sponsored by Baptist Health Orthopedic Center, Chenal Heights Nursing and Rehab, Windstream Communications, SportStop, 2B Partners, LLC., Hatcher Insurance Agency, Nike, Gatorade, OneBanc,  and Roller Chenal Funeral Home.

2010 ASPC Summer Showdown

The 2010 Arkansas Sports Performance Center 7-on-7 Summer Showdown will be Thursday at Robinson High School in Little Rock.  Headlining this year's event will be the 2009 Showdown Champion, Bryant Hornets, and last weekend's Sonic Air Raid Champion, Pulaski Academy Bruins.  Making what we believe to be their first 7-on-7 tournament appearance ever are the Hope Bobcats and Mena Bearcats. 

Pool play will begin at 1:30 with each team playing four games in a single round-robin format against the teams in their pool.  The pool play results will seed the tournament which is a single-elimination format that will begin at 5:15.  The tournament finals will be at 7:30.

POOL A	POOL B
Mena	Lakeside
Central	England
Jacksonville	Bryant
Puaski Academy	Robinson
JA Fair	Hope

Time	Teams			Field
1:30	Mena	vs.	Central	West
	Lakeside	vs.	Hope	East
2:00	Lakeside	vs.	England	West
	Robinson	vs.	Bryant	East
	Jacksonville	vs.	Pulaski Academy	Practice
2:30	Robinson	vs.	Hope	West
	Mena	vs.	Pulaski Academy	East
	Jacksonville	vs.	JA Fair	Practice
3:00	Lakeside	vs.	Bryant	West
	Jacksonville	vs.	Central	East
	Hope	vs.	England	Practice
3:30	Pulaski Academy	vs.	JA Fair	West
	Jacksonville	vs.	Mena	East
	Bryant	vs.	England	Practice
4:00	Robinson	vs.	Lakeside	West
	Central	vs.	JA Fair	East
	Bryant	vs.	Hope	Practice
4:30	Robinson	vs.	England	West
	Central	vs.	Pulaski Academy	East
	Mena	vs.	JA Fair	Practice

	B1_______
A4_______		_________
	5:45 West
5:15 West	_________
B5_______
		6:50 West	_________
	A2_______
	6:15 West	_________
	B3_______
			7:30 West	_________
	A1_______
B4_______		_________
	5:45 East
5:15 East	_________
A5_______
		6:50 East	_________
	A2_______
	6:15 East	_________
	B3_______

Sonic Air Raid Results

Pulaski Academy won its second consecutive Air Raid championship on Saturday and third title in four years by finishing 7-0 and defeating Conway, 35-33 in the finals.  The Bruins held on in some very tight pool play games to earn the top seed from their pool that consisted of Lake Hamilton, Watson Chapel, and Greenbrier.  Lake Hamilton would advance to the finals of the winner's bracket before being downed by Pulaski Academy, then by Conway in the loser's bracket finals. 

Greenbrier defeated Watson Chapel for the consolation championship.  Those two teams hooked up four times on the day with Watson Chapel winning the first two, first in pool play, then in the finals of the winner's bracket.  Greenbrier then came out of the loser's bracket and defeated Watson Chapel twice for the consolation championship. 

Results and Standings
Pool A
Searcy 26, Conway 21
Harding Academy 17, Pine Bluff 12
Harding Academy 13, Searcy 8
Conway 36, Pine Bluff 9
Conway 23, Harding Academy 14
Searcy 14, Pine Bluff 2

Searcy (2-1), Conway (2-1), Harding Academy (2-1), Pine Bluff (0-3)

Pool B
Watson Chapel 28, Greenbrier 18
Pulaski Academy 21, Lake Hamilton 20
Lake Hamilton 14, Watson Chapel 10
Pulaski Academy 30, Greenbrier 20
Pulaski Academy 28, Watson Chapel 20
Lake Hamilton 36, Greenbrier 19

Pulaski Academy (3-0), Lake Hamilton (2-1), Watson Chapel (1-2), Greenbrier (0-3)

Pool C
Lonoke 12, Bald Knob 2
Pulaski Academy JV 15, Greene County Tech 12
Pulaski Academy JV 22, Bald Knob 14
Greene County Tech 27, Lonoke 12
Lonoke 28, Pulaski Academy JV 14
Greene County Tech 19, Bald Knob 12

Greene County Tech (2-1), Lonoke (2-1), Pulaski Academy JV (2-1), Bald Knob (0-3)

Pool D
Conway Christian 17, Rose Bud 8
DeWitt 22, Des Arc 14
Des Arc 25, Rose Bud 0
DeWitt 22, Conway Christian 8
DeWitt 23, Rose Bud 12
Des Arc 15, Conway Christian 14

DeWitt (3-0), Des Arc (2-1), Conway Christian (1-2), Rose Bud (0-3)

Consolation Bracket
1st Round
Greenbrier 21, Harding Academy 0
Rose Bud 24, Pulaski Academy JV 16
Watson Chapel 26, Pine Bluff 2
Bald Knob 35, Conway Christian 20

2nd Round (Winner's Bracket)
Greenbrier 37, Rose Bud 0
Watson Chapel 20, Bald Knob 14

Winner's Bracket Final
Watson Chapel 21, Greenbrier 16

1st Round (Loser's Bracket)
Harding Academy 24, Pulaski Academy JV 8
Conway Christian 6, Pine Bluff 2

2nd Round (Loser's Bracket)
Harding Academy 34, Bald Knob 24
Conway Christian 35, Rose Bud 14

3rd Round (Loser's Bracket)
Harding Academy 24, Conway Christian 14

Loser's Bracket Final
Greenbrier 21, Harding Academy 0

Tournament Finals
Greenbrier 18, Watson Chapel 13
(if necessary) Greenbrier 19, Watson Chapel 0

Championship Bracket
1st Round
Pulaski Academy 28, Searcy 8
Lonoke 28, DeWitt 20
Greene County Tech 19, Des Arc 6
Lake Hamilton 33, Conway 0

2nd Round (Winner's Bracket)
Pulaski Academy 34, Lonoke 20
Lake Hamilton 32, Greene County Tech 12

Winner's Bracket Final
Pulaski Academy 34, Lake Hamilton 14

1st Round (Loser's Bracket)
DeWitt defeated Searcy
Conway defeated Des Arc

2nd Round (Loser's Bracket)
Greene County Tech 27, DeWitt 22
Conway 16, Lonoke 8

3rd Round (Loser's Bracket)
Conway 20, Greene County Tech 8

Loser's Bracket Final
Conway 25, Lake Hamilton 14

Championship
Pulaski Academy 35, Conway 33