Sandusky won't make trip to state 7-on-7 football tourney

SANDUSKY — Sandusky qualified for the first OHSFCA 7-on-7 state championships, but the Blue Streaks won't be headed to Columbus for the Monday night event. Blue Streaks head football coach Jamaris Brown said Sunday that transportation issues and injury concerns will cause his team to sit out the finals of the tournament. "There were no drivers to do this and the weather played a factor," Brown said. "Unless we could get some vans and drivers, air conditioning is a big factor this week." School buses are not equipped with air conditioning, meaning the 2 1/2-hour drive to suburban Bexley would be quite uncomfortable with forecast highs Monday in the 90s. This is the first year that the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association is sponsoring a statewide 7-on-7 event. Sandusky qualified by finishing runner-up in the Kenton regional to Dayton-area power Wayne. "We were flat our first few games, but ended up as the runner-up in the big school division," Brown said. The OHSFCA event will feature two brackets: Division I (big schools) and II (small schools). Sandusky was one of 12 teams on a bracket built to accommodate 16 teams. The Division I tourney will be held at St. Charles Prep School in Bexley. "I want our guys to compete at the highest level," Brown said. "I don't feel like we can put our best foot forward. I'm big on 11-on-11 football. Seven-on-7 is great, but you don't really see what your team can do until you put on the pads." Sandusky was scheduled play Harrison in the first round at 5:30 p.m. Now Harrison will get a bye into the second round and meet Gahanna (which also received a bye). The Division II tournament starts at 10 a.m. at Hilliard Darby High School. There are 10 schools in the D-II event. Sandusky was the only area school scheduled to participate the OHSFCA event. Other area schools are competing this summer in 7-on-7 events throughout the region. Sandusky, led by senior quarterback Dale Johnson, has already played in 7-on-7 events at the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University. The Blue Streaks have used about half of their 13 summer camp days. Brown said his team will take a break until July, when it will gear up for the start of the 2026 season. Fall practice officially begins August 1. Brown said about 60 players in grades 9-12 have been participating in summer drills. "We've had a lot of freshmen and sophomores," he said. "The senior class will not be very big this year." Sandusky finished 7-5 last year after an 0-3 start. The Blue Streaks won a playoff game in Division II, upsetting Oregon Clay 35-28 on the road. The Streaks are scheduled to open the season at Amherst Steele on Friday, August 22. Sandusky's home opener is August 29 against rival Fremont Ross. "We've got a lot of guys who have been waiting for this opportunity," Brown said. "They're trying to fill those roles. We still have talent and guys that can make things happen. It's all about the experience factor."