They say champions are made in the offseason; a select few football teams from south Florida took this sentiment to heart Saturday morning when they braved high temperatures and the blazing sun to compete against top talent in the region.
After a summer full of 7 on 7 match-ups (a touch form of football played on just 40 yards of the field without offensive linemen), it came time for the best teams in the area to face off, and the 6th annual Elite 7v7 NFA Championship provided these teams a chance to do just that. After hours of running games in the morning to set seeding, the real games began – the elimination round. The top two teams from the preliminary rounds (Western and Coral Glades) found themselves watching their competition face off in the early elimination rounds, having earned a bye for their performance.
Tensions rose and temperatures rose even higher as the rounds wore on. In the semifinal, the Coral Glades Jaguars found themselves going up against Gold Coast Conference opponent, the Archbishop McCarthy Mavericks. On the other half of the field, the top-seeded Western Wildcats went head-on with the West Broward Bobcats. The Wildcats and Mavericks both took care of business and met in the championship, where Western obliterated Archbishop McCarthy, claiming the Elite 7v7 trophy and bragging rights for the next year.
While linemen are not used in 7v7, the linemen had a competition of their own on another field. Pushing weight sleds among other weighted running activities, opposing big men clashed in a battle of pure strength and speed. The Stoneman Douglas Eagles and the Piper Bengals rose above the competition to clash in the final lineman challenge where the Eagles upended the Bengals. Stoneman Douglas claimed the Linemen Challenge Trophy, while two Piper athletes earned MVP trophies.
Standout Athletes:
Ki-jana Whyte (WR) 6’3″ 175 lbs Sr. – Western Wildcats
“It’s fun, there’s some good competition out here and it’s good to come out here and compete. We’re going to have a big season, I believe we can go deep in the playoffs and should be able to finish first in the district. We’re up and coming.”
Sam Oshodi (WR) 5’11” 170 lbs Sr. – Coral Glades Jaguars
“[Coach Baldwin] is good I like him, he’s trying to change up the culture here and we’re just out here to get better.”
Freddi Sears (DB) – Stranahan Mighty Dragons
“We’re just having a good time out here me and my teammates are out here having a good time, doing what we’re supposed to do, being a family. We’ve been playing well in our 7v7’s and I believe that we can go undefeated in the upcoming season.”
Anthony Colonel (WR) 5’8″ 140 So. – Miami Springs Golden Hawks
“I feel that we can have a good season but we just have to work hard and stay dedicated, take the weight room more seriously and just show up to practice and show coach that you want it.”
Quinn Dempsey (QB) 5’11” 165 Jr. – Archbishop McCarthy Mavericks
“We’ve been performing well despite missing a few starters, but we’re making up for it. I feel that I’m the right person for the job [to take over the starting QB role] I feel that I’m a good leader and the best on the field at all times.”
Manuel Almanzar (WR) 5’11” 195 Jr. – Cooper City Cowboys
“We played good, this is just a bonding; we bonded together today. We’re just getting better, that’s what we’re doing out here, and I believe that [with this offseason work] we can advance to districts.”
Tai Lehtio (WR) 6’0″ 175 Jr. – Marjory Stoneman Douglas
“I think [McCarthy] is a pretty good team, but we just worked harder than them and they just couldn’t stop us at the end. I work my routes everyday and work hard everyday, I think I can beat anybody out there.”
Tai Lehtio (WR) 6’0″ 175 Jr. Marjory Stoneman Douglas photo credit Kyle Wood
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