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Schools

Ladue Rams Win Silver Division at 7 on 7 Football Tournament

New Event at DeSmet Gets Good Reviews.

A 7-on-7 football tournament is the perfect opportunity to showcase the quarterbacks.

There were plenty on display Saturday at DeSmet Jesuit High School. Ladue’s Brandon Carr was not an exception.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Football Coaches Association held its inaugural 7-on-7 tourney at DeSmet with 23 teams from Missouri and Illinois participating.

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Top area quarterbacks like Carr, Dalton Demos of Christian Brothers College, Gateway Tech’s Paul Rice, DeSmet’s Conner Harrison, Fort Zumwalt West’s Drew Hare and Lindbergh’s Peter Simpson all aired it out without having to worry about getting hit by an oncoming rush.

The tournament was two-hand touch, played without pads and had no rushing attempts.

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“The biggest thing is that the quarterbacks get work,” DeSmet coach Pat Mahoney said.

Picking up an event that had been previously been held in one form at Columbia high schools Hickman and Rock Bridge, Mahoney said his school made sense because of its location and facilities.

“Everybody runs 7s, but the difference maker is that they’re not as competitive,” Mahoney said. “Here you’ve got a lot of teams; you’ve got people you’re going to see later in the year, so the competition level rises. Now you get a little more game situations and get to do some coaching on the field.”

Zumwalt West was the overall champion, defeating Gateway Tech 28-22 in the Gold Division title game. Gateway beat West in pool play in a 47-45 shootout. Ladue was a 26-14 winner over Alton for the Silver Division title and Cardinal Ritter defeated Belleville West 27-14 to win the Bronze Division.

Carr is a 6-foot-4 senior who backed up standout quarterback Kortland Webb the last two years. Webb will become a walkon candidate at Mizzou this fall. Carr will get his shot this season and Ladue coach Mike Tarpey is excited about what Carr can do.

“We’re looking for big things from him this year,” Tarpey said of Carr, who worked out in the offseason at Elite Football. “He’s a real student of the game, so we’re looking for a real good season out of him.”

Carr led the Rams to a 2-1 record in pool play before their finish in the Silver Division title tilt. While 7-on-7s are structured for the offenses – specifically the quarterbacks – to succeed, Tarpey said, “the biggest thing coaches look for is placement of the ball, getting it on the right shoulder, some of those details because you don’t have to worry about the rush and the vision issues you’d have in a game.”

With an attention to detail, Tarpey said he also expects perfect routes from his receivers when they’re running against defensive backs who can’t hit them. That doesn’t mean contact doesn’t take place.

Against University City in the first round of Silver Division play, Ladue’s Deavin Edwards was lit up by University City’s Devante Washington as the two converged on a Carr pass. The deflected ball was then caught by another Ladue player and run in for a touchdown.

“U. City is a natural rival, so anytime we play them, even if it’s casual, the intensity picks up,” Tarpey said. “That’s not a bad thing.”

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