Warriors report to Mitchell

A quick glance at last year’s Western Albemarle varsity football roster and one thing stands out — a lone freshman amidst a sea of juniors and seniors.

But the fact that the freshman — Mitchell Parks — started just about every game last year at linebacker is what’s even more impressive.

This year, as a seasoned sophomore, Parks has embraced his leadership role and hopes to take the Warriors to the next level.

“He’s a really physical kid and very smart. Last year when he wasn’t hurt, he started every game at linebacker, so you know he’s a kid who really wants it,” said Western Albemarle coach Ed Pierce, whose team finished third last season in the Jefferson District. “He’s very physical and can defend the run or the pass. He’s got great closing speed and great field awareness — he sees plays develop very quickly. He’s just hungry to make plays.”

Parks, a 5-foot-8, 160-pound middle linebacker, said the experience he gained last year was invaluable.

“Last year I wasn’t as comfortable,” Parks said, “but now I’ve got a year under my belt and I’m ready to go — I’m more prepared for it.”

But after playing as an eighth-grader on the JV team, it was quite an adjustment to make.

“Speed is a big [difference on varsity] and the maturity levels of the guys on

the team,” Parks said. “I went from playing with guys my size to playing with 200-pounders with beards.”

But that didn’t stop him from making an impression on his coaches and teammates. According to Pierce, his actions on the field speak volumes. Last year, Parks racked up 52 tackles (19 solo) and had three interceptions and three blocked kicks.

“He leads more by example — he’s not a real vocal guy. But the kids see it doesn’t matter that you’re not an upperclassman — if you come out and play hard, you can get out there and make a difference,” Pierce said.

“They see that ‘I can get more out of what I’ve been given.’ He plays as close to his potential as anybody you’ll ever see.”

Although Parks plays on both sides of the ball (he is also a slot receiver), there’s no question which side he prefers.

“I want every team to walk off the field regretting they played us — we love to hit,” Parks said. “If you play against me, you know you’re going to get hit.”

Parks is hoping to help the Warriors bounce back from a 33-0 loss to Liberty-Bedford in their season-opener last week. Western Albemarle travels to Waynesboro, a team it beat 6-0 in the first game last year. The Warriors finished 5-5 in 2007.

“Last week was a good wakeup call for us. We played a very good team, but the defense never quit,” Parks said. “I think we will have that in the back of our head this week, but Waynesboro’s on our mind. Our plan is to hold them to less offense than last year —last year they got 44 yards of total offense on us.”

When you think of parks, you think of the beauty of nature, a serene setting, and the sound of youngsters playing. When you think of Parks, only one of the characteristics changes – you see the beauty of his game, and a frenetic setting, but still it is youngsters playing.

“He does everything at full speed,” Pierce said. “He’s one of those kids who make the people around him better — they just feed off his intensity.”

The Warriors, with Parks’ help, look to regroup for the rest of the season.