James Clemens, Bob Jones get in 7 on 7 action
Bob Jones quarterback Jeremy Frye fires a pass in 7 on 7 action
(RECORD PHOTO/LINDSAY VAUGHT)
MADISON- If the intensity and action at today’s 7 on 7 competition is any indication of the football games to come this fall then fans are in for a treat.
Bob Jones hosted a scaled down version of a 7 on 7 Passing Tournament on June 25 at their practice fields. Only four schools sent teams; Madison Academy, Sparkman, James Clemens and Bob Jones.
For some teams like Bob Jones it was their first real game speed action of the summer. Still to come in July for Bob Jones’ first team is the National Select 7 on 7 in Bierne, South Carolina. James Clemens has seen action at Grissom and will send a team to Samford University as will Madison Academy in July.
Bob Jones coach Kevin Rose put the competition together in less than a week and it did not count against any of the teams four allowable play dates.
“This is an official’s camp so that they can work on their mechanics and train young officials and ones who have not called varsity football before,” Rose said. “We caught a break with the weather today. Minus the rain and heat it is actually pretty nice. This is a one day event. We started at 9 and ended at noon and we got in 12 games so every team got a good workout.”
In one of the big games James Clemens edged Bob Jones. The Jets then defeated Sparkman 18-17 to close the day’s action on a pass from Heath Birchfield to Miles Whitlow. MadisonAcademy went undefeated. There was not an admission charge and no winner awards and no trophy presented.
Rose and James Clemens head coach Wade Waldrop said they would like to make the competition an annual event.
Maceo Booker of James Clemens goes up for a catch against Sparkman
James Clemens showed why they will be hard to contain in the fall. The Jets had four receivers playing that stand 6-foot-2 or taller. Deondre Douglas caught a touchdown pass in the Bob Jones game. Trevor Makarov and Josh Garth both had big catches. Whitlow had the winning catch in the Sparkman game.
“We played hard today, it was real competitive and at times heated,” Waldrop said. “We had some positive things but there are a lot of things we’ve got to get better at but our kids are working hard.”
Rose said his team was missing several starters including Jonathon Rice and Miles Strickland.
“When we get them all here and healthy we can be very good. Jeremy had a good day he has had a good summer, is throwing the ball better every time out. He has a chance to be the best quarterback ever to play here. We just have to keep him healthy, focused and improving every day.”
Rose has also had to deal with the distraction of renovations that have closed the track and the turf practice field. The field house is also being renovated so half of it has been inaccessible.
“We have had to be creative with how we workout and use open space where we can find it. When everything is finished it is going to be really nice,” Rose said.
