Team Copper 18U Turns Heads at Prep RedZone Duel in the DMV

MARYLAND — In their first tournament of the season, Team Copper 18U National Team made an immediate impression at the Prep RedZone Duel in the DMV, finishing 4-1 and earning high praise from event organizers and scouts throughout the weekend.

Pool Play: 3-0 Statement

On Saturday, TC18U opened pool play with a commanding 22-6 victory over AITfam West Pink, showcasing a balanced attack and aggressive defense. They followed it up with a tight 12-11 win over Nova Nightmares, before closing the day strong with a 21-12 win against AA Elite, finishing undefeated in pool play and securing a first-round bye in Sunday’s bracket competition.

Bracket Play: One Possession from the Final

Team Copper opened bracket play Sunday with a 17-11 win over Virginia Longhorns VL. In the next round, they faced 3rd & Ten in a game that went down to the wire. TC18U trailed by one point with two minutes remaining before surrendering a late touchdown with five seconds left, falling 24-16. 3rd & Ten went on to win the entire tournament.

“We competed our butts off,” said defensive coordinator Jamiyan Phillips. “If we clean up our mistakes, we win that tournament. It was a great first showing.”

Buzz-Worthy Performance from Cabell

Quarterback Samari Cabell (DH Conley) drew immediate attention, earning a shoutout from Vic Castillo of Prep RedZone, who tweeted:

“He was throwing with power and precision for the majority of the outing. He and his teammates had the event buzzing.” Cabell was named one of the top performers of the event.

Offensive Standouts

Selected by the coaches, the following players stood out offensively:

-Samari Cabell (DH Conley)

-Tyler Jones (Kinston High)

-Tyreek Copper (Kinston High)

-Brennan Chambers (Spring Creek)

-Shamah Cabell (DH Conley)

-Ethan Wilson (North Pitt)

“The offense performed well overall this tournament,” said offensive coach Ben Harris. “Some lapses in focus did harm us, but we looked like a well-oiled machine most drives.”

Defense Sets the Tone

Coach Jamiyan Phillips highlighted his unit’s energy and execution.

“Defense played very fast and excelled in man-to-man situations,” Phillips said. “We won the majority of 50/50 balls.” Key defensive standouts included:

-Greg Ransome (Greenville Rose) – “Consistently shut down his side of the field each day. 2 interceptions.”

-Justin Gooding (Kinston High) – “Played very good in man coverage. Only allowing one completion all weekend.”

-Ezra Meachem (South Central) – “Very consistent safety play. Was not targeted against much due to great coverage.”

-Keivious Bridgers (Tarboro) – “Played aggressive and set the tone at the line of scrimmage.”

Strong Start to the Season

With a 4-1 record, an undefeated pool play performance, and praise from tournament organizers, Team Copper 18U left Maryland with momentum and confidence heading into the rest of the 7-on-7 season.

“They said we were the best team out there,” Phillips said. “Our whole team had the event buzzing.”