By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
The 23rd Texas 7-on-7 state tournament begins today and will run through Saturday at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex in College Station for six Rio Grande Valley teams.
Thirty-two teams compete in Division II and III, which will hold pool play today and bracket play Friday. La Feria is the RGV’s sole representative in the smaller divisions.
The Lions will compete in DII, which is comprised of UIL Class 4A and 3A Division I teams, plus small private schools. UIL Class 3A Division II teams and below, no private schools, make up DIII.
La Feria will be playing in Pool H. The Lions open pool play at 1:45 p.m. today against Graham, followed by a 3:15 p.m. contest with Wimberley and a 4:45 p.m. game against Silsbee. On Friday, they’ll participate in the single-elimination championship bracket beginning at 8:45 a.m.
There are 64 teams competing in Division I, which is comprised of UIL Class 5A and 6A teams and large private schools. Harlingen High, Mercedes, Mission Veterans Memorial, Edinburg North and, for the first time, Harlingen South will be participating in pool play Friday and bracket play Saturday.
Edinburg North is playing in Pool B against Colleyville Heritage at 1 p.m., The Woodlands at 2:30 p.m. and Hutto at 4 p.m. Mercedes is in Pool F and will face Little Elm at 1 p.m., Cedar Park at 2:30 p.m. and Alvin Shadow Creek at 4 p.m. Mission Veterans Memorial has games against Prosper at 1 p.m., Buda Johnson at 2:30 p.m. and Klein Collins at 4 p.m. in Pool G.
Harlingen High will play in Pool I against Harker Heights at 1:45 p.m., DeSoto at 3:15 p.m. and Bridgeland at 4:45 p.m. Harlingen South has games against Denton Braswell at 1:45 p.m., Cy-Fair at 3:15 p.m. and Austin Westlake at 4:45 p.m.
The top two teams in each DI pool will play in the single-elimination championship bracket starting at 8:45 a.m. Saturday. The third- and fourth-place teams compete in a single-elimination consolation bracket at 8 a.m.
Texan Live will have free live broadcasts from all three days of action courtesy of the Texas Army National Guard.