Time to read
1 minute
Read so far

Albany 7on7 team makes state appearance

0 comments

By Nolan Davis

Albany’s 7on7 football team recently traveled to College Station, where they competed in the state tournament.

The two-day event on June 27-28 saw teams from across the state face off to crown the state champion 7on7 team.

The local players were able to go to the tournament after they went 3-0 in a qualifying tournament in Archer City earlier in the month.

Players at the tournament receive custom Adidas uniforms and cleats, and the tournament provides them with many accessories that they can wear during the games and then take home with them.

Albany took the maximum 20 players to the tournament and played three games of pool play during the first day of the tournament.

The team, coached by Anthony Ceder and Spencer Newsom, went 0-3 in their pool games, losing 30-16 to Daingerfield, 19-16 in a close game to Ganado, and 28-7 to Van Horn.

Albany then played their first and only tournament game on the second day, which saw them lose to Hearne 20-13.

Despite coming up short in all of their games, Newsom still sees the trip as an overall positive experience for the team.

“It was a lot of fun just getting to go down there and hang out with the guys,” said Newsom. “We had a lot of fun together as a team.”

While 7on7 is not mandatory for those who plan to play football in the fall, Newsom sees many benefits to getting some extra practice during the summer months.

“A lot of guys really improved during 7on7,” said Newsom. “When we started, there were some guys that struggled at times to remember certain routes, but by the time we were competing in the state tournament, those same guys knew how to run those routes perfectly.”

Newsom also thinks that playing 7on7 in the summer can help with things other than just skills and athleticism.

“Letting all of these guys get a chance to play on the same team together definitely helps to improve their chemistry together as teammates, which will hopefully transition over when they start playing in the fall,” said Newsom. “It also gives some of the younger guys an opportunity to play against older kids, which can really help to boost their confidence.”