Best passing tournaments and big-man competitions
Footballs begin flying in earnest Friday when 15 teams gather to compete in a 7-on-7 tournament at the Scottsdale Sports Complex.
On Saturday, 35 teams will get together on 12 fields at Pima Community College in Tucson.
Both will feature Big Man competitions for the linemen.
It's a time to work on chemistry, see what different schools have, and for teams to bond.
Let's take a look at some notable 7-on-7 dates:
Nike 7 on 7 Tournament and Big Man Competition at Scottsdale Sports Complex, Friday
This has changed hands a few time, moving from Chandler Hamilton to Mesa Mountain View and now next to the TPC in Scottsdale.
Chandler is the big team in this one. It is the defending Division I state champions, and it will be a good chance to see Mason Moran at the wheel, throwing to highly recruited targets N'Keal Harry and Chase Lucas.
Hamilton, Mesa Desert Ridge, Goodyear Desert Edge and Mountain View and Hamilton both will be there, starting with pool play at 8 a.m., Friday, followed by first-round elimination games at 11:30. The championship is set for 1:30.
Notable teams besides Hamilton and Mountain View are Mesa Desert Ridge, Goodyear Desert Edge, Anthem Boulder Creek, Buckeye Verrado. They all feature big-play threats.
It will be interesting to see Kyeler Burke making the transition to cornerback for Hamilton. This not only will amp up his recruiting prospects but give Hamilton one of the better secondaries in the state. Burke's presence on offense still will be there as a slot receiver and running back.
Pima Community College Passing Tournament, Tucson, Saturday
Scottsdale Saguaro was originally scheduled to play in this, but it has elected to go to Tucson on June 5 for the University of Arizona's passing tournament and big-man competition.
Still, there are a lot of quality teams and players to see at Pima, which will be using 12 fields to host one of the biggest tournaments in the state. Most notable Valley teams are Phoenix Mountain Pointe and Chandler Basha with their prized quarterbacks – Jack Smith and Ryan Kelley, respectively.
Mountain Pointe junior-to-be Isaiah Pola-Mao becomes the No.1 wide receiver to go along with being a premier safety.
Kelley is the state's top recruited quarterback with two more years left in his high school eligibility. He'll have to get used to some new targets, but he'll be in a comfort zone with returning receiver Hunter Dean-Gibson, who caught seven touchdown passes last season.
Salpointe Catholic with No. 1 2018 prospect and all-everything Jamarye Joiner and Marana Mountain View with senior-to-be quarterback/safety Justice Summerset are two of the more intriguing Southern Arizona teams involved.
ASU Passing Tournament and Big Man Competition, June 10
Arizona State generally spreads the wealth, hosting tournaments on several days to get as many high school teams as possible out there.
But June 10 will be huge with Saguaro, Chandler and Phoenix Brophy Prep all there.
An interesting matchup would be Chandler WR N'Keal Harry against Saguaro cornerback Byron Murphy, if those teams happen to meet. They are two of the more coveted 2016 players in the West.
Both will be coming back from Baltimore, where next weekend, they will compete in the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge Presented by Under Armour Camp.
Brophy Prep could have one of its more dynamic teams with QB Cade Knox throwing to junior-to-be receiver Robert Brooks, among other big-play threats.
It will also be interesting to head into the dome for the Big Man stuff with Brophy defensive end Connor Murphy and Saguaro offensive guard Kayden Lyles among the best.
An even more athletic Kare' Lyles will be on the field for Saguaro with Murphy, K.J. Jarrell and Robert Branch-Williams among his top targets.
AZFCA Passing Tournament, at Surprise Stadium, June 27
This is the last big tournament of the year, hosted by the Arizona Football Coaches Association with Hamilton the big dog. Expect most of the top teams out there, including Peoria Centennial and Peoria Sunrise Mountain. Sunrise Mountain has one of the state's top dual threat quarterbacks in junior-to-be Chase Cord.
The past couple of years, the tournament was held under the lights to beat the heat.
Players are usually pretty exhausted by then, looking forward to some vacation time in July and work in the weight room, before practices start up for the 2015 season.
