Quarterback Caleb Kimbro helped lead Hays to a 24-14 advantage early on against eventual State 7-on-7 Champion DeSoto during pool play in College Station on Friday, but despite playing many of the state’s top teams close, the Rebels came away winless at the competition. (Photo by Judy Cooper)
by JASON GORDON
Hays High got off to a fast start against one of the most talented teams in Class 5A at the State 7-on-7 Championships Friday in College Station.
Unfortunately, the Rebels could not sustain that momentum and ultimately lost to DeSoto 55-24.
The Rebels went on to lose to both Houston Lamar and Montgomery in pool play Friday, before losing a heartbreaker in the opening round of Consolation Bracket single-elimination play Saturday against Abilene Cooper. Cooper went on to lose in the Consolation Bracket finals against Rosenberg Terry High School.
Hays was in the toughest pool in the tournament on Friday, facing teams that had a combined 32 wins in 2010, including six playoff victories.
In fact, DeSoto ended up beating Houston Lamar 34-25 in the Championship Bracket finals on Saturday.
The Rebels qualified for the state tournament by finishing in second place at the Alamo Heights Tournament last month.
“It was a good experience but we still think we should have done better,” Hays quarterback Caleb Kimbro said. “We have to expect to beat the best.”
Hays slot receiver Michael Romero agreed.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt we were in the toughest pool on Friday,” Romero said. “It was a good experience because those teams have great athletes who were fast, quick and could catch. Most of our losses were close, so we feel like we’re a hair away from being right there with some of the best teams in the state. It will give us extra motivation to work harder heading into two-a-days.”
Hays held a 24-14 lead on DeSoto, the No. 3 team in Class 5A in preseason polls, after Kimbro threw touchdown passes to Romero and Taven Mayberry, and Jaxson Schaubhut picked off a pass and lateralled to Jared Rodriguez for another score, but the lead wouldn’t last.
DeSoto flexed its muscle and claimed a 55-24 victory.
After losses to Houston Lamar and Montgomery knocked the Rebels into consolation bracket, Hays came out with renewed energy Saturday morning in its first-round matchup against Cooper.
The Rebels went back and fourth with Abilene Cooper, as Adam Castro, Mason Cervenka, Rob Shelton, Romero and Mayberry all caught scoring passes to help Hays keep pace.
Cooper led by a touchdown late in the game but Hays was driving. The Rebels drove inside the Cooper 10-yard line with seconds to play but were unable to get into the end zone for the potential game tying or game winning score in the 46-39 loss.
“Cooper made it to the finals, and we barely lost to them,” Kimbro said. “I think we could have done the same and won some games on Saturday if we’d have beaten them. They were another very good team.”
Overall, Hays players felt the summer 7-on-7 experience, where they got to play perennial playoff powers like Lake Travis, Klein Forest, Alamo Heights, Wimberley, and Madison, along with the powerful squads they faced at state, was a big success.
“It was an excellent opportunity for everyone to see that if we want to get to the level of some of these great teams we have to work very hard,” Kimbro said. “They are all so well-prepared and you have to be on your A-game to beat them. It was good to find those things out heading into two-a-days.”
Romero said Hays will also be better prepared to run new head coach Blake Feldt’s spread offense as a result of experience gained during 7-on-7.
“It helped our quarterback get used to the receivers and it helped the receivers know exactly where to run their routes,” Romero said. “We’re all better because of 7-on-7. Now we can’t wait for two-a-days to start.”
Hays begins two-a-day practices on August 1.
The Rebels will scrimmage against two Class 5A schools at home against Del Valle (August 13) and on the road against Temple (August 19).
Hays opens the regular season August 26 at home against Akins before traveling to House Park to take on Anderson for a Thursday night game on September 1.
