MV to host 7-on-7 scrimmage

Posted by Quentin Jodie | Jun 6, 2024 | Sports |

WINDOW ROCK — The 16th annual Monument Valley 7-on-7 football scrimmage will be short on numbers, but its participants will get some much-needed reps.

“It’s the smallest one we’ve ever had,” longtime MV coach Bryan Begay said. “I don’t know why, but I know that NAU has taken a lot of our clientele. We did move the tournament a week later to accommodate some teams, but I think going back to our original date, June 1, would have been better.”

Five teams are registered to compete on Saturday, with a sixth, Shiprock, still possible. The Mustangs will entertain teams from Prescott Valley Bradshaw Mountain, Kirtland Central, Window Rock and Alchesay.

Begay is awaiting confirmation on whether Shiprock will attend. The Chieftains are under the direction of new head football coach Jeremy Wooten, who previously coached at Newcomb High School.

“We’re going to use Saturday as a teaching tool for all the teams invited,” Begay said. “We’re going to focus on getting the kids some reps. Basically, we want all of the kids to get better.”

In addition to the 7-on-7 tournament, MV will host the Big Man Challenge for the second year in a row. The Big Man Challenge consists of weight lifting, relay racing with weights, tennis ball shuffle, an obstacle course and a team tug-of-war.

“We’ve organized it as a team activity,” Begay said. “It’s structured with weight lifting and football-related skill drills like the sled push and agility running, lifting objects and going certain distances.

“We got some events planned that are going to be pretty good,” he added.

Earlier this week the Mustangs competed in the Arizona Christian University 7-on-7 and big man challenge.

“Our linemen took second,” Begay said. “That is where our strengths are right now, with our linemen. Our 7-on-7 skilled guys are a step behind. Usually it’s the other way around.”

Most of those skilled players graduated as MV had 24 seniors on last year’s team.