By Erik Harris
CLAY – Clay-Chalkville football coach Jerry Hood has a new state championship banner to mount on the Cougar Stadium scoreboard, which stands above his perfectly manicured artificial playing surface.
That turf field, the same one that the Cougars went 8-0 on last season, is only eight months old, and its Class 6A state crown is even greener.
They’re both something to be celebrated, and they both should be on display when Clay-Chalkville hosts the Deerfoot Invitational – a 14-team 7-on-7 tournament – on July 9.
“I’m sure (the program’s success and new field) helps, I hadn’t thought of it that way necessarily,” said Hood. “I just figured we’d get a bunch of friends to come to Birmingham’s baddest 7-on-7.”
First, the teams will go through a round of pool play games starting at 9 a.m. Later on, they will begin playing a single-elimination tournament.
The tournament will consist of the following programs: Clay-Chalkville (15-0), Pinson Valley (5-6), Center Point (1-9), Mountain Brook (3-7), Shades Valley (9-3), Briarwood Christian (4-7), Bessemer City (5-6), Pleasant Grove (12-3), Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (9-4), Tuscaloosa County (6-6), Parker (10-2), Pelham (3-7), McAdory (12-1) and Hueytown (3-7).
“There’s going to be a lot of college-caliber athletes in this thing,” Hood said.
7-on-7 games only consist of skill position players, but some of the listed teams are considering to bring along their big uglies for some O-line/D-line work on a separate field.
“We’ll have us a little pass blocking deal, some one on ones, maybe teach some concepts and that kind of thing,” said Hood. “We’re looking at adding that part of it.”
With the Cougars having to replace all four members of its defensive backfield, the tournament will serve as one of the few opportunities for first-year starters to compete against different color helmets before next season kicks off.
“Every day’s a big day for them,” said Hood of his secondary. “Their going to really need a whole bunch of reps, as many reps as we can get before the season starts.”
The defending champs don’t have many vacancies to fill in the offensive skill positions, but Hood is looking for a few particulars to prove themselves in the tournament.
In the backfield, he hopes Brandon Berry can fill the shoes of Terrelle West, the school’s all-time leading rusher.
“Brandon Berry certainly has some of the things we like at that spot, but he’s going to have to prove that to us,” Hood said. “If he can hold on to the ball, be a good receiver, do the little things right, he’ll get a whole bunch of carries.”
JaVon Lacey and Pinson Valley transfer Desmond Williams will vie for targets between all-state wideouts T.J. Simmons and Nico Collins.