124 total teams competed at DR7 The Villages, Florida kicking off February with an intense and highly competitive 7v7 tournament across six different age groups.
The event featured not only some of the premier programs in the sunshine state, but also teams from around the southeast including Alabama and Georgia. Two programs from New York also made the trip to compete (UpTop and NY Punishers).
For the first time, the DR Sportz media team live streamed pool play games on Saturday and brought back Crown Sunday championship game streams.
It was the first of three stops in The Villages on the DR7 circuit this season. DR7 will also return to The Villages March 1-2 and will host The Crown National Championship at the venue on April 12-13.
Below are recaps of the championship games including highlights from the DR Sportz YouTube channel. Be sure to check out The Platform from coverage throughout the weekend, and follow us on X and Instagram at @ThePlatformDR
18u – Team Tampa 20, Gridiron Elite 18
This matchup featured a battle between Notre Dame QB commit Noah Grubbs (Gridiron Elite) and Armwood HS QB Rhys Brush who has seen a surge in his recruitment of late. In the end, it was Team Tampa prevailing thanks to a key defensive stop. Both programs are renowned in the state of Florida and the entire country, and are two of the most decorated organizations in the 7v7 space. Each team came to play on Crown Sunday when it mattered most, as Gridiron Elite came in as the 11 seed and Team Tampa was seeded at 22.
15u – SlimeyBoyz 29, STE 6
The 15u championship pitted two programs who have achieved a great deal of success in the DR7 circuit and beyond. SlimeyBoyz won the 15u championship in Tampa in April 2024, and South Tampa Elite has been highly competitive across multiple age groups in the pass. In the end of this one, the play of 2027 Clearwater Central Catholic QB Khayse Barrett was too much to overcome for STE. A costly redzone interception sparked a SlimeyBoyz run, and the team didn’t look back from there.
14u – 813 Hawks 34, NextGen Academy Blue 0
Perhaps the most impressive team regardless of age in the tournament was the 813 Hawks 14u team. The Hawks outscored their opponents by a combined 61-0 in the 14u semifinals and championship game, and won every game over the course of the weekend by double digits. The QB duo of Ty Nesmith and Jaysean Glenn was formidable, and WR MJ Jones Jr. caught four touchdowns in the championship dub.
12u – Team Elite All the Smoke Black 38, Bay Area Buckeyes 36 (2 OT)
Both Team Elite teams in the 12u ranks finished pool play undefeated, but on Crown Sunday it was Team Elite Black prevailing to close out a dominant performance over the course of the weekend. Team Elite shut out three opponents played in seven total games, including two shutout wins in tournament play. Their defense allowed more points in regulation of the championship game than they had all weekend. Bay Area Buckeyes played them tough and showed they were one of the best 12u teams in the country in the defeat. Team Elite QB Jace Vorlicky overcame two interceptions in regulation to rally his team, and WR Isaiah Jones made some crucial plays down the stretch to fuel the victory.
10u Apex Elite Jags 34, NextLevelz 9
Apex Elite 10u was another team who pieced together a strong weekend, finishing at 7-0. They won all but one game over the weekend by double figures, and beat teams in the semifinals and finals by a combined 62-9. QB Weston Reaves had a plethora of talented receivers he delivered the ball to, including Ander Wilkinson, Tyler Schmidli, and CJ Houston. Reaves bounced back from an early interception and was dialed in down the stretch of the win. Apex Elite 10u is a force to be reckoned with as the season progresses.
8u – Orlando Elite 11, Team Elite 10
Orlando Elite 8u continued their success on the DR7 circuit, winning their fifth 8u championship all-time. They avenged their loss to Team Elite in the 2024 Davenport championship in what was a thrilling finish. After Team Elite QB Blake Nixon led Team Elite on a go-ahead scoring drive, Orlando Elite QB Bo Richardson responded with the eventual game winning series after. Both teams continue to show why they have been so successful in the 8u ranks, and this could be an interesting rivalry to watch as the season moves forward.
For live stream coverage of DR7 tournaments, head over to the DR Sportz YouTube channel. Make sure you subscribe and turn on notifications so you are alerted when the page goes live!
