Supreme Excel Proving It Belongs

The plan was put into place two years ago.

A group of elite football players from Massachusetts – based out of Excel Sports Academy – would link up with a group of elite players from Connecticut – based out of Supreme Athlete – to form a sort of Super Team.

Together, they would travel to 7-on-7 tournaments to prove they could compete against the best players from anywhere in the country.

When COVID-19 hit last spring, the plans for the 2020 season were brought to a sudden halt.

But it proved to be a mere postponement and not a cancellation as Supreme Excel is back on track.

With Bill Watson representing Excel Sports Academy and Stack Williams representing Supreme Athlete, the partnership has made everybody better.

“I don't even know if I can put it into words how big that connection has been because it's just made us more competitive as a whole,” says Watson. “It's brought more elite-type kids into the fold and it's allowed everybody to compete. What do they say, 'Iron Sharpens Iron'? That's what's been happening.

“Everybody wants to be better than whoever's around them. That's been the bar. The bar has been kids that are going to big-time Division-I schools. Kids are coming in eighth, ninth grade saying, 'I want to be better than him.' They have a visual of it. They have a blueprint and it's trickled down to everyone from both states. Stack brings a lot to the table. He's an important piece and we appreciate him greatly.”

In the span of a month, Supreme Excel has gone to Delaware and New Jersey to compete in Pylon 7-on-7 events and won both. Supreme Excel actually has two teams and they both made the semifinals of the New Jersey event before having to face each other.

“So, we actually had two of the top four teams down there,” Watson says. “It was a good tournament. Our kids played well, played against some good talent.

“To be honest with you, after having time to think about it, we took some good players, lined up some kids across from them and our kids dominated some of those guys. And those kids have 10 times the offers that some of our kids have. But we got out there and our kids lined up and dominated. Not just once or a couple of times, but dominated some good players.”

2023 Massachusetts quarterback Pop Watson‍ earned MVP honors. Watson has early offers from schools like Michigan, Oregon and Tennessee among others.

“Pop's had two great tournaments,” says Watson, who is Pop’s father and offensive coordinator at Springfield Central High School.

2024 Massachusetts quarterback Ryan Puglisi‍, of Lawrence Academy, has been sharing time with Watson at the position.

“He's been very productive as well,” Watson says of Puglisi. “He's doing real good. He has a real strong arm. He's been making his reads. He's getting better and better every week as far as the speed of his reads. I tell him we should never take a sack in 7-on-7. He's been doing a good job, trying to get the ball out of his hand.

“I think he's going to be a Power 5 kid when it's all said and done.”

2022 Massachusetts wide receiver Joseph Griffin‍ has dominated both events. The 6-foot-4, 195-pounder committed to Boston College back in the fall, but performances like these are certain to raise his profile.

“He's an elite kid,” Watson says of Griffin, who also plays at Central.

“He dominated, especially in the championship game against NLG. He was unguardable. There was nobody out there that can do anything with him one-on-one.”

Pop Watson and Griffin will finally have the chance to strap the pads back on as high school football in the state of Massachusetts is set for a spring season. Lawrence Academy isn’t playing football this spring, but Puglisi will play baseball.