Whitehouse reaches final of state 7-on-7; JT makes quarterfinals
Published 10:24 pm Saturday, July 12, 2014
COLLEGE STATION — There is life in Whitehouse after Patrick Mahomes.
The MaxPreps.com Player of the Year graduated and is now a freshman quarterback for Kliff Kingsbury at Texas Tech.
Whitehouse rode a long unbeaten streak into the state tournament, but no one knew how new quarterback Jackson Allen and his mates would fare.
Two days and six victories later, Whitehouse will always be remembered for their performance in the 2014 Adidas Texas 7-on-7 Championships.
The Wildcats snuck by Stratford (21-20) and Mesquite Horn (26-25) with one-point victories before downing rival John Tyler in the quarterfinals.
Whitehouse kept it going in the semifinals with a 14-12 win over Missouri City Ridge Point. The journey finally ended in the championship with a 42-25 loss to Katy Seven Lakes as Whitehouse achieved its best-ever finish at the state tournament as runner-up.
“I think the biggest part was taking an almost unknown team; we’ve got a few guys from last year, but it was mainly newcomers,” Wildcats 7-on-7 coach David Williams said. “We were clean; we were crisp (on offense) and knew we were going to have a pretty solid defense. It was just a matter of putting it all together.”
Whitehouse joins Robert E. Lee as the lone East Texas teams to reach a 7-on-7 championship game. Lee accomplished its feat in 2004.
Nearly a decade later, the Piney Woods could’ve had two teams in the semifinals and championship — if they hadn’t been matched up against one another in the quarterfinals.
Only one could advance and it was Whitehouse in a 40-31 win.
John Tyler and Whitehouse took care of business in their first two championship bracket games to meet for a spot in the semifinals. The Lions began with a convincing 49-26 win over Frisco Heritage before defeating Denison 34-22 in the Round of 16.
“Those guys really surprised me,” JT 7-on-7 coach Reginald Coleman said. “I knew we had the talent and ability to win games, but I didn’t know how we were all going to put it together.
“For this group of kids to get this far; they kept fighting and that is what you want from your team. I am so proud of these guys.”
Coleman gave special recognition to Lions offensive players Geovari McCollister, Jeremy Wilson, Nick Cain and Quaylan Brown, with defensive standouts Jordan Owens, Bryston Gipson and Isaac Warren all playing a large role in JT’s success.
The Lions hadn’t defeated Whitehouse all summer in league play, but JT went out ahead early and held a 19-13 lead at halftime.
Williams said Whitehouse decided to change things up on defense and be more physical at the line of scrimmage and it paid off.
“We weren’t rolling up and disrupting routes enough,” Williams said. “They were keeping drives alive with drags (across the middle) and things like that we weren’t disrupting.
“You won’t stop them every time on third-and-short, but if you can stop them a few times and get that turnover. It puts more pressure and that made the momentum swing.”
Whitehouse outscored JT 27-12 in the second half to come away with a 40-31 win and place in the semifinals.
“I take my hat off to Whitehouse; they played well,” Coleman said of JT’s loss. “We should’ve won that game, but we made some mistakes and Whitehouse capitalized and that is what you’re supposed to do.
“I told Whitehouse (after the game) to go represent and bring the trophy home for East Texas.”
Whitehouse took that defensive momentum into its semifinal where it held a Ridge Point to just 12 points. The Wildcats scored in the first half on a TD pass from Allen to Drew Smith and made the conversion.
Ridge Point answered, but couldn’t convert the extra point to trail 7-6. In the second half, Whitehouse increased its lead to 14-6 on a scoring strike from Allen to Trent Williams. Another conversion gave the Wildcats an eight-point cushion. Ridge Point broke through for a second-half touchdown, but failed on the tying 2-point try.
Katy Seven Lakes had outscored its opponents 101-32 in its quarterfinal and semifinal wins. In the championship game, Whitehouse trailed 21-19 at halftime, but gave up a TD to begin the second half, followed by a three-and-out and another Seven Lakes score.
That put Seven Lakes ahead 35-19. Whitehouse was able to slice its deficit to 35-25, but couldn’t draw any closer.
Whitehouse now turns to Friday nights and Williams said he believes this experience and reaching the championship game will be beneficial.
“That is going to be the exciting part,” Williams said.
Red Raiders reach Rd. of 16 in consolation bracket
Robert E. Lee started quickly with a 20-13 victory over Mission Veterans early Saturday morning. A day after REL narrowly missed out on making the championship bracket, the Red Raiders faced Channelview in the consolation Round of 16.
In a cruel repeat, Lee narrowly missed making the quarterfinals as Channelview edged out the Red Raiders 33-32.
Cy Falls went on to win the consolation championship, defeating College Station 33-27.
Adidas Texas 7-on-7 Championships
Saturday at Veteran’s Park and Athletic Complex, College Station
Championship Bracket
First Round
Lake Travis 33, The Woodlands 31
Ridge Point 41, Lovejoy 18
Plano West 33, Abilene 32
Katy 39, Azle 32
John Tyler 49, Frisco Heritage 26
Denison 46, El Paso Franklin 28
Whitehouse 21, Stratford 20
Mesquite Horn 38, Langham Creek 25
Wichita Falls 26, Mercedes 20
Seven Lakes 34, A&M Consolidated 32
Hutto 21 West Mesquite 20
Arlington Lamar 21, Plano 12
Arlington Bowie 32, Clements 21
Manvel 65, Cy Creek 12
Cy Fair 26, Montgomery 20
Allen 38, Austin Bowie 27
Round of 16
Ridge Point 27, Lake Travis 20
Katy 39, Plano West 33
John Tyler 34, Denison 22
Whitehouse 26, Mesquite Horn 25
Katy Seven Lakes 26, Wichita Falls 0
Hutto 39, Arlington Lamar 26
Manvel 54, Arlington Bowie 19
Allen 48, Cy Fair 40
Quarterfinals
Ridge Point 20, Katy 13
Whitehouse 40, John Tyler 31
Katy Seven Lakes 53, Hutto 6
Manvel 41, Allen 30
Semifinals
Whitehouse 14, Ridge Point 12
Katy Seven Lakes 48, Manvel 26
Championship
Katy Seven Lakes 42, Whitehouse 25
Consolation Bracket
First Round
Cy Falls 45, Southlake 13
Arlington Seguin 34, South Hills 28
Austin Westlake 42, Cy Woods 40
Cedar Ridge 45, Port Neches 34
Temple 52, Bellaire 25
East View 30, Lake Dallas 15
Creekview 38, Copperas Cove 27
Atascocita 38, Montwood 32
Channelview 33, Wylie 19
Robert E. Lee 20, Mission Veterans 13
Byron Nelson 33, Klein Collins 31
Houston Lamar 20, San Angelo Central 13
Somerset 26, Frenship 6
College Station 46, Cedar Hill 26
Alamo Heights 33, Sharyland 30
Katy Cinco Ranch 32, Belton 26
Round of 16
Cy Falls 33, Seguin 25
Westlake 33, Cedar Ridge 21
East View 50, Temple 33
Creekview 44, Atascocita 41
Channelview 33, Robert E. Lee 32
Byron Nelson 20, Houston Lamar 14
College Station 44, Somerset 13
Alamo Heights 33, Cinco Ranch 27
Quarterfinals
Cy Falls 38, Austin Westlake 14
Creekview 35, East View 33
Byron Nelson 41, Channelview 34
College Station 41, Alamo Heights 21
Semifinals
Cy Falls 45, Creekview 29
College Station 40, Byron Nelson 25
Championship
Cy Falls 33, College Station 27