Q&A with Ridge View football head coach Perry Parks...
PalmettoPreps: You guys began the season with a close loss to a good Sumter team but then got back on track. What’s been your assessment of the start thus far?
Parks: “If we beat Sumter, we’re right where we need to be, like last year, 4-0. That’s just a good loss for us because right then, that told those guys that this isn’t last year’s team. We have some good players, but we don’t have anybody that can just take the game over like we did last year. It kind of refocused us real quick. We finally got our running game going last week. Our junior quarterback has done well for us and our defense has been outstanding.”
PalmettoPreps: Individually, who are some of the guys that have stepped up and been leaders for you?
Parks: (Defensive lineman) Damion Daley, the last four games have proven he’s a Power 5 guy. He’s ben playing lights out football for us. It’s been impressive to watch him come along. We’ve got a safety, Jaheem Fordham, that’s been outstanding for us. Outside linebacker, Desmond Hammonds and then inside linebacker Trashad Jett who transferred from Sumter, those guys are playing big boy football. They’ve been the heartbeat of the team.”
PalmettoPreps: Tell me about your quarterback situation with your junior.
Parks: JaVon Anderson, he’s been getting better and better. He had a 300 yard game against Ninety Six then threw for 200 yards against a good Fairfield team last week. He’s kind of finding that stride he had when he led us to the playoffs. Bernard Porter, he’s put together back-to-back 100-yard receiving games. We’re excited getting into it.
PalmettoPreps: Tell me about some of the guys you’ve seen that you’ve played against that have impressed you.
Parks: Fairfield’s defensive end (Tykedrist Gibson). Second to Damion, he’s probably one of the sleeper prospects in the state. He’s a good football player. Sumter had a couple corners, and Sumter’s entire defensive front were very good players. Jaydon Brunson from Blythewood, he did a really good job in the secondary. Blythewood had a linebacker who’s a pretty good player. Union’s got a defensive lineman who’s pretty good and a slot receiver. When we get to South Pointe, that’s when we’ll see the so-called “dogs” of the state.
PalmettoPreps: You guys began the season with a close loss to a good Sumter team but then got back on track. What’s been your assessment of the start thus far?
Parks: “If we beat Sumter, we’re right where we need to be, like last year, 4-0. That’s just a good loss for us because right then, that told those guys that this isn’t last year’s team. We have some good players, but we don’t have anybody that can just take the game over like we did last year. It kind of refocused us real quick. We finally got our running game going last week. Our junior quarterback has done well for us and our defense has been outstanding.”
PalmettoPreps: Individually, who are some of the guys that have stepped up and been leaders for you?
Parks: (Defensive lineman) Damion Daley, the last four games have proven he’s a Power 5 guy. He’s ben playing lights out football for us. It’s been impressive to watch him come along. We’ve got a safety, Jaheem Fordham, that’s been outstanding for us. Outside linebacker, Desmond Hammonds and then inside linebacker Trashad Jett who transferred from Sumter, those guys are playing big boy football. They’ve been the heartbeat of the team.”
PalmettoPreps: Tell me about your quarterback situation with your junior.
Parks: JaVon Anderson, he’s been getting better and better. He had a 300 yard game against Ninety Six then threw for 200 yards against a good Fairfield team last week. He’s kind of finding that stride he had when he led us to the playoffs. Bernard Porter, he’s put together back-to-back 100-yard receiving games. We’re excited getting into it.
PalmettoPreps: Tell me about some of the guys you’ve seen that you’ve played against that have impressed you.
Parks: Fairfield’s defensive end (Tykedrist Gibson). Second to Damion, he’s probably one of the sleeper prospects in the state. He’s a good football player. Sumter had a couple corners, and Sumter’s entire defensive front were very good players. Jaydon Brunson from Blythewood, he did a really good job in the secondary. Blythewood had a linebacker who’s a pretty good player. Union’s got a defensive lineman who’s pretty good and a slot receiver. When we get to South Pointe, that’s when we’ll see the so-called “dogs” of the state.