816 Elite: Kansas City’s New Big-Time 7v7 Team
By Wesley White
816 Elite Ushers in a New Era of Elite 7v7 Football
Liberty North High School wide receivers coach Drew Malone has officially opened the floodgates for elite talent in the Liberty, Missouri area and across greater Kansas City with the launch of 816 Elite, a new 7v7 program poised to make noise across the Midwest.
Liberty North Football has long been one of Missouri’s premier high school programs, consistently competing for state championships year after year. Coach Malone now brings that same championship mindset, structure, and standard of excellence to the 7v7 circuit as 816 Elite prepares for its inaugural spring season.
Following a highly successful tryout on December 20, Coach Malone invited DRSportz and The Platform to attend the second session on December 21, where the talent level on display made it clear that 816 Elite will be a force to watch.
Team Leadership
Leading the charge for 816 Elite this season is 2027 Liberty North quarterback Brennan Smith (@BrennanSmi2027).
The 5’11”, 175-pound signal caller was the starting quarterback for Liberty North High School last season and showcased a high-level understanding of the offense, strong decision-making, and excellent ball placement throughout the tryout sessions.
Talent Across the Board
816 Elite will feature an explosive group of playmakers on offense and lockdown defenders on the other side of the ball. Standout performers from the tryout included:
2027 Krishna Kashyap-Strozier (@KrishnaStrozier) – Liberty North HS
2028 Kohen Brown (@BrownKohen55067) – East Buchanan HS
2026 Brandon “BJ” Stanford (@BJStanford26) – Lincoln Prep
2028 Mikai Williams (@mikaiwilliams_3) – Liberty North HS
2027 Antheny Sherfe (@anthenysherfe) – Liberty North HS
2027 Boston Rahmaan Burns II (@burns_boston) – Oak Park HS
(National Honors Society Academic All-Star)2028 Makhi “Khi” Robinson-Akins (@Makhi2028) – Liberty North HS
15U Team Standouts
Also making a strong impression at the 15U level were:
Jayden Gordon
William Brown
2029 QB Landon Denison
With elite coaching, proven leadership, and a deep pool of young talent, 816 Elite is set to make an immediate impact on the Midwest 7v7 scene. This is a program built to compete—and built to win.