Lindbergh Wins Pool In Huge 'Touch' Football Tournament

A 7-on-7 football tournament is the perfect opportunity to showcase quarterbacks.

Lindbergh’s QB Peter Simpson was one of those on display this weekend in Creve Coeur, at DeSmet Jesuit High School.

St. Louis Metropolitan Football Coaches Association held its inaugural 7-on-7 tourney with 23 teams from Missouri and Illinois participating.

Simpson, and other top area quarterbacks like Gateway Tech’s Paul Rice, Ladue’s Brandon Carr, DeSmet’s Conner Harrison, Fort Zumwalt West’s Drew Hare and Dalton Demos of Christian Brothers College all aired it out without having to worry about getting hit by an oncoming rush.

The "7-on-7" describes a football game with seven-member teams, two-hand touch tackles, no pads or helmets—and no rushing attempts.

“The biggest thing is that the quarterbacks get work,” De Smet coach Pat Mahoney said.

Picking up a similar event held at Columbia high schools Hickman and Rock Bridge, Mahoney said using his school made sense because of its location and facilities.

“Everybody runs 7s, but the difference-maker is that they’re not as competitive,” Mahoney said. “Here you’ve got a lot of teams; you’ve got people you’re going to see later in the year, so the competition level rises. Now you get a little more game situations and get to do some coaching on the field.”

Lindbergh Flyers won their pool, defeating Ladue, Belleville West and Lutheran North. That got them into the eight-team Gold Division, with the other five pool winners and at-large teams Zumwalt West and Maplewood-Richmond Heights. Lindbergh beat Columbia Hickman in the first round before falling to West in the semifinals.

“It’s nice to win your pool, but we’re not playing to the level we want to play at yet,” Lindbergh coach Tom Beauchamp said. “But that’s what this is all about, to get better.”

The Flyers only return “about 30 percent” of last year’s varsity squad, but do bring back senior quarterback Peter Simpson, who threw for more than 2,200 yards and 19 touchdowns last year. With new receivers to throw to, getting the timing down before they open training camp in August is vital.

“It helps with the speed and getting used to the game and what they’re going to see,” Beauchamp said. “There are some adjustments you have to make at varsity that you don’t necessarily see at JV or freshmen.”

Behind Simpson will be the senior-sophomore tandem of Grant Krueger and younger brother Garrett. Beauchamp’s own son, Blake, is also back with the Kruegers at linebacker. Blake Beauchamp also “scored several times” to make Dad proud.

“As a dad, he did well,” Tom Beauchamp said, “but as a coach, he’s got to get better.”

Zumwalt West was the overall champion, defeating Gateway Tech in the Gold Division title game. Gateway beat West in pool play in a 47-45 shootout. Ladue beat Alton 26-14 for the Silver Division title and Cardinal Ritter defeated Belleville West 27-14 to win the Bronze Division.