Last season the Parma Redmen stood at 4-1 following a memorable week five win over Elyria Catholic. They had their sights set on the postseason, but then just like that the team was decimated by injuries in a nightmare game against Rocky River.
“We were in it with just a few weeks to go,” Redmen coach Bruce Saban recalled. “Then we were battling against Rocky River and lost seven defensive starters in a half…I’ve never seen anything like it.
The River loss hurt Parma’s chances to take home the Great Lakes Conference, and they wrapped up the season losing four of their last five going 5-5 overall.
The injuries played a huge part as to why the Redmen were not able to finish off what they started last season.
“We got a few of the kids back but lost three of them to season ending injuries,” Saban said. “We battled with Holy Name (the eventual Great Lakes Conference Champions) and lost 7-0 in a rain storm, and we lost to Bay Village 14-13. We went for two at the end of that game, and didn’t get it.
“That’s how close we were to being 6-4, or even 7-3.”
Parma has built under Saban a solid core of players, and while they are ready to turn the page to 2017, the coach knows just how close they were in 2016.
“The fight was there, never at one point last year did I think we stopped fighting, and while we ended up 5-5, we were whiskers away from making it in and competing for a championship,” Saban said.
Looking at this program in 2017, the Redmen will have a number of returning players who will have a big impact on how the Great Lakes Conference plays out.
The team does have some players they have to replace, including quarterback Kyle Lyon, and Collin Leyden, who was the team’s biggest playmaker on defense.
“We have a real good mix of juniors and seniors,” Saban said. “We are still trying to figure out what we are going to do at quarterback, we are replacing that position, and our free safety who was our defensive MVP last year we are replacing that as well.”
Winning three of their first four last season showed that a quick start doesn’t mean season success for Parma, but with an opener against Lincoln-West, followed by two more games at Byers Field against North Royalton and John Marshall, the Redemen could sit at 3-0 as they enter conference play at Bay on September 15th.
Saban feels that this year’s version of the Redmen could be even more dangerous as much as they have done on their own this offseason.
“Our kids are football junkies, they do a lot of stuff on their own, which as a coach you have to love that,” Saban said. “Depth is an issue, if we can stay healthy I do like our chances a lot, but we have to stay healthy.”
Two players on this years’ Parma squad to watch for is Mark Post, a player who can play at a number of positions, including quarterback, tight end and running back.
6-foot-5 wide out Dylan Herb is another player to keep an eye on, coming off a campaign in 2016 where he pulled in over 40 passes.
“We have a lot of kids coming back on defense but we need to see who can fill in there, and I think we are going to be more athletic than last year, we have a lot of receivers that can play,” Saban said.
Holy Name, Bay and Rocky River are three teams that the Redmen were looking up at when the GLC ended last year, but Saban feels that the conference will again be close in 2017.
“I think it’s pretty even,” Saban said. “I think the conference numbers are pretty similar to last year and I think it’s pretty wide open as of now. I think it’s pretty even.”
2017 Schedule
8/24 7:00p Lincoln West (Cleveland, OH)
Location: Parma High School
9/1 7:00p North Royalton (North Royalton, OH)
Location: Parma High School
9/7 7:00p John Marshall (Cleveland, OH)
Location: Parma High School
9/15 7:00p @ Bay (Bay Village, OH)
Location: Bay High School
9/22 7:00p Normandy (Parma, OH)
Location: Parma High School
9/29 7:00p @ Elyria Catholic (Elyria, OH)
Location: Elyria Catholic High School
10/6 7:00p University School (Hunting Valley, OH)
Location: Parma High School
10/13 7:00p @ Valley Forge (Parma Heights, OH)
Location: Valley Forge High School
10/20 7:00p @ Rocky River (Rocky River, OH)
Location: Rocky River High School
10/27 7:00p Holy Name (Parma Heights, OH)
Location: Parma High School
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