Chandler Day leads Houston football to 7-on-7 title, talks of Tennessee baseball interest

"All we do is win, in case you didn't know."

Those were the words of Houston High School football offensive coordinator Ronnie Thompson after his team put away Melrose to win the inaugural River City Invitational 7-on-7 tournament Saturday afternoon at St. George's.

The tournament featured 10 Memphis-area teams, including 2023 Class 5A state semifinalist Southwind and a new-look Melrose team led by Germantown transfer and Missouri commit Jamarion Morrow.

Despite the stiff competition, Houston, the reigning Class 6A state champion, picked up where it left off as many of last season's stars return with the goal of winning another ring.

Two-sport athlete Chandler Day was the quarterback, poised in the pocket and hardly missing a pass. The senior left-hander methodically picked out receivers Derrick Miller and Ladeadrick James, who each found the end zone several times on deep balls.

While the 2023 Commercial Appeal All-Metro second-team player said he'll play baseball long term, he's focused on continuing to build chemistry with his offense and winning another football championship.

"We had chemistry before last season but getting time in the offseason to work and do things one-on-one has really helped us a lot," Day said.

On the baseball recruiting front, Day, a pitcher, told The Commercial Appeal that he's recently received interest from several SEC schools, including Tennessee, LSU and Mississippi State.

Day isn't rushing into a decision, though. He said he likely won't make a college choice until late this fall or in the winter.

Other River City Invitational 7-on-7 standouts

The Southwind Jaguars return a team heavy on juniors, although it took a hit in the receiver room. One of the juniors is quarterback Kelvin Perkins, 2023's Tennessee Titans Class 5A Mr. Football.

Perkins had a successful day as Southwind found the end zone early and often thanks to his arm. The Jaguars fell to Houston just before the championship game.

Melrose is sure to be one of the most intriguing teams in Memphis this season, led by twin brothers and Melrose graduates Jarrett and Gerald Morrow.

Jamarion Morrow, who was named to the 2023 Commercial Appeal All-Metro second team, was a key part of Germantown's 12-1 team last season. Saturday was the first time that other competition across the city got to see the four-star athlete in his new colors and it caught eyes.

Touchdowns, one-handed catches, interceptions and broken ankles were all on display. Fellow Germantown transfer Jaden Jones was also productive at receiver, catching passes from sophomore quarterback Tavarco Jackson, who showed flashes of good play throughout the afternoon.

Wendell Shepherd Jr. is the high school sports beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Wendell at wendell.shepherd@commercialappeal.com. Follow Wendell on X, formerly known as Twitter, @wendellsjr_.