Shutout loss in semifinals ends Parkway North's best season
“Losing stinks.”
That was an appropriate theme for the post-game lecture that Coach Bob Bunton delivered to his Parkway North Vikings after their hopes of going to the state championship were ended. The Webster Groves Statesmen on Friday night delivered an ugly and brutal 29-0 loss to the Vikings in the Class 5 semifinal football game. The loss ended the Vikings' best season.
Combining an impenetrable defense that took advantage of turnover opportunities with a unique three-pronged quarterback attack, Webster Groves (13-0) thoroughly dominated the contest, scoring points on both offense and defense. From the beginning of the game, the Statesmen moved the ball effectively, using a combination of passing of three separate quarterbacks that seemed to rotate every couple of plays and the running abilities of Tae Scanlon. They scored on their very first drive with Derrick Dilworth throwing a 4-yard pass to Demetrius Robinson. Later, in the second quarter, after completing a towering 32-yard pass, quarterback Desi Brown ran the ball two yards into the end zone.
Meanwhile, fumbles and interceptions marred the only chances that quarterback Culver Plant and the rest of Parkway North's usually stellar offense had to score during the game. A safety in the third quarter effectively put the Vikings (11-2) down for the count.
This was followed by two more Webster Groves touchdowns; one on a 1-yard run from Marquis Clemmons that followed a 90-yard punt return by David Scanlon, and the other one on a fumble that linebacker Aaraon Daniels recovered and ran into the end zone.
As the final seconds of the game ticked down, ecstatic Webster Groves ran out on Parkway North's field to celebrate, causing Dillworth, one of the team's quarterbacks, to remark, “This is amazing. All year, we've had this crazy dream to make it to state, and now I'm part of it.”
Viewing this celebration caused much discontent among emotionally and physically battered Viking players, as they started to realize that their season was over.
“They're such a good team, and they've got so much talent," Viking Dominique Brown said. "I still feel like we could have taken 'em, but we got beat up front and made too many mistakes.”
Bunton also was quick to praise Webster Groves, the only team to beat the Vikings all year.
“They're athletic, they're solid in running, passing and defense," Bunton said. "We didn't control the line of scrimmage, and they came at us and suffocated us tonight.”
Still, Bunton indicated that he was very proud of his team's season, and their place in Parkway North history.
“I'll always remember this group of seniors, our first trip ever to the semifinals,” said Bunton, who turned and faced the spectators lingering in the bleachers. “And all the people that we've excited this year.”
The feelings of most of Parkway North's players were articulated by senior Trent Powell, who simply said “I don't know how I feel right now. The whole night just made me numb.”
