SPRINGDALE — The National Select 7-on-7 Championships looks more like an Arkansas showcase than anything else when scanning over the event’s previous years.
Or a Springdale showcase, to be exact.
Since 2004, three of the past six champions of the National Select 7-on-7 — held each year at Hoover (Ala.) High — have come from not only Arkansas, but from the city of Springdale.
In 2004, Springdale High took home the crown behind coach Gus Malzahn’s high-powered offense, which was then led by quarterback Mitch Mustain and receiver Damian Williams. Two years later, Shiloh Christian quarterback Matt Simpson and receiver Crosby Tuck helped bring the National Select trophy back to Springdale.
Then in 2008, it was Springdale Har-Ber’s turn, with the Wildcats claiming the title after just two years of varsity football.
Today, the Springdale run in Hoover will look to continue as both Shiloh Christian and Har-Ber return to the 10th annual event.
AT A GLANCE
National Select 7-On-7 Championships
WHEN: Today-Saturday
WHERE: Hoover, Ala.
WHAT: 32-team invitational 7-on-7 tournament featuring some of the top high school teams from the Southeastern region.
PAST CHAMPIONS: 2001, Daphne, Ala.; 2002, Shreveport, La., Evangel Christian; 2003, Thomas Jefferson, Pa.; 2004, Springdale High; 2005, Hoover, Ala.; 2006, Shiloh Christian; 2007, Hoover, Ala.; 2008, Springdale Har-Ber; 2009, Hoover, Ala.
“This is a great event, and the biggest thing is your competition,” Har-Ber coach Chris Wood said. “The talent we’ll see over the next three days is some of the best in this region, and it will be really good for our team to face some of this great competition.”
Both Shiloh and Har-Ber have goals of once again winning, but that won’t come easy for either team this time.
For the Saints, one major obstacle will be playing a portion of the event without quarterback Kiehl Frazier. This week, Frazier is in California at the Elite 11 Quarterback Camp and will miss the first day of pool play.
“Our situation is a little different this year because Kiehl won’t be with us on the first day,” Saints coach Josh Floyd said. “But that will give us a chance to give some of our other quarterbacks a look and then Kiehl will join us on the second day.
“It’s a no-brainer for Kiehl to go to the Elite 11, though. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and he’ll get the chance to compete against the best quarterbacks in the country.”
Har-Ber’s challenge this weekend, Wood said, will be a relatively light 7-on-7 schedule prior to the Hoover tournament. The Wildcats played last weekend at the Music City Classic in Nashville, Tenn., where they advanced to the quarterfinals.
But other than Nashville, Wood said Har-Ber hasn’t played in any other major 7-on-7 events this summer.
“It’s a little different for us this year because this is just our second big tournament of the summer,” Wood said. “But this is the last big tournament before we turn our attention to practice, so we’ll try to go down there and finish strong.”
Pool play at Hoover begins this afternoon and continues Friday, with tournament play taking place Friday and Saturday.
“We just want to play the best we can and gain some experience,” Floyd said. “Of course, we’d like to win some games, but the most important thing for us is to get some experience for some of our younger guys.”