GGF football this week: Red River's Parks passes 1,000 yards for season, approaching school record

Sep. 28—GRAND FORKS — Grand Forks Red River quarterback Pearce Parks, with three games left in the regular season, has already exceeded 1,000 passing yards for the season.

But what Roughriders coach Vyrn Muir likes to look at is his completion percentage.

So as Parks has thrown for 1,120 yards already this year, it's also worth noting he leads the division with a 64.2 completion percentage.

"He's making good decisions," Muir said. "If you're going to be throwing as much as we have been, you have to look at that completion percentage."

Muir said he's seeing growth in Parks from his sophomore to junior seasons.

"I think it's the confidence and poise," Muir said. "He's got some expectations of himself based on his performance from last year. In every game this year, he's more confident than at any point last year."

Parks is 435 passing yards away from an unofficial school record. Based on available information over the years, Red River feels its single-season passing record belongs to Derek Murph, who threw for 1,555 yards during the 2015 season.

Red River's passing game will be tested this week. No. 4 Red River, coming off back-to-back losses to Grand Forks Central and West Fargo Sheyenne, hosts No. 1 Fargo North at 6 p.m. Friday at Cushman Field.

"We have to focus on ourselves and perform consistently well all the time," Muir said. "We had moments last week, and we had other moments where we didn't. We have to create some turnovers and not give up big plays. If we do that, I like our chances to be in the game. If we don't, the No. 1 team will still be the No. 1 team."

The big concern for the Roughriders is the EDC's leading rusher in North Dakota State commit Peder Haugo, who has 65 carries for 713 yards (11.0 yards per carry) and 14 touchdowns.

"He's a big, strong kid," Muir said. "He's moving with so much velocity. If he doesn't have to break his stride, and he's at full speed, that's a problem. Sticking an arm out there is going to get knocked off. He's good at making a quick cut, but you still have to make him slow down and have to make a decision."

Grand Forks Central is coming off a bye, which was both good and bad for the Knights coming off an emotional rivalry win over Grand Forks Red River in the Cushman Classic.

"It would've been nice to keep playing and use that momentum and build off it and move on from it," Central coach Jake Schauer said. "At the same time, the bye week came at a perfect time coming off a really tough stretch of games and really at exactly the midway point of the season. Now we can recharge and go full speed ahead."

Central visits West Fargo Horace for a 6 p.m. kickoff Friday. Both teams are 2-3. Horace holds wins over Devils Lake and Wahpeton.

Central enters the game with its offense in a better place than early in the year as Jake Simmers was able to get comfortable in the passing game as a new quarterback.

"I think we're getting a better feel for what our guys can do," Schauer said. "We aren't trying to do 100 things. We're trying to do three or four things really well. We're saying this is who we are, you need to adjust to us."

Horace is led by quarterback Taylor Stefonowicz, who has 521 passing yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions. Running back Dylan Johnson has 334 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

East Grand Forks Senior High, coming off an overtime win over Fergus Falls, is ready face a run-heavy Thief River Falls team.

The Green Wave, 3-1 with the only loss to AAAA Little Falls, kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday against the 1-3 Prowlers, who have last three straight after a season-opening win over Roseau.

"They run power T," EGF coach Ryan Kasowski said. "It's a lot of misdirection and hiding where the ball is at and trying to win the line of scrimmage. They do a good job at it, and as the season gets going, they get better and better. You have to make sure you're ready to go."

The Wave have been winning low-scoring games this season but Kasowski said his group is determined to improve in the red zone.

"We've been disappointed the last two games in our ability to finish drives," he said. "We get down there and don't put points on the board. We had two touchdowns called back against Perham and felt like we left two out there last week before half. It's a major emphasis this week to not be tired at the end of those drives."

Defensively, Kasowski has been pleased with his defensive line of late.

"I thought they played a good game against a mobile QB," Kasowski said of the Fergus Falls game. "We got pressure with our front three and maybe bringing one linebacker, then we could sit in coverage. This week, though, is a totally different set of challenges. We have to fly to the football."

Polk County West coach Darrin Byklum was disappointed with last Friday's loss to Ada-Borup-West, but he was also encouraged by progress.

"I thought we improved a lot since Week 1," Byklum said. "Up front, we did well on offense and defense. We just gave up two or three bombs for touchdowns. We have to play better. Our play wasn't good enough to win (last Friday) but we're close."

The Thunder connected on one long touchdown of its own last Friday — a 63-yard pass from Will Zavarol to John Speicher.

PCW, 1-3, hopes to see more of that against a struggling Red Lake team. Red Lake, 0-4, has given up more than 47 points in every game and lost 73-0 to Lake Park-Audubon last weekend.