7-on-7 Lions to compete in final qualifier before state Saturday at Jim Ned

June 8, 2023 at 6:49 am Derrick Stuckly

Noah Gonzalez (18) and the Brownwood Lions will face Jim Ned, Roscoe and San Angelo Lake View Saturday in their final qualifier.

The state-bound Brownwood Lions on Saturday will take part in their final 7-on-7 state qualifier before competing at the Division II state tournament as they venture to Jim Ned.

Brownwood will square off against host Jim Ned, Roscoe and District 2-4A Division I rival San Angelo Lake View for the second week in a row,

in three Pool A games, as the Lions cannot advance farther in the tournament due to already qualifying for state.

The Lions are headed to their 23rd consecutive state tournament, slated for June 22-23 at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex in College Station, after qualifying May 27 in Burnet.

Brownwood, however, put forth its best effort of the 7-on-7 season this past Saturday at its own event, posting a 3-0 record with victories over three teams it will face this fall – Burnet (33-6), Glen Rose (34-12) and Lake View (33-25).

Brownwood’s offense – which had not hit the 30-point mark in a 7-on-7 qualifying game prior to Saturday – scored on 70 percent (14 of 20) of its possessions as quarterback Ike Hall connected on 55 of 82 pass attempts – a 67 percent clip – with 12 touchdowns and no interceptions. Hall was whistled for four seconds just four times and the Lions receivers dropped only four passes – the best marks in a tournament this summer. Braeden Stacks saw his first action of the qualifying season at quarterback and completed 9 of 13 tosses with a touchdown.

Carson Noe continued to lead the charge among the receiving corps with 16 catches and three touchdowns followed Jaylan Brown with 10 grabs and a score and Jake Jetton with nine receptions and three trips to the end zone. Also getting into the offensive act were Morsello Hooker (7 catches), Stone Ratliff (5 catches, 1 TD), Xavier Zepeda (4 catches), Jordyn Nickerson (3 catches, 3 TDs), Hayden Noe and Aaron Edmonds (3 catches each), Logan McKibben (2 catches, 1 TD) and Noah Gonzalez (1 catch, 1 TD).

After picking off six passes in four games in Burnet last weekend, the Lions recorded eight interceptions in three contests Saturday. Nickerson picked off three passes, Colton McMillian added two – including one for returned for a touchdown – Jetton also nabbed a pair, and Gonzalez upended an extra point attempt with a pick. The Lions also allowed touchdowns on just seven of 19 opposing drives (37 percent).