Shootout of the South 7-on-7 to be held this weekend.
The 12th Annual Shootout of the South takes place at Mighty Blue Bird Fields (6800 Pinnacle Valley Road) Friday, June 17th and Saturday, June 18.
The twenty-two team field will participate in six pool games Friday beginning at 11:00 am. Friday’s games conclude at 7:30pm. Saturday, all teams will begin in one of the four regional tournament brackets: Adidas, Cumberland Consulting, Steve Landers Toyota, or First Security Bank. The winners will compete in the Orthosurgeons Championship Tournament and others will finish their day in the Arkansas Surgical Hospital consolation bracket.
Champions from each tournament will be crowned with title games slated for 4:00 pm. In total, over a two day period, on five fields, over 150 7-on-7 games will be played by 500 participants.
This year’s shootout features several Central Arkansas teams: Greenbrier Panthers, Heber Springs Panthers, and Warren Lumberjacks. Additionally the Little Rock Catholic Rockets, Clinton Yellow Jackets and Central Arkansas Christian Mustangs complete the field of local participants. The Searcy Lions return for the second year following a runner up finish in the Sonic Air Raid.
Returning to the tournament is Allen High School the defending 6A Texas state champions. Also the North Little Rock Charging Wildcats and Springdale Bulldogs reenter the field after a multiple year break.
A new Arkansas team entering tournament play for the first time is the Monticello Billies. The host team and two-time defending Shootout champion Pulaski Academy Bruins (2015 5A State Champions) will have two teams participating in tournament play. This summer the Bruins won the Sonic Air Raid and OBU 7-on-7 passing tournament.
Four Oklahoma schools will travel across state lines: Afton Eagles, former Shootout champion Heritage Hall Chargers, Pocola Indians, and Stigler Panthers. Heritage Hall has won back to back state championships and boasts a 27 game winning streak.
The lone Missouri team in the tournament this year is Glendale High School. They will feature two teams in Shootout competition. The Falcons won the Kansas State Manhattan Shootout earlier this summer. Glendale finished last season as the number one passing team in the nation with 5,861 yards. Pulaski Academy was third with 5,344 yards and 61 touchdowns.
Several college prospects will showcase their skills in this year’s tournament. Fayetteville quarterback and Wake Forest commitment, Taylor Powell will lead the Purple Dog offense. Last season Powell passed for 3,600 yards and 49 touchdowns leading Fayetteville to the 7A state title game. Powell also holds offers from Vanderbilt, Utah State, Purdue, and Maryland. Other Fayetteville players to watch are Barret Banister (Ouachita Baptist) and Brennon Lewis (Airforce).
Central Arkansas Christian wide receiver and Iowa State commitment Joshua Johnson highlights the great receiving corps in this year’s tournament. Johnson holds offers from Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma State. Last season Johnson had 1,245 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns. Senior CAC quarterback Noah Evans and receiver/defensive back Grant Wood will be tournament standouts.
Glendale Falcon quarterback Alex Huston was the leading passer in the nation last year throwing for 5,608 yards and 69 touchdowns. Under the sophomore’s leadership, the Falcons made a semifinal appearance. His favorite target, Luke Montgomery, is a receiver to watch. He was all-state last year with 1,936 receiving yards and twenty-seven touchdowns. Montgomery holds offers from ivy league schools.
The Warren Lumberjacks feature a veteran team with many skill players returning. Sophomore wide receiver Treylon Burks has already been offered by Arkansas. Signal caller Hayden Lassiter has been offered by Ouachita Baptist. Running Back Dennis Daniels has offers from Ouachita Baptist and Northeastern State. He paced the 2015 Warren offense with 2,000 all-purpose yards and twenty-seven touchdowns.
Allen Texas provides a host of division 1 skill players. Sophomore QB Grant Tisdale holds a scholarship from SMU. Senior wide out Teveyn Stevenson has been offered by New Mexico. Colorado and SMU want Kirby Bennet, the Eagles’ multipurpose running back. Senior QB Mitchell Jonke possesses multiple Ivy league scholarships. PVAMU has offered Eagle linebacker Misi Tupou.
Pulaski Academy quarterback and last year’s Shootout of the South top gun winner Layne Hatcher will lead the PA Bruin offense. Hatcher was the 7th rated passer in the nation throwing for 4,667 yards and fifty-five touchdowns. He did this enroute to being the first sophomore quarterback to lead PA to a state title. Hatcher recently picked up his first offer from Ouachita Baptist.
Last Year’s 5A state championship MVP Jaren Watkins is an explosive playmaker for the Bruins. Watkins currently holds offers from Harding and the Naval Academy. Watkins set a school record rushing for 2,000 yards last season. The Bruins feature a deep receiving core led by Tre Johnson, Ray Jackson, and Brett Lynch. The PA defense will be led by safety Hayden Henry. He has recently been offered by Harding University and Ouachita Baptist. Linebacker Payton Titus anchors the Bruins up front.
North Little Rock will be led by tailback Alex Day as well as receiver Aaron Griffin. The speedy Griffin had nine touchdown catches in four games at the OBU 7 on 7 tournament. Searcy quarterback Mason Schucker has been impressive on the 7 on 7 circuit this summer.
Last year’s consolation bracket champion the Greenbrier Panthers will be led by senior signal caller Carter Burcham. The Panthers leading receivers Alex Massey and Brandon Thomas combined last season for eighty six catches and 17 touchdowns.
Veteran signal caller Trey Cox (North Little Rock) and Taylor Price (LR Catholic) round a deep field of quarterback talent. All-day admission into the tournament is $3.00 per person, and concessions will be available throughout tournament play.
A special thanks to major tournament sponsors: Ortho Surgeons Arkansas Surgical Hospital, Adidas, Steve Landers Toyota, Cumberland Consulting, Arkansas Urology /Epoch Health Morton Buildings, First Security, Allison Insurance & Financial, Midwest Sports, Kanis Self-Storage, Mexico Chiquito and The Hatcher Agency.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE SHOOTOUT OF THE SOUTH POOL PLAY SCHEDULE.
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