While rain threatened the start of the Jubilee City 7-on-7 and Big Man Tournament at the Al Trione Sports Complex in Daphne Thursday morning, the sun broke the clouds and the stars showed out.

Local teams – Baldwin County, Daphne, Fairhope, Foley and St. Michael Catholic – battled other Alabamian squads, as well as a few from Florida, with the skill positions on the 7-on-7 fields and the linemen in the trenches at the Big Man Challenge.

"I thought the participation was great. We had a lot of teams that came out, and when you talk about it was raining and storming earlier this morning, you normally get a ton of calls saying they're not gonna make it," Daphne Trojans Head Coach Kenny King said. "But the guys showed up and the sun came out. I don't think anyone was expecting the sun to come out, but it's a pretty dang great day to play some football."

While the quarterbacks threw to receivers and running backs that were defended by linebackers and defensive backs across the seven 40-yard fields, the linemen competed on a side field in lifting, agility and physical contests to determine a winner.

"They want to go up against each other in the one-on-ones, but we wanted to do something for them to have some fun and to give these guys a little bit of time to get their 7-on-7 in prior to the tournament," King said. "So, we put together different events – clean and press, farmer's walk, tire flip; things like that – to, again, have them compete. Once they finish competing, we take lunch then and when they come back, we do the one-on-ones."

King, a former defensive lineman for Daphne in high school, the Alabama Crimson Tide in college and the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL, said he tried not to play favorites but had to follow his heart to see the big guys run through the obstacle course.

"I've bounced around myself, started out and worked a couple of games, but the atmosphere's been great. The guys have been competing," King said. "This is my passion over here with the big guys, so I had to come and slide the last 30 minutes and be over here with the big men and see them compete."

King said he was pleased with the Trojans' effort across the board at their host tournament.

"The Trojans have been doing good. Of course, we brought all of them; the varsity, JV and freshmen," King said. "It's summer. That's what summer's for, to get to compete with each other, and I'm just excited to see that Daphne and Daphne High School allow us to put this on and allow kids to come out here to compete."

The head coach said he's been in charge of the tournament all six years he's been at the helm of the Daphne program, but the city has been hosting the 7-on-7 tournament for many years prior.

It was the second high school football event hosted in Daphne in as many days after the Baldwin County Media Day was held in Trojan Hall at Daphne High School Wednesday morning – coverage of which can also be found here in the sports section – where head coaches and players previewed the upcoming season.