Hoover Takes Title

Winning the Southeast Select passing tournament always led to a strong upcoming season. With the pool doubling this year and taking on the title of "National Select 7on7 Tournament", perhaps even bigger things could be on the horizon for host Hoover High School as they beat Prattville High School on Saturday to take the tournament title for the second time in three years.

"This is without a doubt the best tournament in the country," said Hoover head coach Rush Propst.

With 36 of the nation's top teams attending, the tournament certainly lived up to the hype with several down-to-the-wire games over the last few rounds, including the championship game.

In a rematch of last season's Alabama state championship of Hoover and Prattville, which Prattville won 35-21. This game would be closer as Hoover claimed victory in overtime 33-32.

"It's not December 8," Hoover quarterback Tyler Ray said. "But this is the best we could do. When it came down to us playing Prattville, everybody got psyched."

With four seconds remaining in a game tied at 25-25, Hoover decided to opt for overtime by simply completing a third down pass for ten yards and a first down. A risky play as anything less than a first down would result in two points for Prattville and a win.

But that type of risk was just the start of the action.

In the overtime, Prattville completed a third down pass for its touchdown and converted the one-point extra point.

Down seven points, Hoover scored on its first play of overtime and called timeout after announcing it would go for two points.

With the entire tournament hanging on this play, Hoover quarterback Tyler Ray lobbed the ball up into the endzone to 6-foot-4 wide receiver Brandon Harris (right). Harris used every bit of his forty inch vertical to come down with the ball over two Prattville defenders.

"There really wasn't a play called, coach just told me to run to the corner and go get it," said Harris, who just transferred to Hoover from cross-town rival Spain Park. "There were two dudes there and one was hue, but I knew I had to go get it."

Hoover also won the tournament's title in 2005. The Bucs finished pool play with just one loss and entered the playoffs as the number three seed.

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In the consolation championship, Olive Branch (Miss.) earned a tough victory over Norcross (Ga.) 21-16 thanks to a gritty effort from another transfer -- Marlon Walls (right) who transferred in from Memphis.

"It is really great to be playing with these guys," said Walls. "I am loving my teammates and we are working hard every day to be a better team."

Olive Branch certainly earned the most improved award as they started the first day with a record of 1-6.

"Then we won six in a row today in the playoffs. It's like I said, we just have to work hard and we executed."

Walls did his own part for executing three touchdowns and three pass break-ups in the consolation championship.

After the game, Walls also admitted he has narrowed his list of schools to a final four.

"I am just looking at Florida, Tennessee, Ole Miss, and Auburn. I am not sure of a date or anything, but I will probably [commit] before the season starts.