7-on-7 tournament gives Glades Central coach Jessie Hester insight into his team

Monday, June 14, 2010
by Paul Ivice

Though Glades Central lost 20-19 to Miramar on Saturday in the championship game of the Heath Evans Foundation 7-on-7 football tournament, Raiders coach Jessie Hester said he saw plenty of good things about his team.

Hester said it is in tournaments such as this that he will find out who can play. Jaqavein Oliver, who will be a senior in the fall, was his most consistent receiver, Hester said. Despite the challenges of tough opposition and 90-degree heat, "he (Oliver) did some things that were quite impressive."

The Raiders were one of seven state finalists in the fifth annual invitational's 16-team field, which included five reigning champions - Miramar (6A), Tampa-Plant (5A), Dwyer (4A), American Heritage (1A) and Glades Day (1B).

Glades Central and Dwyer were the only teams to make it to the semifinals undefeated. The Raiders beat the Panthers, 30-18, while Miramar ousted Miami-Belen Jesuit 20-18 on the other half of the football field at King's Academy.

Dwyer's three touchdowns against Glades Central all came on passes from Jacoby Brissett to Nick O'Leary, both of whom will be seniors, but the Panthers couldn't stop the Raiders, who scored on all five possessions.

Rising junior Neville Brown scored two of those touchdowns on passes over the middle, taking advantage of a Dwyer defense that concentrated on stopping bigger receivers on the outside.

Dwyer coach Jack Daniels said that late in the game "we didn't even put our first team back on offense because we didn't feel we could stop them on defense."

Evans, who won a Super Bowl title with the Saints last season, said he was impressed with the quality of the talent at his tournament. By winning, Miramar earned a trip to a national tournament June 26-27 in Williamsburg, Va.

"If there are better wide receivers in the country than what Glades Central and Dwyer have, I'd be shocked," he said.

Evans, a 1997 graduate of King's, started the annual tournament to raise money for his foundation, which is dedicated to helping children and families affected by sexual abuse.

The fuback, who played for the Dolphins in 2005, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament against Miami last October.

He said his knee is now "close to perfect."