Albany opens state tournament Thursday

Albany’s 7-on-7 team will open pool play Thursday morning at the Division III State Tournament in College Station, returning to the event after missing out last summer.

The Lions will compete in a four-team pool that includes Hico, Tidehaven, and Wolfe City. Albany is scheduled to face Hico at 10:00 a.m., Tidehaven at 11:30 a.m., and Wolfe City at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the 16-team championship bracket on Friday, while the others will compete in a single-elimination consolation bracket.

Branson Beal, who coaches the team alongside London Fuentes, said practices have been solid but challenging due to summer commitments.

“Practices have been going good overall, even though the past two weeks have been tough with guys busy working or participating in Fandangle,” Beal said. “But we’ve been working hard, and I feel like we’re more prepared than we were for our last tournament.”

All 13 players on the roster are expected to travel, and despite a tough draw, Beal is optimistic about the team’s chances.

“Our pool is definitely the hardest of them all, but we’re ready,” he said.

Albany qualified for the state tournament on June 6 at a state qualifier in Abilene, going 4-0 with wins over Merkel, Dublin, Miles, and Tolar. This marks Albany’s sixth appearance at state since 2015.

Community Support Powers the Trip

Local support helped make the trip possible. 

The team raised $900 toward expenses, and the Albany Chest contributed an additional $1,000 to cover the cost of new jerseys. 

2025 Roster

This year’s 7-on-7 squad includes the following players:

Breylon Billington, Blake Britting, Calhan Fairchild, Wesley Gleitz, Christian Hernandez, Mason McCloy, Bennett Neece, Woods Peterson, Jakobi Roberson, Jaxson Street, Aiden Vickers, Slade Windham, and Lyle Wheeler.

Heat Preparation

While summer heat remains a challenge, players and coaches agree that practicing in recent high temperatures has helped them prepare for College Station’s humid climate and grass fields. Albany’s previous tournament experience in Abilene, where turf surfaces added to the heat, offered a useful contrast to what they’ll face this week.

This trip marks another opportunity for Albany athletes to represent the community on a statewide stage – something Beal feels that they’ve earned through hard work, teamwork, and strong local backing.