Team Preview: Parkway North

Over the past decade, a new offensive scheme has dominated high school football. Utilizing pre-snap motion, isolating defenders, and challenging defensive principles is the name of the game for Parkway North’s head coach Karl Odenwald. This scheme has become more dominant for the Vikings in recent years, and now that this is the year that I predict the Vikings’ offense to break out in a big way. In order to maximize this scheme, you will need a smart and athletic quarterback. Parkway North believes they have met that criteria with [player_tooltip player_id="37693" first="Quaran" last="Williams"]. Williams is entering his junior year coming off a strong rushing campaign in the 2020-21 shortened season. Williams rushed for 442 yards on 8.2 yards per carry, and six rushing touchdowns. Williams is poised for a breakout season as his snaps were effective as a sophomore and is likely to gain confidence and skill with his increased role this fall. The next most important role for this offensive scheme is their running back. Entering this season, the lead back is expected to be [player_tooltip player_id="126233" first="Zyan" last="Royal"]. Royal is entering his sophomore season and has a lot of upside as a running back. Both Royal and Williams will see a lot of touches on the offensive end but are expected to play some defensive back as well. This scheme can rely on talented skill positions, but it is not going to be easy to succeed without dominant offensive linemen. Parkway North will have returning starters [player_tooltip player_id="172108" first="Will" last="Meyer"] and [player_tooltip player_id="172109" first="Jowe" last="Guerrero"] back on the offensive and defensive Lines, and are going to make the young quarterback and running back’s lives a lot easier. Guerrero and Meyer will both be entering their senior seasons, and are expected to play key roles on both sides of the ball. Guerrero is coming off of a strong performance in the shortened 2020-21 season. He recorded 20 total tackles, including three sacks. Meyer held his own as well, recording 16 total tackles and a sack. The Parkway North Vikings have always been a tough team to play against, especially at home. Their offense is built for success in the postseason, and has always shown significant growth throughout Odenwald’s tenure. It will be interesting to see how Royal can develop as a lead back, as he did not get many carries as a freshman in the shortened 2020-21 season. Making the jump from junior high football to varsity can be a tough task, but the experienced offensive line will really help Zyan feel comfortable in this scheme. The other player to look out for is Williams. He was an explosive ball carrier in the shortened 2020-21 season but has not proven to be a consistent thrower yet. I am excited to see what Coach Odenwald has in store this season for the passing game because they will get opportunities to throw the ball due to their dominant rushing attack. All in all, I believe that the Parkway North Vikings are a fun team that has the potential to break out in the 2021-22 season. Their Offense will get open looks and touches for their best playmakers, as well as give defensive coordinators nightmares when they have to prepare for the Vikings’ attack. I look forward to a potential playoff run from Coach Odenwald and the Parkway North Vikings.