WEST PALM BEACH – The most talented team overall reached the summit.
There were some backflips and dances on display after third-seeded Palm Beach Central cruised to a 23-7 win over No. 21-seed Santaluces to win the Keiser 7-on-7 Tournament this past Saturday (July 16).
It is quite understandable, given the fact that the Broncos finished with an undefeated 7-0 record for the day and overcame several serious challenges on the way.
Tournament MVP, Broncos senior-to-be quarterback, and UMass commit Ahmad Haston was the best overall player in a field of 25 teams that participated from Palm Beach County, Broward County, Miami-Dade County, Lee County, and the Treasure Coast. But even as he proved it all on the field, the Palm Beach Central team leader did not want to take the credit himself.
“It was a great team victory,” Haston said. “Me and my boys blocked out the outside noise. We all dialed in to our game and just played our game. It was really our communication and chemistry that won us this championship. It was just us being boys and coming out here to play ball.”
On the way to Palm Beach Central’s most impressive tournament run in at least recent memory – and maybe in school history – this loaded squad of athletes needed to lean on each other in earlier games against teams such as Martin County (No. 2 seed; semifinal round), Inlet Grove (No. 6 seed; quarterfinal round) and St. Andrew’s (two games total).
Inlet Grove senior-to-be and Illinois verbal commit TJ Lott was thoroughly impressed with how Haston willed his Palm Beach Central team to their wins.
“He’s consistent,” Lott said of Haston. “He’s got a cannon. I was at safety and he was looking dead at me. But he threw across the field. He knows how to read the field and scan it real well. He keeps the safety on the balls of his feet. You never know where the ball is going to go with Ahmad.”
Lott gave his final analysis on Haston from the Keiser 7-on-7 Tournament.
“I don’t see nobody who played better than Ahmad at the tournament,” Lott said of Haston, who had three touchdown passes in the title game. “He didn’t throw a pick all day.”
Palm Beach Central senior-to-be athlete Tyler Young (eight touchdown catches from Haston throughout the day) said he enjoyed playing with his teammates the whole way.
“We needed this,” Young said.
After Palm Beach Central was done with its celebrations, head coach Kevin Thompson rounded his team up and shared his thoughts with them.
“I saw so much growth today,” Thompson said to his players this past Saturday. “I saw so much helping, healing, and making it to our goal. Even when people were talking, we did the right thing. You can be talent and be good. I’m so proud of you guys.”
And to close their brief session out, the Palm Beach Central players went to break and yelled out their ultimate goal.
“States on two, one two,” one Broncos player said.
“States”, the entire Broncos team said in unison to officially wrap up the 7-on-7 offseason.
