2023 Program Preview: Parkrose

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We are getting closer to the start of the high school football season in Oregon, which means it is time to look at the football programs around the state. Oregon high school football is in a fantastic place, and I could not be more excited to help educate our readers on the programs they will be watching on Friday nights. The team next up is Parkrose High School, home of the Broncos.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Parkrose Broncos are led by Coach Stephen Nesmith, who is heading into his second season as the head coach of the Parkrose Broncos. Last season was a rough first season for Coach Nesmith as the Broncos finished the year with an 0-9 record and obviously missed out on the state playoffs. However, Coach Nesmith is still enthusiastic about this upcoming season, saying, "Coming into the 2023 season the goal was to change our mindset and develop winning habits." </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The saying around the Parkrose locker room is, "Rebuild to Reload." Coach Nesmith explained that the phrase means, "Our goal this year is to build for the future by winning now..." Coach Nesmith is also excited about developing their younger plays with a junior varsity team, something they did not have last season. It sounds like Coach Nesmith is looking for signs of improvement this year, as a goal of making the playoffs for a squad that went 0-9 last season may be out of reach, but you never know.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Parkrose had no players rewarded with All-League honors last season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coach Nesmith is excited about many of his players, both upperclassmen and underclassmen. Here are the players Coach Nesmith expects to be his top players:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Dion Wright","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2410","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Parkrose","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Dion is the first player Coach Nesmith mentioned, as he will be the top player on the depth chart at both wide receiver and cornerback. Coach Nesmith had this to say about his star player, u0022Dion Wright will be the guy we rely on when the lights come on, on both sides of the ball. Dion has Division 1 size and ability, and it's only his second year playing football.u0022 I will keep tabs on Dion this year as a potential breakout player.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"Mathias Shea","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Parkrose","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Mathias is an impressive player, and Coach Nesmith is impressed with his work ethic. Coach Nesmith said, u0022Mathias Shea had the best off-season on the team. He added 15 pounds of muscle and will be the anchor for the defense and team.u0022 Mathias currently has an offer from Pacific University (Division III).","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["511312"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Another player Coach Nesmith will rely on this year is [player_tooltip player_id='511312' first='Jelani' last='Scott']. Jelani is listed as the team running back, but Coach Nesmith thinks of him as more of an athlete who can do many different things on the field. I look forward to watching Jelani play this season.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["914315"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Corinthian is a player that Coach Nesmith loves and is excited to have in his program. Coach Nesmith had this to say about his impressive sophomore, u0022[player_tooltip player_id='914315' first='Corinthian' last='Littleton'] will be a sophomore and started nine games as a freshman. Littleton has had an impressive off-season showing out at camps and getting Division 1 coaches' attention (Nevada, Oregon State). He will be the opposite of Dion Wright which will cause mismatches because you can't double them both. Corinthian is a player to keep tabs on for the class of 2026.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Kenji Johnson","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"2409","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Parkrose","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Parkrose's quarterback this season will be Kenji Johnson. Kenji has a nice size for a high school quarterback and will look to improve on a rough season last year. Kenji must be on his A-game if the Broncos have any hope of a playoff birth.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"Phillip Napaa","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"2405","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"Parkrose","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_5_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Coach Nesmith couldn't give me his top players without mentioning any big boys up front. He said Phillip, who they call Big Mac, is a player of importance. Phillip will need to be sharp this season so the talented, skilled players will have time and room to make something happen.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_6_player_details_player_name":"Kimball Napaa","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_6_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_6_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_6_player_details_position":"2405","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_6_player_details_school":"Parkrose","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_6_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_6_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Up next is Kimball, who I can only assume is Phillip's (or Big Mac's) little brother. He plays offensive tackle for the Broncos and has good size for a sophomore offensive lineman. I look forward to watching Kimball develop.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_7_player_details_player_name":"Austin Martinenko","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_7_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_7_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_7_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_7_player_details_school":"Parkrose","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_7_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_7_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_7_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"Up last is Austin, a linebacker who started last year as a freshman. Starting on a high school team as a freshman is extremely difficult, no matter which program you play for. I am excited to see if Austin can build off an impressive first year.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":8,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64c43c31c019f"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Parkrose Broncos have a lot of work to do to get back to where they were with former Head Coach Keanon Lowe, but it feels like they are excited about the process. Coach Nesmith is as enthusiastic as any coach I have talked to, and Parkrose fans should be excited for the future. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->