Team Preview: Parkway West

There are a lot of talented teams in the St. Louis Area entering the 2021 season, but a team that I have extremely high expectations for is Parkway West. Led by head coach Jeff Duncan, the Longhorns look to make some noise with a deep playoff run this year. When focusing on Parkway West, it is no secret that they are led by senior [<strong>player_tooltip player_id="37542" first="Ja’Marion" last="Wayne"]</strong>. Wayne is one of the most underrated athletes in the entire country. He has accumulated plenty of stats over his four-year varsity career, but has shown significant growth since the 2019 season. Wayne is expected to record snaps at wide receiver, running back, quarterback and free safety in this upcoming season, and I would not be surprised if he returned kicks again this year. Wayne has committed to the University of Missouri as an athlete, and is currently ranked as the 174th best player in the country according to ESPN 300. Another key fixture of the Longhorn offense is running back <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="172192" first="Tyree" last="Simms"]</strong>. Simms averaged 6.9 yards per carry in 2019, as a sophomore, recording 682 total yards from scrimmage and seven scores. Simms has shown flashes of dominance in his high school career, and as he enters his senior season, he is poised for a breakout. Simms is not only a force on the offensive side, but in 2019, he recorded 61 total tackles and four sacks as a linebacker. Keep in mind, that Simms recorded these stats as a sophomore, and will be even more dominant in his senior season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="172194" first="Trey" last="Bell"]</strong> will be another contributing senior in the 2021 season for the Longhorns. Bell is a wide receiver and a defensive back. Bell is a ballhawking player in the secondary, recording three interceptions in the shortened 2020 season including a pick six. Bell will also contribute on the offensive side of the ball this season, and will be a threat on the opposite side of Wayne all season. Dominance on the offensive line has become a staple for Parkway West over the past few years, and the linemen will be led by junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="172197" first="Parker" last="Cummins"]</strong>. Cummins showed a lot of signs of a breakout in the shortened 2020 season, where he started at linebacker and recorded 33 total tackles and four sacks. Cummins is expected for a strong junior season and is a player to keep an eye on. All in all, the Longhorns have dominant skill positions and make a strong case to win a conference championship is they can stay healthy and on the field. Wayne is a generational talent, and I would even argue that being a four-star athlete is an understatement. Opposing teams will be required to focus all of their attention on Wayne, which will lead to a significant stride forward for Simms. Simms has all of the intangibles to be an excellent high school running back, and can expect plenty of opportunities for success when there are as talented of wide receivers on the outside as Wayne and Bell. I am excited to see how the coaching staff will elect to use Wayne on a week-to-week basis. Wayne has been a strong presence at wide receiver over his illustrious career, but when I was coaching against him, the toughest thing to defend was when he lined up at running back, if not quarterback. I have a lot of respect for the Parkway West coaching staff, and expect a lot of creativity revolving around Wayne. If you have the opportunity to do so, you need to see Wayne play in person. He is a threat to score every time he touches the ball, and if Parkway West makes a run towards the state championship, it will be on the shoulders of Wayne.