HS FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Head Coach: Matt Littleton (1st Year)

2022 Record: 1-9 overall 1-4 in league (5th place)

Last 5 Years: 10-37

2022 Total Offense: 340.9 yards per game

2022 Total Defense: 479.3 opp yards per game

2022 Points Per Game: 13.1

2022 Opp Points Per Game: 39.1

Players to watch:

Tevin Stokes - QB Seth Olsen - T, DE Frankie Alvarado - WR Brett Haile - DE, T

First year coach, Matt Littleton, takes over a program eager to prove itself following a disappointing 2022 season that saw only one victory. And already the upward swing is evident this summer with an influx of new athletes joining the program.

Coach Littleton will implement his new offense with Tevin Stokes returning at quarterback. The sophomore had some growing pains last year but looks to rely on Seth Olsen and the line to give him time to operate. He'll have a big target to throw to in Frankie Alvarado, who stands at 6'4.

One key Littleton points to this season will be the in-game adjustments they will make. The coaching staff believe they have the athletes and field savvy to outthink and outmaneuver their opponents.

The Wolverines bring a very young team into this season, but coach Littleton expects to surprise some people this year.

Head Coach: Monte Thelan (8th Year)

2022 Record: 7-5 overall 3-2 in league (3rd place)

Last 5 Years: 39-17

2022 Total Offense: 411.1 yards per game

2022 Total Defense: 408.1 opp yards per game

2022 Points Per Game: 28.8

2022 Opp Points Per Game: 24.1

Players to watch: Logan White - T,G

Alex Martinez - RB

Nick Farley - QB

Jaden Lawrence - RB, WR

Brian Doyle - WR

Nate Sandy - LB, TE

Brody Shuss - FS

Head Coach: Jaron Cohen (10th Year)

2022 Record: 9-3 overall 3-1 in league (2nd place)

Last 5 Years: 40-16

2022 Total Offense: 412 yards per game

2022 Total Defense: 348.8 opp yards per game

2022 Points Per Game: 34.6

2022 Opp Points Per Game: 19.8

Players to watch:

Max Mervin - WR

Sean Davis - RB

Carson Keach - WR, S

Dylan Karsteter - WR

Blake Branham - LB

Westen Hoffschneider - DE

CJ Bille - DB

After a 3-0 start to begin the 2022 year, the Titans went 4-5 the rest of the way to finish with their worst record since the 2018 season. The Titans come into 2023 looking to return as a mainstay in the contender discussion.

Coach Thelen will need to replace graduated quarterback Brookhart who threw for over 1300 yards and 19 touchdowns last year. Look for Junior Nick Farley to take the reins of the offense. Farley will have the luxury of being protected by Logan White on the offensive line who returns after a standout junior season.

The Titans have plenty of firepower coming back as well. Alex Martinez anchors a stable of young and promising running backs, as well as joins a talented wide reciever group that will look to Brian Doyle and Jaden Lawrence to post big numbers.

Defensively, the young Titans will look to build on last year's success with most of the statistical leaders returning.

Coach Cohen looks to once again reload, rather than rebuild, entering the 2023 season. Following a successful 2022 campaign, which included wins over both crosstown rivals, the Mustangs have talent returning all over the field.

Speed will be on display this year, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Cohen expects the team speed and experience to help the Mustangs improve on an impressive mark of holding opponents to under 20 points per game.

On offense the wide receiver group will produce some headline plays this year. Led by do-everything junior Max Mervin, the wide outs will be a headache for defensive coordinators all year long.

The offensive line will replace virtually everyone for a very young squad. The season could be made or broken by their play, as well as finding a new quarterback. If the Mustangs have to go to Mervin as their signal caller, they will look for ways to keep the ball in his hands.

Parker's original community center owes its beginnings to basketball.

The Schoolhouse Building on Mainstreet was built in 1915 and originally housed grades one to 12. High schoolers attended the Mainstreet location from 1915 until 1958 when the school was closed. Parker area students began attending Douglas County High School with students from Castle Rock until Ponderosa High School was dedicated in 1983. In the 1940s, Parker High School had a great basketball team and were hopeful of the state championship. The gym in the old schoolhouse was small and some of Parker’s opponents thought it was unsafe. They threatened to kick Parker out of the league. The gym was decertified, and Parker High School did not have a venue to play basketball. The community pulled together to build a new location for school sports and events. The Quonset hut style building was built in 1950 by the community. People in the community contributed money, time, and materials to make the idea a reality. Thankful for a community center to serve the school and town events, the town celebrated on Thanksgiving, 1951, with women from the community providing 15 turkeys along with all the traditional accompaniments. It was a Thanksgiving to remember.

Old timers who attended the historic schoolhouse remember walking to the Quonset hut each day for lunch while the school lunchroom was being remodeled. On the Parker Area Historical Society Facebook page, townspeople shared memories of square dancing, craft shows, haunted houses, community classes, wedding receptions, 4H clubs, and even the beginnings of the Parker Task force tied to this building. Box social memories were shared where women provided a box lunch, and their lunch was auctioned off for a donation. It served as a roller-skating rink for many years and one man recalled riding his horse to the building to roller skate. For a time, there were monthly dances held every second Saturday in the community center. In the mid 90s, youth sports teams played at the Quonset hut and teen nights were held there. The Parker Police Department was also housed in the building at one point.

Eventually, the center was seldom used and fell into disrepair. There were plans to turn it into an ice rink, but it would not be big enough for the official NHL rink size. In 2003, the Town Council made the decision to tear down the building. It was one of Colorado’s largest wood structures at the time, according to a Parker Chronicle article on May 1, 2003. The gazebo and surrounding landscape now stand in the location of the old community center in O’Brien Park.