Pylon 7v7 national championships: Louisiana Bootleggers notes

A short-handed Louisiana Bootleggers traveled to the Dallas area to finish its frustrating 2021 season at the Pylon’s 7-on-7 national championship event. Notable out-of-state prospects such as Texas running back Rueben Owens II and wide receiver Stephon "Boogie" Johnson, Ohio defensive back Alex Afari and Georgia cornerback Marquis Groves-Killebrew and wide receiver Isaiah Bond helped fill in the gaps. But a couple Louisiana athletes also provided noteworthy performances, albeit in a disappointing conclusion and early bracket exit. Check out a few notes on five of those skill players and watch the footage of those groups, quarterbacks [player_tooltip player_id="138485" first="Eli" last="Holstein"] and [player_tooltip player_id="127701" first="Landry" last="Lyddy"] and company in the videos below. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136480" first="Javae" last="Gilmore"] — 6-4, 190 ATH — Amite (2022)</strong> The long, lanky athlete from Tangipahoa Parish continued an excellent summer of camps and both high school and travel 7-on-7 performances. Where exactly Gilmore fits at the next level and continues to develop physically remains an interesting debate, but he has made one highlight play after another at both wide receiver and safety all summer and provided maybe his best defensive showing yet on the big stage in the Lone Star State, including two or three interceptions — one of which came on a one-handed snag at the goal line after closing quickly on a short pass to the end zone. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136478" first="Kendrick" last="Law"] — 6-0, 195 ATH — Captain Shreve (2022)</strong> Speaking of interesting positional fits and impressive closing speed, the Shreveport star finished his travel 7-on-7 career with probably his best performance to date for the Louisiana Bootleggers’ national team. Law covered an absurd amount of ground on defense with not only his track speed, but also his leaping ability and intelligence and instincts, including a diving interception near the sideline during pool play on a pass he read from midfield and closed on in a blur and a late end zone deflection in bracket play that kept the team in the game for the time-being with its backs against the wall. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="138439" first="Omarion" last="Miller"] — 6-2, 195 WR — North Caddo (2023)</strong> The north Louisiana pass-catcher makes a potential highlight-reel catch every time he touches the field, and the Texas trip was no different. His typical volume might not have been there on an at-best up-and-down weekend as a team, but Miller is clearly among the state’s top prospects in 2023 and figures to be a focal point for his Titans and Bootleggers teams the next two falls and next spring and summer before heading to a Power Five program. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="138277" first="Khai" last="Prean"] — 6-1, 190 ATH — Ascension Catholic (2023)</strong> Another rising junior hauled in a couple nice receptions over the middle of the field in just his second or third tournament with the 18U national team. Prean is a good-looking athlete with the speed and quickness to get open and sure hands to makes catches all over the field, as well as the physicality to do so with contact or make an impact out of the backfield or on defense. He is increasingly looking the part of one of Louisiana’s quickest rising prospects this year. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136627" first="Laterrance" last="Welch"] — 6-1, 180 DB — Acadiana (2022)</strong> The tournament was not one of the best for the LSU-committed cornerback, one of the team’s mature leaders. But Welch seemed to take to heart and learn from a frustrating Friday of pool play in which he seemed in a bit of a funk and bounced back strong Saturday in the bracket game, looking the part of one of the nation’s top prospects and likely becoming a better player long-term for the experience. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F8hGRNM9nn4" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QXOYXbcgT7k" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IS2aiwRQl_4" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gATCGFa8848" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>