The Six Best Players We Saw at Day 1 of the State 7-on-7 Tournament
Hamshire-Fannett QB Blake Broussard throws 14 touchdowns and zero interceptions in the 'Pool of Death,' while Seminole Indians sophomore Buddha Guerra backs up high praise.
Hamshire-Fannett was swimming in the ‘Pool of Death’ on Thursday. The Longhorns were paired with defending state champion Stephenville, a Decatur team that made back-to-back state semifinal runs just two years ago, and the always dangerous Corpus Christi Miller. But you never would’ve known based on how Broussard carved up defenses all day long. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound signal-caller threw 14 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Broussard earned District Offensive Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore with 2,234 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and one interception. He also showed his dual-threat ability with seven rushing touchdowns, then backed it up this spring by running a 52-second 400m dash as part of the Longhorns’ regional-qualifying 4x400M relay team (remember, he’s 205 pounds). Hamshire-Fannett offensive coordinator Blake Waggoner describes Broussard as a Fernando Mendoza type for his leadership and perfectionist attitude. If he misses a route at practice (which is rare), he will have the receivers stay after with him until they get it right. Broussard holds early offers from UTSA, UTEP, Tulsa, and Lamar.
Ganado versus Albany was one of the most anticipated Division III pool play games of the day. You had Ganado on one side: the new guard, boasting a 47-10 record and the program’s first state championship in the last five years. On the other side, the generational dominance of Albany, which has made at least the third round of the playoffs all but three times since 2003.
I came expecting a classic – Logan Bures turned it into a rout. Albany drove it inside the five-yard line on their first possession, only for Bures to swoop in from his safety spot with a pick. On the next series, he took an intermediate route to the house, prompting one of the State 7-on-7 organizers to say, ‘That boy can scoot!’ Then, on the next defensive series, he had a pick-six to put the game out of reach before it even started. Ganado breezed to a 25-13 victory. Overall, the Indians finished pool play with a 3-0 record, headlined by Bures’s five offensive touchdowns and one defensive touchdown.
Bures’s showing wasn’t a breakout performance; he’s been dominating on the TXHSFB stage for two years now. As a sophomore, he was a First Team All-State utility player on Ganado’s state championship team. Last year, he posted 1,413 rushing yards, 212 receiving yards, and 20 total touchdowns. Ganado head coach Josh Ervin says Bures is the type of kid you wish you had 11 of. Right now, his size (5-foot-8, 160) has prevented him from receiving the offers his play demands. He doesn’t have any scholarships yet, but the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor is showing interest. But Bures is lightning quick, going from 0 to 100 – or 100 to 0 – in a second. He’s also versatile, having rotated from outside linebacker, safety, and inside linebacker in his career. Bures has shown the most production at running back in his career, but he was a dynamic slot receiver on Thursday.
Seminole’s Greg Poynor has been a head coach for 18 years, and he’s turned Seminole into one of TXHSFB’s most underrated programs since taking the reins in 2021. The Indians have reached the second round of the playoffs in each of the past four seasons. Poynor says Guerra, a 5-foot-9, 155-pound athlete in the Class of 2029, is the best player he’s ever coached. Guerra showed why on Thursday. DCTX High School Insider Matt Stepp said Guerra had roughly four interceptions and six touchdowns on the day, leading Seminole to a 3-0 record in pool play.
As a freshman, Guerra exploded onto the TXHSFB scene as a versatile offensive weapon with 607 rushing yards on 9.2 yards per carry, 518 receiving yards, and 15 total touchdowns. Poynor describes him as a kid who puts in the work and then some, building himself into an explosive playmaker. Look for Seminole to get Guerra the ball in as many ways as possible this fall.
Brown was a breakout star in 2025. The sophomore earned First Team All-District as both a wide receiver and cornerback, pairing 650 yards and eight touchdowns on offense with eight interceptions and two defensive touchdowns. That stat line was put into perspective for DCTX Director of Recruiting Greg Powers on Thursday – he didn’t remember Brown ever leaving the field despite the 100-degree heat. He helped the Raiders to an unblemished 3-0 record in pool play.
Brown has a Division I frame at 6-foot-4, 175 pounds, but his athleticism and standout play explain why he already holds offers from SMU, Oklahoma State, Kansas, UTSA, and Tulsa. With Brown – and an excellent group of seniors – West Rusk is a team to watch in 2026.
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