By Stephen Spiewak
MaxPreps.com
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Last year, the hometown Farragut Admirals were runner-up in the adidas 7 on 7 Tournament held on the campus of the University of Tennessee.
This year, however, they did not settle for second place, capturing the tournament championship with an exciting, 22-21 victory over Greenville (S.C.) on Saturday afternoon.
Farragut quarterback Reese Browning was named tournament Most Valuable Player after he methodically picked apart the Greenville defense.
The Admirals had to overcome several big plays by Greenville. Talented wide receiver Chris Hall, a rising a junior, hauled in two long touchdown passes, but in the end, the Red Raiders came up just short.
"I'm really proud of our team and the effort we showed today," Farragut head coach Eddie Courtney said. "We had an older, veteran group last year that finished second in this adidas 7on7 and our young players set a goal of winning it this year.
"We were fortunate to represent Farragut at the University of Tennessee last year and the national championship and we are looking forward to doing that again this year in Atlanta."
The adidas 7on7 national championship event will be held at Silverback Stadium in Atlanta July 30-31, with the top two finishers from each of the five regional tournaments participating.
Adidas 7on7 Notes
The Book on Daniel
Another team that fared very well this weekend was Daniel High School (S.C.). The Lions feature two Division I-A recruits in their secondary: cornerback Jerrod Williams recently committed to Virginia Tech, and safety DeAndre Hopkins has been offered by Clemson.
Hopkins is also a talented guard on the Daniel basketball team, and is getting recruited for both sports.
The Lions also feature Justin Walker, a quarterback getting Ivy League interest. Another name that might sound familiar to fans is Colton Korn, younger brother of former Byrnes quarterback Willie Korn.
Speaking of Byrnes, Daniel pushed the Rebels to the brink in 7-on-7 action earlier in the week, coming up short to the 4A power by just three points.
Rolling Stone
Clinton (Tenn.) quarterback Darien Stone demonstrated great mobility this weekend and has Dragon fans excited for the upcoming season.
If Clinton is going to upend regional power Maryville, it will need Stone to play at an extremely high level. According to members of the Clinton faithful, Stone has heard from UCLA; a victory over Maryville would put him, and the whole Dragon team, on the national map.
Offer for Nash
Another top quarterback in attendance was Darlington (Ga.) High School’s Nash Nance.
The 6-foot-4 Nance was recently offered by Harvard. He is also attracting interest around the SEC, and will be continuing to make his rounds in the camp circuit.
Whether he nabs any offers from SEC schools will likely depend on his performance this coming season. He only started two games as a sophomore, and will need to prove himself against varsity competition. Still, early returns this summer have been extremely positive.
Rising Sophomore Impresses
One 2011 player who really stood out was Trinity Christian’s (Tenn.) Jabriel Washington.
Washington, who projects as either a defensive back or a wide receiver at the next level, is a phenomenal athlete who plays quarterback for Trinity.
In one five minute stretch, Washington leaped high off the ground to haul in an interception with an opposing player jumping right along with him. He then orchestrated a last minute drive that fell just short of giving his team a come-from-behind win.