Anderson falls to DeSoto in state 7-on-7 title game, looks to make some noise in 5A this fall

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Watch out for the Anderson Trojans on the gridiron this fall.

With the move down a class to 5A coming up, the Trojans' playmakers were on full display at the Texas 7-on-7 championships as they stormed to the Division I championship game. They ran into the DeSoto buzzsaw and lost 38-20 in the finals, but the Trojans certainly raised some eyebrows around the tournament.

The Max Gerlich to Ed Small combination will be a big one once teams are in full pads Labor Day weekend when the season opens, and it helped lead the Trojans to the passing league finals. Small was named the tournament's offensive MVP and a first-team 7-on-7 all-state wide receiver while Gerlich, who's committed to UTSA, was named a second-team all-state quarterback.

Anderson ran through the championship bracket with wins over College Park 19-7, Cy Falls 27-12, The Woodlands 19-12 and Colleyville 28-21 to meet DeSoto. The Eagles won their second 7-on-7 title in the past three years with the win over the Trojans.

Small is a multi-sport star and originally committed to the Texas Longhorns to play baseball, but he's since changed his mind and wants to focus on football, offering a verbal commitment to TCU. He said he's not playing any baseball as he prepares for his senior season and future with the Horned Frogs.

"They were the first ones who believed in me," Small said of the TCU coaching staff. "They were first to offer and they stayed in constant contact." Small said he intends to graduate halfway through the 2024-25 school year to enroll early at TCU to participate in spring football.

Small said his passion for football outweighed what he felt for baseball and TCU "felt like the best fit." In the past two seasons, Small has racked up 2,237 receiving yards with 34 touchdowns on 136 receptions.

The Trojans won't have to worry about playing Westlake, Lake Travis or Dripping Springs, but they'll put some miles on in the new District 5A-12 as the only Austin school. They'll face stiff competition from both College Station high schools, Hendrickson and Weiss out of Pflugerville along with Buda Hays, Lockhart, Kyle Lehman and Bastrop Cedar Creek. Weiss lost in the quarterfinals 19-8 to Anna and College Station fell to DeSoto 25-6 in the second round of bracket play.

Small said he has a good feeling about this year's team in its third year under head coach Donald Hatcher.

"We have pretty much all our skills guys back and great pieces on the O-Line and D-Line," he said. "It's playoffs or bust this year."