The state's largest 7-on-7 tournament returns for an 11th year today.
The Shootout of the South will be played today and Saturday at the Mighty Bluebird Complex in west Little Rock. The 20-team field features Pulaski Academy, Little Rock Catholic, Little Rock Christian, Lake Hamilton, Warren, Searcy, Conway Christian and out-of-state powers Oklahoma City Heritage Hall and DeSoto (Miss.) Central.
Shootout of the South
WHEN 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. today and 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday
WHERE Mighty Bluebird Complex, Little Rock DIRECTIONS From Interstate 430, take exit 9 and go west on Arkansas 10 (Cantrell Road) 2.5 miles. Turn right (north) on Pinnacle Valley Road headed toward Maumelle Park. Go 1 mile on Pinnacle Valley Road. Turn left immediately after the railroad tracks.
ADMISSION $3 daily (children under 5 get in free)
SCHOOLS ENTERED (20) Pool A: Afton, Okla.; Bald Knob; Clinton; Conway Christian; England; Greenbrier; Oklahoma City Heritage Hall; Pulaski Academy Gold; Searcy; Stigler, Okla. Pool B: Central Arkansas Christian; Little Rock Catholic; DeSoto Central (Miss.); Heber Springs; Lake Hamilton; Little Rock Christian; Pulaski Academy Blue; Quitman; Vilonia; Warren.
TODAY’S SCHEDULE
11 A.M. PA Gold vs. Conway Christian; Searcy vs. Greenbrier; Bald Knob vs. Afton, Okla.; Stigler, Okla. vs. Clinton.
11:35 A.M. Warren vs. CAC; Quitman vs. Lake Hamilton; LR Christian vs. Heber Springs; Vilonia vs. DeSoto Central (Miss.); LR Catholic vs. PA Blue.
12:10 P.M. Greenbrier vs. PA Gold; Conway Christian vs. Searcy; England vs. Afton; Bald Knob vs. Clinton; Stigler, Okla. vs. Heritage Hall.
12:45 P.M. Lake Hamilton vs. LR Christian; CAC vs. PA Blue; Heber Springs vs. Quitman; LR Catholic vs. Vilonia; DeSoto Central (Miss.) vs. Warren.
1:20 P.M. PA Blue vs. Lake Hamilton; Quitman vs. LR Christian; Vilonia vs. Heber Springs; DeSoto Central (Miss.) vs. CAC; Warren vs. LR Catholic.
1:55 P.M. Heritage Hall vs. Bald Knob; Searcy vs. PA Gold; Clinton vs. Conway Christian; Afton vs. Greenbrier; Stigler, Okla. vs. England. 2:30 P.M. Searcy vs. Bald Knob; Heritage Hall vs. Conway Christian; Clinton vs. Afton, Okla.; PA Gold vs. Stigler, Okla.; Greenbrier vs. England.
3:05 P.M. Lake Hamilton vs. CAC; LR Christian vs. DeSoto Central (Miss.); LR Catholic vs. Quitman; Vilonia vs. PA Blue; Heber Springs vs. Warren.
3:40 P.M. Afton, Okla. vs. Stigler, Okla.; Clinton vs. PA Gold; Conway Christian vs. England; Bald Knob vs. Greenbrier; Heritage Hall vs. Searcy.
4:15 P.M. PA Blue vs. DeSoto Central (Miss.); Vilonia vs. LR Christian; LR Catholic vs. Lake Hamilton; Heber Springs vs. CAC; Warren vs. Quitman.
4:50 P.M. Searcy vs. Stigler, Okla.; PA Gold vs. Afton, Okla.; Conway Christian vs. Bald Knob; England vs. Clinton; Greenbrier vs. Heritage Hall.
5:25 P.M. Heber Springs vs. LR Catholic; LR Christian vs. PA Blue; Quitman vs. DeSoto Central (Miss.); CAC vs. Vilonia; Lake Hamilton vs. Warren.
6 P.M. England vs. Heritage Hall
Pulaski Academy has won the past five Shootout titles and has won 74 consecutive 7-on-7 games dating to 2013. The Bruins, the defending Class 5A football state champions, won the Sonic Air Raid and Ouachita Baptist 7-on-7 events earlier this month.
"We love summer," Pulaski Academy Coach Kevin Kelley said. "We love playing football. It's a little added pressure to perform pretty well in our own tournament."
The Bruins are working in a new quarterback this summer following the graduation of Will Hefley, a member of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's All-Arkansas Preps second-team offense last season who will play football for Tulsa University this fall.
Sophomore Layne Hatcher will take over at the position for Hefley. Hatcher was the Bruins' junior varsity quarterback last year and passed for more than 1,500 yards.
Senior Tre Bruce is a threat for the Bruins at running back, wide receiver and quarterback. Bruce has been offered a football scholarship by Louisiana-Monroe, Air Force, Ouachita Baptist University and Henderson State. Senior Zack Kelley, the coach's son, has been offered by OBU and Henderson State.
Little Rock Christian senior running back Damarea Crockett is among the top players who will take part in the tournament. Crockett and the Warriors won the Arkansas 7-on-7 Classic last week, beating Alma in the championship game.
Other top players from the state to keep an eye on include Little Rock Catholic quarterback Andre Sale, Searcy wide receiver Wallace Robinson and Central Arkansas Christian wide receiver Joshua Johnson.
For Kelley, competing in 7-on-7 tournaments is important to his team's success in the fall.
"When we're strong in 7-on-7, we're strong on the field," Kelley said. "They parallel each other."
Pool play begins at 11 a.m. today and runs until 6:30 p.m. Championship bracket play begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, with the championship game scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
Sports on 06/19/2015