PSJA North, San Benito show promise at state 7-on-7 tourney
BY BRYAN RAMOS
STAFF WRITER
COLLEGE STATION — PSJA North and San Benito have built reputations as powerhouses in the Rio Grande Valley by playing in-your-face styles of football.
On Friday and Saturday at the State 7-on-7 Football Tournament at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex in College Station, the Raiders and Greyhounds showed they can get the job done playing with finesse, too.
PSJA North was the lone RGV team to advance to Saturday’s championship bracket after going 2-1 on Friday in pool play, which included wins over Shadow Creek (24-20) and Round Rock Westwood (13-12). On Saturday, the Raiders played in a three-overtime thriller, losing against College Station A&M Consolidated 34-32, bringing their first appearance at the state 7-on-7 tourney to an end.
“These kids did a great job. They didn’t back down,” PSJA North football head coach Marcus Kaufmann said. “Some of the teams we played this weekend were high-end teams, and we knocked one of the state teams (Shadow Creek) they thought could win this off in pool play, then A&M Consolidated we went three overtimes. Those are good clubs we just played, and we didn’t back down at all. We went toe to toe.”
Quarterback Ale Aparicio, who also spent time playing safety and receiver on occasion, displayed a new weapon in PSJA North’s arsenal — a passing game. In years past, the Raiders have relied heavily on the run.
“It’s been an honor, you know, showing other teams we’re not only a run team. We can do more than run. We can pass, we can read option, we can do it all,” Aparicio said.
Kaufmann said he has more confidence in dialing up passing plays after seeing what the Raiders’ offense accomplished in 7-on-7 during state qualifiers and at the state tournament.
“It was great, especially since (passing) is not what we do. Friday nights when we get to the season, we’re going to do it some, but what’s great about it is we feel like we can easily jump into this,” he said. “We’re going to get in there with pads on, it will be a little different, but we’re going to be able to do some stuff. We’re going to continue to run the football, but if they’re going to be able to do what they did this whole weekend, we’ll probably throw it around, too.”
Meanwhile, San Benito played four games Friday and Saturday, and all four were decided by one score or less. The Greyhounds, who finished 2-2, dropped their consolation bracket opener 25-22 against Katy Cinco Ranch on Saturday, ending San Benito’s first trip to the state 7-on-7 tournament since 2007.
“I felt like we did great. We came out and had a great experience up here against bigger guys. We knew what we could do, and it showed,” said senior receiver Rodney Rodriguez, who made several highlight receptions over the tournament’s two days.
San Benito picked up wins over Midlothian Heritage 27-26 and Aldine Eisenhower 14-6 on Friday. Midlothian Heritage advanced to the state championship game in the championship bracket, with their only loss coming against the Greyhounds.
“It’s just coming out here and getting respect from teams that think Valley football can’t play, and our kids come out and they get after it,” San Benito football head coach Dan Gomez said. “Whether they’re undersized or a step behind, it’s their tenacity and their work ethic that puts them in position to be able to compete with bigger teams.”
With the start of football season just more than a month away, Gomez said San Benito’s trip to the state tournament and solid showing will benefit the Greyhounds once they put on the pads in early August.
“We play 7-on-7 for team chemistry. That’s the purpose,” he said. “The kids get out here, and they do it on their own. They get out here and learn because that’s what we want them to do, because ultimately they’re out there on the field by themselves on a Friday night. The faster they can build that bond and be able to fix themselves on the field, the better chances we have to build a better team.”
Day 3 Results
Championship Bracket – College Station A&M Consolidated 34, PSJA North 32.
Consolation Bracket – Lake Travis 28, Sharyland High 14; Katy Cinco Ranch 25, San Benito 22; Willis 42, McAllen Rowe 7; Austin LBJ 39, Mission HIgh 6.
