Ducks focused on football development

BURNET — Taylor High School football will have another chance to qualify for the state 7-on-7 football tournament this weekend.

The Ducks will play in the Burnet High School State Qualifying Tournament Saturday, June 1.

Earven Flowers, head coach and athletics director, said his approach is to focus on preparing for the upcoming fall football season more so than qualifying 7-on-7.

“We’re just trying to develop our guys and give them some reps that are not like practice reps, but competitive reps,” Flowers said. “If we qualify, that’s great as well. But we’re really focused on getting our kids better.”

During the tournament, eight teams will compete for one qualifying bid.

There are two pools of four. Each team will play the other three teams to field two pool winners.

The victor between the two pool winners will earn the bid.

Taylor will open play against Llano at 9:45 a.m., take on China Spring at 11:15 a.m. and conclude pool play versus Lago Vista at 12:35 p.m.

“Last year’s team made it to the state qualifying tournament,” Flowers said. “That’s something these kids want to do, but I think you need to focus on the big picture.”

Similar to the May 11 tournament in La Grange, Taylor expects to rotate a lot of players in and out throughout the tournament.

Flowers said the program lost 28 seniors to graduation, so the younger players need to gain experience whenever they can get it.

“We’re not really looking at it as we’re trying to win 7-on-7 per say,” Flowers said. “We’re looking at it as trying to get better, (getting) quality reps and knowing what we’re doing. So, when we get to August 5, we don’t have to teach as much.”

Taylor went 1-2 during their last qualifying tournament. The team will co-host another tournament with Rockdale Saturday, June 15.