Miles Bulldogs Look to Defend 7-on-7 State Title Again

SAN ANGELO, TX - The Miles Bulldogs will take a shot at a third straight 7-on-7 state title this week in College Station.

Miles is one of four West Texas schools — along with Sonora, Brady and Iraan — that qualified for the 32-team Division III tournament, which will be held June 27-28 at Veterans Memorial Park.

The Bulldogs return the majority of last year’s team, but they graduated quarterback Hayven Book, who led the Bulldogs to state titles in 2022 and 2023.

Miles head coach Jayson Wilhelm said sophomore QB Liam Yancy has been up to the challenge in filling Book’s shoes so far.

“We’re breaking in a new quarterback, but man I’m really fired up watching that Yancy kid,” Wilhelm said. “He can throw all the same balls our other quarterback could throw.

“He’s just an all-around good kid, and he’s very athletic. He’s going to have to grow into it, but the boys love playing for him. After the first series we played (at a qualifying tournament) in San Angelo, the upperclassmen came off the field and said, ‘We’re going to be just fine.”

Miles also returns numerous receiving threats, including dynamic senior wideout Cooper Ellison.

“He’s the best player on the field whoever we play. That’s just my opinion,” Wilhelm said. “He’s six feet (tall) and ran a 4.6 (40-yard dash) at one of his college camps. He jumps and elevates real well. If he’s on a corner route or something, we’re going to put it up because there’s a pretty good chance he’s going to win it.”

Other Miles receivers that are returning include Jaylen Torres, Dillon Medina and Devin Medina. However, Wilhelm said the team’s fastest receiver, Tevin Meade, will have to miss the state tournament due to a trip to Europe.

Miles is coming off a fall season in which the Bulldogs went 8-4 and reached the second round of the playoffs.

Wilhelm said anything can happen at the 7-on-7 state tournament, where the Bulldogs won three games last year by two points or less, including a 22-20 win over Poth in the final.

This year, Miles is in Pool B with East Bernard, Childress and Bartlett. After pool play Thursday, all teams advance to a single-elimination championship bracket Friday.

Another West Texas contender for this year’s title is Sonora, which reached the quarterfinals of the championship bracket last year before an 11-2 season and third-round playoff trip last fall.

Sonora, which is making its fourth state appearance, is in Pool E with Lexington, Ganado and Eastland.

Brady, which went 3-8 last fall, is in Pool F with Morton, Somerville and Tidehaven. This is the Bulldogs’ third state appearance.

Iraan is making its first-ever appearance at the 7-on-7 state tournament. The Braves, who went 4-6 last fall, are in Pool C with Bremond, Tioga and Wallis Brazos.