Two of Southeast Texas’ most successful football programs will send their 7-on-7 squads to the state tournament after qualifying on Saturday.
West Brook and Port Neches-Groves each earned their state spot with wins at a qualifier event in Dayton that featured 16 total teams. Both teams will now be in the Division I bracket later this month at the state tournament.
“See y’all in College Station,” West Brook quarterback and safety Bryce Anderson said after qualifying.
The Bruins were the first team to secure their spot early in the afternoon. They were perfect in four games played on the day.
That started with a 34-18 win over Hunstville. Later in pool play, the Bruins defeated Houston Lamar, 27-20, followed by a 34-13 win over Crosby.
West Brook finished off the event with a 21-12 victory against Westfield in the state qualifying round.
Not long after the Bruins qualified, PN-G joined them with a 13-12 win over Cy-Fair.
Despite losing to Dayton in pool play, the Indians got to the state qualifying round nonetheless by earning wins against Kingwood Park and Eisenhower.
West Brook and PN-G won’t be the only local schools going to the state event, which will take place from June 24-26 at Veterans Park in College Station. Silsbee and Hamshire-Fannett also previously qualified in the Division II bracket.
The 7-on-7 state tournament has been held every year since 1998 — save for the coronavirus cancellation in 2020. A team from Southeast Texas has never appeared in the championship game.
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