So. Cal 7th Graders Danced with Dallas in the FBU Semi’s
In a game that featured my personal pick to win the entire 7th grade tournament, Dallas, taking on team So. Cal, it was exciting early until the team from the west coast became too much for Big D.
So. Cal played high-energy, swarming defense from the opening whistle and used it to overwhelm defense. Their defense caused a tun over on downs on Dallas’ first possession. On their next possession, So. Cal made them pay dearly. Defensive back Dillon Davis #1 made a phenomenal read and jumped an out route, intercepting the ball and bringing it back to the house to put So.Cal up 6-0 with 2:35 left in the first quarter.
Davis wasn’t the only So. Cal defender get in on the fun. Only 90 seconds later, #32 Bryce Moore got his paws on an errant Dallas pass and stopped a somewhat promising drive. His interception set up So.Cal with momentum and field possession as the opening quarter was coming to a close.
The pick party concluded late in the second half when #16 Anthony McClure pulled down a tipped pass and brought it to the house with :19 seconds left to go. At that point it was evident So. Cal was in the driver seat and in complete control of the contest, leading 24-0 headed into half time.
In addition to the ballhawks, So. Cal’s defense was stout and tough from the interior guys, to the linebackers and every in between.
On the defensive front, #44 Sebastian Hamblet was extremely active on the afternoon. Not build like your traditional defensive end, as he doesn’t have the height or length that some of the other prospects do, but he did have an explosive get off. He was at, or beyond the tackles hip within half a second when he went into a pass rush. Hamblet did a nice job of collapsing down the line of scrimmage on interior plays when Dallas attempted to establish the run. However, with Dallas trailing early, they had no choice but to air it out and the defensive end with a linebacker build, was menacing.
I don’t love comparing middle school athletes to NFL players, but I got very strong Antonio Pierce vibes when watching Jayden Taylor play linebacker. The guy wearing number 13 for So.Cal had his nose in nearly every group tackle and was always in the right position. A short, thicker mike linebacker, he was strong at the point of contact and was a sure tackler.
One last So. Cal defensive player who didn’t necessarily fill up the stat sheet against Dallas, but did leave a lasting impression on me was #83 Aaryn Washington. Washington is a prime example of what the defensive back position is turning into on the next level. He’s a long-limbed prospect that covers a ton of ground and blankets receivers with ease. I know it’s a different sport, but his body type reminds of me of NBA star Kevin Durant. He’s so big, he just kind of hangs all over would-be receivers and he completely takes them out of the play as an option.
Offensively, So.Cal rode the wave of momentum that the hot play of the defense set up.
Ashton Keyes #22 had himself a very strong afternoon. The running back handled the bulk of the carries and really set the tone for how this team operated. He carried the ball on five out of six plays, including four straight plays, at the end of the first quarter and into the second quarter. He added an exclamation point to that sequence with a 7-yard touchdown run that put So.Cal up 12-0 at that point.
In addition to a run game that brilliantly balanced the offense, So. Cal got very good play out of both their quarterbacks. Julian Medina #7 got the start for the team and did a lot of things well. He was an accurate passer who didn’t try to make the spectacular play, but did the smart thing. It’s been evident he’s been well-coached, as you could see him go through progressions and scan the field.
The other quarterback on the roster is #3 Reagan Toki. Toki, despite only being in the 7th grade, already has an offer from the University of Southern California. Fair or unfair, I took a harder look at Toki because of the offer and I came away impressed with his ability. He was a gamechanger when in at quarterback. I first started to understand the buzz around him in the opening quarter when he picked up 15 yards on a scramble that showed off his speed. He had several nice runs in the game where his receivers weren’t open and he created something out of nothing. Toki also has a beautiful throwing motion and some real zip on his passes. He had a pair of touchdown passes in the game and I saw a lot of the same things in Toki, that I saw in Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young at this age.
The receiving corps for So. Cal was fun to watch as well. #19 Kanan Khansarinia had a big afternoon after a relatively quiet first round of the tournament earlier in December. Khansarinia has great size and length at over 6-foot with a big catch radius. He was a favorite target of both quarterbacks and scored on a beautifully executed screen pass from Toki with 1:30 left in the first half, that put So.Cal up 18-0.
Both Chris Flores Jr. #42 and #5 Darren Tubbs Jr. both contributed on the afternoon as well. Flores is a rubber band-like slot receiver who found little pockets in the Dallas defense to sit in and make receptions to keep the chains moving offensively.
Tubbs Jr. was key in the special teams game and on offense. Not the biggest kid in the world right now, Tubbs Jr. was gnat-like with his quickness and was tough to get a hand on in the return game. He was an impressive athlete and appeared to be a favorite target of quarterback Medina when he was at the helm.
While all the headlines will go to the So. Cal skill guys I’ve mentioned above, a lot of success they had on offense would not have been possible without the play of their offensive line. It was difficult to see on some of the plays because of the number of bodies flying around, but I liked the play of #73 Troy Oliva. Oliva lined up at right tackle for So. Cal and has a tremendous frame.
Also impressive on the offensive front was #51 Samson Aiava. He showed a very strong punch and advanced footwork in pass protection for So.Cal.
It wasn’t all bad for Dallas, despite the final score being 30-0. They certainly had their bright spots.
Taelyn Mayo #1 was a bright spot on defense for Dallas. He made a nice play early on So. Cal’s second drive of the game and intercepted a pass to put an abrupt end to it. The rangy corner also got his mitts on a two-point conversation pass attempt to stop the bleeding for Dallas. He, along with the rest of the Dallas secondary, had their hands full on the day but Mayo had a few notable plays.
I don’t have official stats from the game, but #19 Vyncent Cooper was a defensive end I liked for Dallas. He’s every bit of 6-foot-3 and has all the potential to be a dominating defensive end prospect. The DeSoto native lives in a football hotbed and could be on the forefront of the next wave of prospects.
Like most of Dallas, the offensive line had a long day having to put up with the speed and aggression of So. Cal’s defense. That said, I liked what I saw out of left tackle #63 Tyler Anderson and left guard #74 Charles Burkart. Both are easily in the 6-foot-2, 6-foot-3 range with long limbs and good weight. The duo has some work to do to get their feet right, but are going to be big time prospects in high school if they continue to develop.
The final score of this one was 30-0 in favor of So. Cal as they advanced to the 7th grade FBU National Championship game against GMSAA.