Sixty-four teams will compete in this year’s 7-on-7 football Division II state tournament, and Brownwood is one of the favorites to win. An article on Scout.com not only picks Brownwood to win the tournament, but predicts that wide receiver Jaxon Shipley will make an impressive showing (click here for article).
The 64 teams will divide into 16 groups of four teams each and compete in pool play (three games per team). The top two teams from each pool advance to a 32-team single elimination championship bracket, while the remaining 32 teams are entered into a single elimination consolation bracket.
Brownwood will face Rosebud-Lott, Houston Kincaid, and Hardin-Jefferson in their pool play for the state tournament on Thursday at Texas A&M.
7-on-7 football was designed as an off-season workout program for Texas high schools to promote and improve the quality of quarterbacks, receivers, secondary players and linebackers. Schools throughout Texas organize teams and participate in a summer league that culminates with a state championship tournament in July. To comply with UIL rules, active coaches are prohibited from instructing players during games. The fast-paced, high scoring, offense-oriented competition is as exciting for the fans to watch as it is for the players and coaches who participate in the league.
The 7-on-7 format is popular among high school football teams in Texas as a method to keep players in shape during the summer months. The game emphasizes passing using a 45-yard field and a one-hand touch for a tackle. All players, except the center, are eligible receivers. The game is played in two 20-minute continuous halves. Uniforms consist of shorts and T-shirts with no pads.
FOX Sports Southwest helped organize the first state championship tournament in 1998 as it looked for ways to improve its commitment to promoting high school football in Texas. The regional sports network, which telecasts the weekly HIGH SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT show as well as Texas football and basketball state championship events, provided marketing support and quickly turned 7-on-7 football into a preeminent event for players and football fans alike.
The annual FOX Sports Southwest 7-on-7 State Championship Tournament presented by Adidas and Academy Sports & Outdoors has been held at Texas A&M since its inception in 1998. The Bryan-College Station Convention & Visitors Bureau estimates the three-day event generates roughly $525,000 a year for local hotels and businesses. According to the sports foundation, the tournament brings in about 3,400 people and fills about 400 local hotel rooms each night. With as many as 128 teams featuring some of the top recruits in the country participating in the tournament, the event attracts between 5,000-10,000 spectators over three days.
Photo: Jaxon Shipley during a recent 7-on-7 game in Brownwood.
