Area 7-on-7 team looking to make things happen again in 2012

Last year, the Florida High School Footballers Fire team surprised everyone when they won Badger 7-on-7 all-star event in Tampa. This year, head coach Dennis Marroquin and his talented team will not creep up on anyone.

At a recent tryout for this team, over 150 players showed, and unlike last year when they put the group together with players rejected by the more publicized South Florida Express team, this time around, only top-flight athletes attended and were chosen to fill out the roster.

Choosing just a handful of players is always tough. There are so many gifted athletes in the Class of 2013, but when you add in a few 2014 prospects and 2015 hopefuls, you are talking about a lot of competition.

“We knew from last year, there is so much talent to choose from, there are always going to be athletes who can help you win,” said  Marroquin, who also serves as Offensive Coordinator and receivers coach at Hialeah High. “Every team down here can fill a roster with players who can compete with anyone.”

Indeed, the 7-on-7 teams in South Florida have attracted plenty of athletes, and while it’s great for these players to have the opportunity to compete against some of the elite, many high school coaches are concerned with how much teaching and coaching goes along with the playing.

On teams such as the Express and Fire, the answer is a very easy one for coaches such as Marroquin, who has surrounded himself with a number of local high school coaches, and has helped to develop dozens of athletes through the years. He knows exactly how much the athletes are getting out of the experience.

“I cannot speak for other programs, but our teams are well coached, and yes, the kids do learn out here as well,” he explained. “I cannot concern myself with what other programs are doing, that is up to the coaches to go out and see, but we have coaches out here who are proven to help teach.”

Some of the players on this year’s Fire team are names that many have heard about – such as Jacksonville Bishop Kenny star receiver Ahmad Fulwood (6-4 200),  Hialeah linebacker George Williams (6-1, 220), American Heritage Plantation quarterback Tyler Cogswell (6-5, 225) and Boyd Anderson 2013 quarterback Gregory Hankerson (6-0, 185), a gifted play-maker.

This team is very talented, and we will have the opportunity to see each promote each one. Here are some other athletes that fans will have the chance to see as well:

2013
Tyler Carmona, WR, 6-3, 190, Plantation American Heritage
Ray Ciervo, 6-1, 200, Plantation
Javonte Ham, RB, 5-8, 170, Plantation
Solomon Loud, WR, 6-0, 180, Plantation
Troy McCollum, DB, 6-1, 175, North Miami
Logan Oce, DB, 5-8, 155, Monsignor Pace
Randy Ramsey, DB, 6-2, 180, Dillard
Illya Stafford, DB, 5-11, 170, Everglades
Dionte Taylor, WR, 6-1, 175, University School
Darren William, WR, 6-0, 175, Boyd Anderson
Devonte Witty, CB, 5-9, 170, Coral Springs

2014
Henry Bussey, RB, 5-11, 180, American Heritage Plantation
Allen Edwards, QB, 6-1, 190, Hialeah
Kendrick Edwards, WR, 6-4, 190, Hialeah
Marquese Dudley-Gordon, 6-1, 175, Cypress Bay
Isaiah McKenzie, WR, 5-9, 175, American Heritage Plantation
Albert Smalls, DB, 6-0, 170, Everglades

2015
Jovon Durante, WR/DB, 6-0, 175, Dr. Krop
Torrance Gibson, QB/WR, 6-4, 190, American Heritage Plantation

Have anything to add to this column? Wanted to promote your football talent? Contact Larry Blustein @Floridakids1@aol.com. You can also follow Larry on Twitter @larryblustein.