Coronado secondary ready to be tested at state 7-on-7 football tournament
Even as a defender, Cam Manahan made his fair share of trips to the end zone last season.
The Coronado cornerback returned four interceptions for touchdowns during his junior year, and in hand gave the Mustangs a wave of momentum each time.
Manahan knows what a strong secondary can provide for a team. As one of the unit's veteran leaders, he expects the group to be a focal point.
While the pads are still stored away until August, Coronado's defensive backs are sharpening their game through 7-on-7. The Mustangs will see their stiffest competition of the summer when the Division I state tournament begins Friday.
More: Coronado quarterback Jett Carroll continues progression through 7-on-7 football
Division II and Division III competition — which includes all schools smaller than Class 5A — kicks off the three-day event Thursday at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex in College Station.
Coronado is the only team from the South Plains to qualify for the state 7-on-7 tournament.
"We've been working," Manahan said. "We've been getting ready for it, got to be prepared. We're not fixing to play any Lubbock teams down there. There's a whole lot of good players, so we've got to work for it."
Although most of the focus is on the offenses in 7-on-7, the successful teams pack a defense as well. Coronado football coach D.J. Mann isn't a full proponent of the game, but he agreed 7-on-7 can pay dividends.
"I've got a love-hate relationship with 7-on-7," Mann said. "I love it most of the time, and I hate it a lot. If you see some success in throwing the ball around and pitching and catching and playing defense, you're going to have some success in the fall."
Mann is glad his defensive backs will have the opportunity to match up against talent from across the state. The Mustangs' pool includes Cypress Falls, Longview and White Settlement Brewer.
"They're able to see different routes, see different types of quarterbacks," Mann said. "We're going to see a phenomenal receiver when we play Longview this week. Just to be able to communicate with your teammates and see different combinations, different types of speed.
"We play a team from Houston; we play a team from East Texas. We're going to see some things that we don't normally see out here in West Texas, so it's going to be good for them to kind of gauge where they're at."
Mann has been working with Coronado's cornerbacks during the offseason. He, too, sees big things coming from the group, which includes four-year starter Ted Gilmore.
"We're coming back as an even better team," Manahan said. "… We're just getting better. There ain't no going down."
State 7-on-7 tournament
at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex, College Station
DIVISION I
Pool A: Coronado, Cypress Falls, White Settlement Brewer, Longview
Pool B: Cinco Ranch, Harker Heights, Hebron, Wichita Falls Rider
Pool C: Austin Anderson, Crandall, Dickinson, McAllen Rowe
Pool D: Buda Johnson, El Paso Franklin, Frisco Wakeland, Klein Collins
Pool E: DeSoto, El Paso Eastlake, Fort Bend Hightower, Lake Travis
Pool F: Austin Westlake, El Paso Coronado, Fort Bend Marshall, McKinney High
Pool G: Austin LBJ, Bellaire Episcopal, Colleyville Heritage, Katy Jordan
Pool H: Alvin Shadow Creek, PSJA North, Round Rock Westwood, Trophy Club Byron Nelson
Pool I: El Paso Eastwood, Klein Cain, Lake Dallas, North Crowley
Pool J: Aldine Eisenhower, Midlothian Heritage, Red Oak, San Benito
Pool K: Abilene High, Dripping Springs, Mesquite Horn, Willis
Pool L: Friendswood Clear Brook, Midlothian High, Plano High, San Angelo Central
Pool M: Conroe Grand Oaks, Rockwall-Heath, Sharyland High, Temple
Pool N: Amarillo High, College Station High, Coppell, Houston Lamar
Pool O: Mission High, Propser High, San Antonio Brandeis, The Woodlands High
Pool P: College Station A&M Consolidated, Corpus Christi Miller, Flower Mound Marcus, Houston Heights
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock Coronado secondary ready for Texas state 7-on-7 tournament
