The Putnam County High School (PCHS) football team took a trip to Monticello High last week to partake in a pre-season, 7-on-7 warm-up match between the two schools.
Seven-on-7 is a modified football game where only seven players without full padding line up on each side of the ball. The offense starts the contest on the 40-yard line to try to make it to the endzone, with first downs earned when they reach the 25-yard and 10-yard lines. They line up with a quarterback, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends. Running the ball is not allowed and the quarterback has four seconds to throw the ball or the play is dead.
Once a touchdown is scored, point-after attempts can come as either a two-point conversion or a single point, with only one attempt allowed, regardless. The two-point conversion starts at the 10-yard line, while a single-point conversion is short-yardage around the five-yard line.
PCHS took 11 players on the trip with three playing both offense and defense. The offense lined up with upcoming freshman Branan Griffin in the pocket at quarterback and Jalon Kilgore, Keywon Blue, and Brayon Farley as wide receivers.
Kilgore is the four-star recruit who recently committed to South Carolina after an impressive performance last season in which he averaged 70.8 receiving yards per game, with 921 yards and 11 touchdowns. Blue averaged 23.3 yards per game last year with 280 total yards and four touchdowns, while Farley played mostly defense with only 35 receiving yards.
The War Eagles also had running backs Darrel ‘DJ’ Bland and Tyson Waller, as well as a tight end in Blake Tiller on the squad. Bland was another primarily defensive player last season, rushing only for 35 yards on five carries. Waller had just one seven-yard rush last year as he also concentrated on defense, and Tiller last season played defensive end.
On defense in Monticello, Kilgore took on the role of safety to accompany Amron Webster, the free safety. Kilgore also had an impressive defensive season in 2021, racking up 88 total tackles--59 of them solo--as well as eight defended passes and four forced fumbles.
Much like Kilgore, Bland functions as a two-way player and slotted in at cornerback in 7-on-7 play. Last season he had 35 total tackles with 23 being solo along with two interceptions, while Farley, who also played corner in Monticello, had 15 total tackles last year with 10 being solo and two pass deflections.
Rashod Daniel, Tamarion Peters, and Seth Boyer each played outside linebacker. Coming off of an impressive freshman season, Daniel had 35 tackles with two forced fumbles and an interception, while Peters had 68 total tackles, five quarterback hurries, and two pass deflections. Boyer had 66 tackles last season, as well as two quarterback hurries.
The War Eagles open their 2022 campaign with a scrimmage game Aug. 12 at Greene County, followed by their season opener Aug. 26 at home against Baldwin.