A season ago, the Ganado Indians came up short in the 7-on-7 state championship game. That was not the case this year, as they bulldozed their way through the competition en route to the school’s first 7-on-7 championship.
“We returned the entire (7-on-7) team (from last year) except one receiver. So we knew if we played well (this year) there would be a chance to play for a long time,” Ganado head football coach Josh Ervin said. “A big part of the (tournament) is how well the kids handled playing backto- back-to-back. It’s a big testament to our kids’ mental toughness to push through the heat and keep playing at a high level.”
The championship was a special moment for the program, however, they know the bigger goal for them comes later in the fall.
“It was fun to go out and see the kids be successful, but at the same time, the kids will tell you at the end of the day it doesn’t have any bearing on the real season coming up,” Ervin said.
7-on-7
The Indians dominated Division III and finished the tournament undefeated, claiming the title in College Station this past weekend.
Ganado powered through pool play, picking up wins against Albany, Hico and Era, outscoring them 6527. In bracket play, the Indians again showed off their strength with another five wins, the final coming against West Rusk in a 30-13 thumping. West Rusk competes in 3A, while Ganado is in 2A.
During the tournament, the Indians’ offense averaged 23.75 points a game, while the defense held teams to fewer than two touchdowns (11.125 points) For Ervin, the offense played well and showed what they could do, but the defense was most noteworthy following their performance in College Station.
“The chemistry with Landyn (Arriaga) and our receivers is looking pretty good at this point, but what I was most impressed with was our defense,” Ervin said. Our defense really came along in those two days out there. Our secondary really came together. There were kids that stepped up and (us coaches) found out they’re going to be able to help us out a lot come (the) fall, and seeing them come together as a unit was a positive takeaway from the weekend.”
Ervin noted that Logan Bures had around 10-12 offensive and defensive touchdowns during the tournament. Bures was named to Dave Campbell’s 7-on-7 All-State team.
The Indians’ championship roster included Arriaga, Bures, Karter Crabb, Cade Nixon, Coen Ott, Cameron Pittman, Zaeden Dilworth, Noah Cortes, DJ Cortright, Beau Bures, Kyle Stancik, Brandon Morneo, Alex Guerrero, Kole Bures and Andrew Ledwig.
While 7-on-7 doesn’t have much correlation to real football, the win in College Station was a great way to end the summer for a team that is only two years removed from winning the state championship.
“The goal is to always go out and win and it’s tough to win,” Ervin said. “But I feel like we’re at a point now where it’s not just did we win, but are we playing up to the standards that I know we can play and they know they can play at too.”
The Indians earned their shot at state, winning their home tournament earlier this summer beating Stockdale 14-13.
Ganado was the only school in Jackson County to compete at state this season. Kenedy, a district opponent also made state but lost in the first round to Hico.
