Strong field expected for SW Elite tourney

Following a two-week dead period that began Monday and ends July 8, many of the state’s best prep football teams will travel to Springdale for the Southwest Elite 7-on-7 tournament.

The ninth annual event will take place July 13-15 at Shiloh Christian. The field will include 32 teams from eight states, and more than 800 athletes.

Bixby, Okla., returns to defend its title. Other past winners include two-time champions Fayetteville and Olive Branch, Miss., as well as Bentonville High, Harrison and Shiloh Christian.

“Every year, we have had teams that have gone on to win state championships or made deep runs in the playoffs during their season,” Shiloh Christian coach Jeff Conaway said. “We feel like our tournament is the best one in the region and we have a great field again this season with a lot of talented teams and prospects.”

Some of the former standouts who have played in the Southwest Elite are current NFL players Sterling Shepherd (New York Giants) and Dorial Green-Beckham (Philadelphia Eagles). Former Florida and NFL quarterback Tim Tebow was once a guest speaker.

Other players who have participated include current Razorbacks Austin Allen, Ty Storey, Cheyenne O’Grady and Jordan Curtis; Missouri quarterback Taylor Powell; SMU quarterback Rafe Peavey; Florida tight end DeAndre Goolsby; Cincinnati quarterback Ross Trail and Minnesota cornerback Tre Norwood.

Northwest Arkansas teams in this year’s field are: Fayetteville, Springdale High, Springdale HarBer, Bentonville, Bentonville West, Rogers High, Rogers Heritage, Shiloh Christian and Elkins. Other instate teams are Little Rock Christian, Fort Smith Northside, Marion and Alma.

Oklahoma teams expected to be on hand are Broken Arrow, Bixby, Coweta, Edmond Deer Creek, Heritage Hall, Jenks, Midwest City, Stillwater, Bishop McGuinness and Moore.

Other out-of-state squads are Aurora Christian, Ill., St. Louis Lutheran North, McDonald County, Mo., Shawnee (Kan.) Mill Valley, Jackson ( Tenn.) Liberty Tech, DeSoto (Miss.) Central and Fort Branch (Ind.) Gibson Southern.

“We have a lot of the same teams coming back and that tells us that the coaches really enjoyed the quality of the competition,” Conaway said. “We are really happy with the feedback we get from the different teams that come and want to return.”

All of the Arkansas teams should be rested following the dead period.

“It is something that we really think is important,” Conaway said. “They need a mental and physical break, and it allows the families time to spend together and go on vacation.

“But we don’t encourage them to sit around on the couch all the time. We expect them to stay moving around and be ready to go when we get back.”