Smith impresses in the desert

contributed photo

Birmingham-Lake Balboa quarterback Trae Smith turned out to deliver the biggest stinger in a place known for some very sharp cactus's.

At the Antelope Valley Passing Tournament this past weekend, Smith helped lead his Birmingham 7-on-7 squad to not only eight victories, but even the final scoring touchdown over Sierra Canyon with just eight seconds left in that contest. The end result was a 26-22 victory in the title game for the passing tournament.

For the Patriots, this continues their impressive turnaround run. Birmingham endured back-to-back eight loss seasons before a change was made at quarterback, with the 6-foot-3, 190 pound Smith coming on board.

As for Smith, its sounding like he's picking up right where he left off from last year with his summer work. And if people think the summer passing leagues and running around in shorts and shirts aren't a big deal, know that Smith and the Patriots defeated a Sierra Canyon team that was undefeated last year, and has lost just six games since the 2008-2009 season.