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Fort Lauderdale, FL — Seven on seven football has grown tremendously across the country to the point where some players are more excited about the off-season seven on seven tournaments than the actual football season. The non-contact football sport helps skill position players to fine-tune their craft and have an opportunity for bragging rights. Arguably the two best teams in South Florida 7 versus 7 football for the past few years have been South Florida Express and Florida Fire and spectators got the opportunity to see the two teams face off in the Football Hotbed 7vs7 varsity final on a rainy afternoon at Joseph Carter Park.
South Florida Express does it again! @SouthFLExpress defeats Florida Fire @coachmarroquin to take home the @FootballHotbed #7vs7 tournament championship. pic.twitter.com/NWVe09Sgtt
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) February 15, 2020
Nick Vattiato (University School, Davie) has full control of the offense and tactically moved his SFE for scores all afternoon and did so on the first drive in the championship game finding freshman sensation and teammate Brandon Inniss (University School, Davie) alone running along the back line of the end zone.
Nick Vattiato, QB, South Florida Express
Inniss is already getting plenty of attention from power five schools including Florida, LSU, Penn State, Florda State and Miami.
With so many great players to choose from, my MVP of the @FootballHotbed #7vs7 varsity tournament was @brandon5star2. The 2023 @uschoolfootball receiver continues to impress in a big way. pic.twitter.com/70XAeiPh5s
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) February 15, 2020
SFE would add the extra point as Vattiato found 6’2” 190-pound Bralon Brown (Chaminade-Madonna, Hollywood) in the corner for another score. Brown fought off his defender and made a one-handed grab to extend the SFE lead. Brown is receiving the most attention from Miami, Penn State, West Virginia, Florida and Ole Miss.
This was a one-handed catch by @bralonbrown11 for a score for @SouthFLExpress. The @Nadeboyz receiver was a mismatch all day at the @FootballHotbed #7vs7 tournament. pic.twitter.com/IdWK63XLfu
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) February 15, 2020
Florida Fire is led by 4A state champion Torey “Scooter” Morrison (Miami Booker T. Washington) who helped his team counter with a five-yard touchdown pass but a successful attempt at the extra point was nullified by an illegal procedure penalty. SFE would get it going again with Vattiato finding 2A state champion Malik Rutherford (Champagnat Catholic, Hialeah) on a crossing route which all opponents found difficult to stop all day.
Also difficult to stop was Florida Gators commit Brashard Smith (Miami Palmetto). Smith would beat his man from the line of scrimmage and catch a perfectly thrown football from Vattiato for yet another SFE touchdown to extend the lead yet again for the team in baby blue and white. Vattiato holds offers from Cincinnati, Kentucky, Louisville, Wake Forest, Liberty and Yale.
The @GatorsFB commit @BrashardS was a problem today. The 2021 slot receiver scores here to help @SouthFLExpress win the @FootballHotbed #7vs7 championship. pic.twitter.com/nU5vHJPwjl
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) February 15, 2020
Another short dump off to Rutherford for the extra point made it a 14-6 game.
This underneath crossing route from Nick Vattiato @canesqb11 to @MalikRutherford was working all day for @SouthFLExpress. They take home varsity title at @FootballHotbed #7vs7 varsity tournament today. pic.twitter.com/7RSKDiasHC
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) February 15, 2020
Rutherford, the speedy 2021 Georgia Tech commit has plans to visit Texas A&M, and Houston with South Florida Express and Georgia Tech on April 10th.
“They couldn’t hold us all tournament,” said Smith. “Everybody on the team all-stars.”
Fire would inch closer with a Morrison touchdown pass on the ensuing drive, but once again Fire could not convert on the extra point as Scooter’s pass was intercepted by the SFE defense. The Fire defense would give its team life as they would intercept a Vattiato pass on the next possession.
Fire had some momentum after the interception and was looking to take the lead for the first time in the game but those hopes were dashed quickly when Justin Payoute (Champagnat, Hialeah) jumped in front of a Morrison pass for a critical interception.
Watch the closing speed here by @JustinPayoute of @ChampagnatCS and @SouthFLExpress to get the interception. The play would prove to be the championship clincher at the @FootballHotbed #7vs7 tournament today. pic.twitter.com/EO9K3Whhii
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) February 15, 2020
“Everybody on the defense is physical so we can all play together,” said four-star defensive back Corey Collier (Miami Palmetto). “I just like how physical everybody is.”
Miami Palmetto and @SouthFLExpress cornerback @_ccollierjr2 is one of the most physical defensive backs I have ever seen. Don’t believe me just watch. pic.twitter.com/9Yvma283IT
— Marcus Benjamin (@_BenjaminReport) February 15, 2020
SFE would attempt to kill the clock and killed any hopes of a Fire comeback as Vattiato found Rutherford again, this time down the sideline where he would literally walk over the goal line for SFE’s final score.
SFE will be back in action next week in Fort Myers, FL.
