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<p>Despite my strong distain for 7on7, its impact on the sport of football, the culture it is cultivating, and all that surrounds or comes with it, I covered my first 7on7 this weekend on Saturday, April 18, 2026. Prep Redzone produced the Garden State Gridiron tournament, a two-day championship event, hosted at Elizabeth Public School's William's Field and the city's downtown Todd Bowles Stadium. Day 1 of this event was a 10-hour nonstop, gauntlet of a marathon, with games every half-hour, on the half-hour. Nearly 35 U18 teams from as far as Western New York, Maryland, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Long Island, as well as local teams alike, fiercely competed against everyone - their competition, the referees, event staff, coaches, spectators, security, and even internally amongst themselves - as nobody was safe.</p>
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<p>With a lunch break, I did my best to cover each U18 team that was participating. As I put out more coverage in the coming days, below are my thoughts on a specific handful of teams that I witnessed compete today.</p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Black Ops was the team with the most...</h2>
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<p><strong>Potential</strong>. Black Ops was the early morning's darling, as they steamrolled through competition. A strong quarterback and good looking skills, they had playmakers all over the field. Somebody ought to check one of their prospect's birth certificate, as he looked like he was better fit for a U24 team, rather than U18. Credit to him for taking my corny joke in stride. The only thing that stopped Black Ops from acheiving their potential was that it appeared as though they had rep fatigue - not to be confused with physical conditioning fatigue.</p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Camboyz Training was the team with the most...</h2>
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<p><strong>Uncertainty</strong>. Camboyz came out scorching hot. My initial thought was that they were going to be the team to beat, as they steamrolled their first matchup. As I continue to watch them later in their heat, that dominant stretch of play slowed down a bit, as they were brought back down to reality.</p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">New Jersey Rated was the team with the most...</h2>
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<p><strong>Fun</strong>. This team absolutely looked like they were having a ball, balling out all over the field. They all over making plays, stretching the field, scoring, and celebrating. As such, they frequently put on acrobatic shows, hitting backflips, summersaults, and handstands while they were off the field and throughout dead ball periods. </p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">ASG Metro was the team with the most...</h2>
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<p><strong>Resemblance to <em>real </em>football</strong>. One of my deepest criticism of 7on7 is that it is not real football - and Brendan Mankarious does real football only. As such, many of their offensive route combinations were real concepts and absent in them were the gimmicky work-arounds and nuance that is inherently present 7on7. Moreover, they impressed me the most defensively. Aside from running match coverages, this team was especially astute and well coached. I witnessed their defenders take consistent back pedals, read the quarterbacks eyes, and bail when his shoulder opened up. Lastly, that same defense did an impeccable job of maintaining leverages and funneling routes to help and vice situations.</p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">4th Quarter Elite was the team with the most...</h2>
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<p><strong>Surprise</strong>. When they stepped on the field, they did not roster neither the biggest, fastest, strongest, or most physically impressive prospects on the field; however, make no mistake about it - this team can ball. Taking what the defense gave them and selective in when they took shots, 4th Quarter Elite figures to be a steady hand and contending force in tomorrow's playoffs.</p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ghosts was the team with the most...</h2>
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<p><strong>Chip on their shoulders</strong>. Initially I had wrote down that they had the most untapped potential. As the day wore on, I later wrote that they were the most chippiest. As the competition grew more intense and the trash-talk mounted, that untapped potential became realized as this Philly-based squad. I witnessed a team get angry, have enough, and prove how dominant a force they can be.</p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Nxt Era Panthers was the team with the most...</h2>
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<p><strong>Methodological approach</strong>. Despite a fury of drama, trash talking, and everything in between aimed at them, Nxt Era Panthers remained at a higher level of zen as the pressure and stakes became higher. I watched them in such a methodological way, march down the field with little-to-no resistance, and come up with key defensive stops as needed.</p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Punishers was the team with the most...</h2>
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<p><strong>Dominance</strong>. Although I lost count after the second game as I had to watch other teams, Punishers were dominating opponents, having only allowed 3 point on an interception through their first two games.With wide margin of victories, they are in outstanding position to be the #1 seed heading into tomorrow.</p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CT Pride was the team with the most...</h2>
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<p><strong>Combustibility</strong>. This team had coaches arguing with referees, coaches arguing with opposing coaches, coaches and players arguing, and even featured parents on the sideline getting in the mix too. Sprinkled in between all that were a few victories and some explosive plays. Boom or bust seemed to be the identity for this team. </p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Garden State Gridiron U18 Coverage</h2>
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<p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/04/garden-state-gridiron-u18-teams-that-were-the-most">Garden State Gridiron: U18 Teams That Were The Most...</a></p>
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Despite my strong distain for 7on7, its impact on the sport of football, the culture it is cultivating, and all that surrounds or comes with it, I covered my first 7on7 this weekend on Saturday, April 18, 2026. Prep Redzone produced the Garden State Gridiron tournament, a two-day championship event, hosted at Elizabeth Public School's William's Field and the city's downtown Todd Bowles Stadium. Day 1 of this event was a 10-hour nonstop, gauntlet of a marathon, with games every half-hour, on the half-hour. Nearly 35 U18 teams from as far as Western New York, Maryland, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Long Island, as well as local teams alike, fiercely competed against everyone - their competition, the referees, event staff, coaches, spectators, security, and even internally amongst themselves - as nobody was safe.
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