Returning to the 7-on-7 Division II state tournament after a one-year absence, the Brownwood Lions will face Kilgore, Bay City and Austin LBJ in Pool A action Thursday at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex in College Station.

Kilgore finished with a 13-3 mark in 2024 and played for the 4A Division I state championship; Bay City posted a 12-2 record in 2024 and won District 15-4A Division I; and Austin LBJ finished with an 11-1 record in 2024 and won District 13-4A Division I.

All four teams from each pool will seeded after Thursday’s results and compete in Friday’s championship bracket, which is a single elimination tournament that begins at 8:45 a.m. Brownwood will face Bay City at 10:45 a.m. Thursday, Austin LBJ at 12:15 p.m. Thursday, and Kilgore at 1:45 p.m. Thursday in its pool play games.

The Lions qualified for state at the 7-on-7 Division II qualifier at Jim Ned on June 7, defeating Shallowater in the final, 20-14. In qualifying tournaments this summer, Brownwood posted a 4-3 overall record.

The rest of the Division II pools are as follows:

• Pool B – Little River-Academy, Hamshire-Fannett, Kingsville, and Lamesa
• Pool C – China Spring, Cuero, Dumas, and Paris
• Pool D – Benbrook, Hardin-Jefferson, Port Isabel, and West
• Pool E – Tyler Chapel Hill, Columbia, Jarrell, and Midland Christian
• Pool F – Graham, Hitchcock, Waco La Vega, and Van Alstyne
• Pool G – Lake Dallas, La Marque, Manor New Tech, and Stephenville
• Pool H – Lorena, Mineral Wells, Frisco Panther Creek, and Somerset

In the Division III draw, local teams include Goldthwaite competing in Pool C along with Ganado, Hale Center, and Trinity. Battling in Pool D are Brady, Haskell, Kennedy and Rio Vista. Pool E features De Leon, Gunter, Iraan and Natalia and Pool F consists of Hamilton, Agua Dulce, Coahoma and Tioga.