Lions picked to place third in 7-on-7 state pool by DCTF

June 21, 2023 at 8:39 am Derrick Stuckly

Quarterback Ike Hall (1) and the Lions will face Davenport at 1:45 p.m., Hitchcock at 3:15 p.m. and Sunnyvale at 4:45 p.m. Thursday in College Station.

The Brownwood Lions are making their 23rd straight appearance in the 7-on-7 Division II state tournament beginning Thursday at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex in College Station, and Dave Campbell’s Texas Football has released its pool predictions.

The Lions find themselves in Pool C along with Davenport, Hitchcock and Sunnyvale. Three of the schools have previously won 7-on-7 state championships – Brownwood in 2010, Sunnyvale in 2019 and Hitchcock last year – as Pool C has been labeled this year’s “Pool of Death.”

DCTF lists Hitchcock as the favorite in the pool followed by Davenport, Brownwood and Sunnyvale. Regardless of placing, all four teams will advance to championship bracket play beginning at 8:45 a.m. Friday.

The website also states, “If you are looking for the ‘Pool of Death’ at least in Division II it’s right here, this is an absolutely loaded pool with four outstanding teams. You start with defending champion Hitchcock who looks like a strong bet to repeat as champions with basically their entire team returning, add in a Davenport squad loaded with depth and talent as they likely will make the jump to 5A next realignment. Brownwood is always a force and the Lions have steadily improved over the summer and then you add in the 2019 champions Sunnyvale who are returning for the second straight year.”

The Lions – who carry a 10-3 qualifying record and seven-game win streak into state –– will battle Davenport at 1:45 p.m., Hitchcock at 3:15 p.m., and Sunnyvale at 4:45 p.m.

The Davenport Wolves are members of District 13-4A Division I and are coming off a 10-2 season and 4-1 league run. Davenport is in the same district with Burnet and defeated the Bulldogs, 42-28, last year. Brownwood knocked off Burnet, 33-20, in the third game of the 2022 campaign.

The Hitchcock Bulldogs reside in District 12-3A Division I and posted an 11-2 record and 3-1 league mark last season. Hitchcock lost to eventual state champion Franklin, 53-18, in the second round of the playoffs, with the only other loss to Hallettsville, 42-21, in district action.

The Sunnyvale Raiders finished in second place in District 6-4A Division II last year, posting a 6-5 overall record and 4-1 league mark. Sunnyvale was ousted in the first round of the playoffs by Gainesville, 35-24. The only district squad to knock off Sunnyvale was Caddo Mills, 30-14.