Lee takes 7-on-7 title
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Rain or shine, nothing could stop the eighth annual Fox Sports Net Southwest 7-on-7 state championship and talented Texans from all over the Lone Star State definitely put another big stamp on this year's proceedings.
Starting at 64 teams of some very talented groups, by Saturday's finale the list had been narrowed to four teams all battling for a top spot. Some of the front runners coming in, such as South Lake Carroll and Tyler Lee, came up short and it was a blast from the past, Baytown Lee, taking home the crown defeating Bay City 51-34.
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The championship game featured some of the state's top receivers and none of them disappointed.
A clear battle emerged early on between Lee's James Cleveland and Bay City's speedy Cordero Williams. Both highly recruited receivers had defenders searching for answers all afternoon.
Bay City was the first team on top, putting in a touchdown. But it was Lee that struck back and took a lead it would never relinquish throughout the game. Right on cue after the Bay City touchdown, Cleveland, a 6-foot-2, 180-pounder, turned it on and made circus grabs and deep receptions look extremely easy.
Cleveland ended up with three touchdowns in the game, allowing him to earn a spot on the all-tournament team and take home honors as the tournament's most valuable player.
The championship game wasn't much of one, but it would have been an even bigger blowout if it wasn't for Bay City's Williams.
Even though over the course of the game he managed only one touchdown reception, Williams was the go-to-guy in the Bay City attack throughout the tournament. He also joined Bay City receiver Fred Agu on the all-tournament team.
Lee is the first team to win a second state 7-on-7 championship after winning it in 2001 with current Iowa quarterback Drew Tate.
The 7-on-7 champions made their way through an impressive list of teams before taking the title by beating Lake Travis, Brownwood, the Woodlands, and a talented Colleyville Hertiage team that took the third place spot overall.
Some of the all-tournament team's offensive list included quarterbacks Christian Ponder, Texas Tech commit Taylor Potts, Florida bound Jevan Snead, and Lee's junior-to-be signal caller James Moses.
Lee receiver Jonathan Williams helped seal the deal for his championship team and was on the list with fellow prospects McKay Jacobson, and tight end Taylor Wardlow of Grapevine.
The defense was made up with talented defensive backs receiving serious looks like Texas commit Robert Joseph and Lufkin show stopper Leonard Hewitt.