Kansas Colts Kickoff 7v7 Season in Winter Classic

This past weekend the 7v7 season kicked into gear at the MoKan Winter Kickoff Classic 7v7 Tournament in Council Bluffs, Iowa and Omaha, Nebraska.   Drawing 100+ teams across multiple age brackets, it is considered one of the most competitive tournaments of the season with teams from Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Dakota participating.   It definitely gave players and coaches a reality check of what to expect in the coming months.   In this report we will take a look at the Kansas Colts, one of the Wichita-area teams that played in the tourney last weekend. I will be following the Colts closely as they work their way through the 7v7 season.   Below, we will take a focused look at some of the Colts who stepped up this past weekend.   So, without further adieu, let's check these guys out:   Kansas Colt Age-Group Finishes:   12u - 3-2 (achieved Top 8 finish)   14u - 0-3-1   18u (Blue) - 3-1 (undefeated on Saturday, lost first game on Sunday morning)   18u (Orange) - 2-3 (achieved Top 16 finish)   Team also won the Sportsmanship award at the tourney.     Standout Players:   [player_tooltip player_id='1327831' first='Maxson' last='Smiley'], 6'0, 185, QB, Holcomb, '28, I recently covered this western Kansas gunslinger who is playing with the Colts' 18u (Orange) Team. He and Ferralez (below) are splitting quarterback duties and it will give the orange squad a top-flight QB regardless who is playing. He has a fluid delivery and throws strikes with excellent ball placement and has the velocity to attack all three levels. This past season Smiley missed a couple games to injury and still passed for 1,322 yards, with 13 TD passes and was only picked off three times. He is a rising star in the making and is getting ready for an explosive season in 7v7 and this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='1147299' first='Holden' last='Ferralez'], 6'1, 165, QB/ATH, Sedgwick, '28, he is the other half of the talented quarterback duo for the Colts 18u (Orange) team and is a seasoned warrior in the 7v7 game. Another young gun signal caller with a versatile arm, he has great field vision and can carve teams up with precise surgical strikes in the short-to-medium game as well as dial up the long ball down the sideline with a soft touch. He is coming off a season when he passed 1,300+ yards and 15 total touchdowns on a 2-7 Cardinal team that was decimated by graduation and transfers. This guy is a top-level talent and one of the top QB's in the loaded class of 2028.   [player_tooltip player_id='1487563' first='Colton' last='Elmore'], 5'10, 175, QB, Wellington, '28, on the other 18u team (Blue) the Colts are stacked at the quarterback position as well, with this Crusader gunslinger splitting time with Melton (below). He is one I have covered numerous times since his freshman year and is developing into another stud QB from the '28 class. He has a smooth delivery with fine-tuned mechanics in the pocket or on the move and can rifle the ball into tight windows as well as hit the deep ball in the seams. He is coming off a sophomore season when he led 4A in passing with 2,167 total yards and 21 touchdowns. This guy is the real deal.   [player_tooltip player_id='1645153' first='Easton' last='Melton'], 6'2”, 165, QB, Maize, '28, he is the other half of the 18u blue squad quarterback position group and will give them a talented one-two punch whoever is on the field. He is another young gun who I have been following closely since he was a freshman and he continues to impress me. He has also impressed others, as right out of the gate he was featured this week by <a href="https://x.com/sixstarfootball">@sixstarfootball</a> for his stellar play in helping the team get off to a 3-0 start in pool play on Saturday. He has a multi-talented arm with a quick release and is consistently accurate, whether zipping pin-point passes or layering the deep ball between defenders. Get your popcorn ready.   [player_tooltip player_id='1362958' first='Levi' last='McLaughlin'], 6'3, 185, DB/WR, Rose Hill, '27, next up we have one of the top defensive backs in the state who is already getting D1 attention with his prototype size, speed and athleticism. This past weekend he was a defensive force for the blue squad, intercepting three passes and playing shut-down pass defense all weekend. With his instincts and read and react skills, he flows fast and demonstrates great closing speed getting to the ball. He is a talented playmaker who helped flip the script for Rose Hill as they went from 2-7 in '24 to 6-4 last fall. I have been talking this guy up for a couple years now and he is getting ready to dominate in '26.   Davin Morgan, 5'10, 165, RB/DB, Hutchinson, '28, he is another rising star athlete from the loaded class of 2028 who is a two-way player at receiver and d-back. He stepped up this past weekend and turned heads with his standout play on both sides of the ball for the orange team. On both Saturday and Sunday he was an asset for the team, showing great hands, quickness and was shifty in space, consistently making people miss after the catch. He also played well on defense with a number of pass break up's and pass-game disruption out of the secondary. Get this guy in your sights.     Also playing well:   Carson Mason, 5'9, 170, ATH, Hoisington, '26, this guy is lethal in the open field and showed it all weekend as his coach referred to him as a "touchdown machine" for the blue team and helped them go 3-0 on Saturday. He has a high-octane game with burst and quickness and showed it this weekend. [player_tooltip player_id='1425448' first='Jaxon' last='Myers'], 5'11, 170, WR/DB, Salina South, '26, also stepped up on both sides of the ball and dominated action for the orange squad. He picked up several touchdowns on offense and was a ballhawk on defense, picking off a pass. [player_tooltip player_id='1425478' first='Jalen' last='Cheeks'], 6'2, 175, WR/DB, Salina South, '26, another Cougar baller and 6'2 defensive back who is a rising star corner/safety who had a standout tournament with a number of pass break up's while playing shutdown coverage on his side. This guy is going to have a big 7v7 year in '26.     In conclusion, get out and see the Colts in the coming months - they have a ton of talent and are fun to watch.   And, most importantly...   Keep Grindin'

This past weekend the 7v7 season kicked into gear at the MoKan Winter Kickoff Classic 7v7 Tournament in Council Bluffs, Iowa and Omaha, Nebraska.