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   The best of the best in Alabama High   
  School Football over the past 100 seasons.






2024 Team Previews 

  


Parker Thundering Herd

Head Coach: Frank Warren (fifth season)
Career Record: 4 seasons, (36-14)
At Parker: 4 seasons, (36-14)
Stadium: Major Brown Memorial Stadium
2024 Enrollment:  685
Rank:  74th in the AHSAA, 42nd in Class 6A

 History 
Overall Record:   471-360-27   (57.0%)
Last 25 years:   150-122   (55.0%)  (Rank: 142nd in the AHSAA, 30th in Class 6A)
Since 2010:   86-69  (55.5%)  (Rank: 143rd in the AHSAA, 26th in Class 6A)
Last Playoff Appearance:   2023
Last Region Championship:   2023
Last Winning Season:   2023
Last Losing Season:   2019

 2023 
Class:  6A              Region:   5
Record:  12-2    (Team record for wins in a season)
Region Record:   6-0, (first)
Playoff Record:   Semi-finals loss to Clay-Chalkville by the score of 38-13.
Final ASWA Poll:   5th
Scoring:  528 (37.7)    (Team record for points scored in a season)
Defense:  206 (14.7)


 2024 
Class: 6A              Region:   5
Strength of Schedule: 59-55 (52%) (146th in the AHSAA, 30th in Class 6A)
Region Strength:  23-39 (37%)
Non-Region Strength:  36-16 (69%)



 2023 Results 
 8/25  vs. Fairfield  (5A)   55-0   W  
 8/31  @ Ramsay  (5A)   20-17   W  
 9/7  @ Jackson-Olin  (6A)  *  49-6   W  
 9/14  vs. Mortimer Jordan  (6A)  *  62-28   W  
 9/22  @ Gardendale  (6A)  *  41-22   W  
 9/29  @ Pleasant Grove  (5A)   21-22   L  
 10/6  vs. Woodlawn  (6A)  *  40-8   W  
 10/13  @ Mountain Brook  (6A)  *  13-10   W  
 10/20  vs. Minor  (6A)  *  41-7   W  
 10/26  vs. Huffman  (6A)   56-0   W  
 11/3   OPEN 
 Playoffs 
 11/9  vs. Mae Jemison    61-14   W  
 11/17  vs. Oxford    21-14   W  
 11/24  vs. Gadsden City    35-20   W  
 12/1  @ Clay-Chalkville    13-38   L  

 2024 Schedule 
 8/22  vs. Ramsay  (5A)       
 8/30  @ Mountain Brook  (6A)       
 9/6  @ Gardendale  (6A)  *      
 9/12  vs. Mortimer Jordan  (6A)  *      
 9/20  vs. Carrollton GA   (11-2)       
 9/27  @ Hoover  (7A)       
 10/4  vs. Jackson-Olin  (6A)  *      
 10/11  vs. Minor  (6A)  *      
 10/18  @ Homewood  (6A)  *      
 10/24  @ Woodlawn  (6A)  *      
 11/1   OPEN 
 11/8  vs. Cullman        
 11/15  @ Mountain Brook        
 11/22  vs. Muscle Shoals        


Class  6A Region  5
Team 2023 Record Region Scoring                            
Parker (6A) 12-2 6-0528-206
Mortimer Jordan (6A) 8-3 4-2383-292
Gardendale (6A) 3-8 3-3376-441
Homewood (6A) 6-5 4-2267-237
Minor (6A) 4-6 2-4200-238
Woodlawn (6A) 2-7 1-5128-358
Jackson-Olin (6A) 0-10 0-6108-416

 2024 Preview 


       Parker completed the 2023 season with a 12-2 record. Last year Parker captured the region five title and a number one seed in the Class 6A playoffs. They finished region play with a 6-0 record. It was the first region championship for the Thundering Herd since the 2014 season. Parker made a nice playoff run in 2023, reaching the semi-finals before falling to a very good Clay-Chalkville team by the score of 38-13.

       No team at Parker ever won more games in a season than the twelve victories last year. The last time they won as many was back in 1980. The 528 points scored by the Thundering Herd last year were a team record in a single season. The Thundering Herd hope to continue the success they had last season. Coach Warren saw improvement as they won twelve games following a 7-5 record in 2022.

       The defense was very stingy last season as Parker ranked 40th in the AHSAA. The defense allowed only 14.7 points a game.

       Since 2010, Parker has gone a combined 86-69. Their 55.5% winning percentage ranks 26th in Class 6A over the past fourteen seasons.

       Over the past 25 seasons, Parker has managed to compile a record of 150-122. Their 55.0% winning percentage ranks 30th in Class 6A and 142nd in the AHSAA.

Graduated All-State Players:
       Parker lost 6A All-State  defensive lineman Jeremiah Beaman to graduation. He was named to the second team last season.

Head Coach:
       The Thundering Herd are led by head coach Frank Warren who is entering his fifth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 36-14 over the past four seasons at Parker. Under his direction the Thundering Herd have qualified for the playoffs a total of four times. They have won one region crown with Coach Warren.

Season Outlook:

       The Parker Thundering Herd will play in Class 6A region five during the 2024 season.

      

       Parker enters the 2024 season with a string of 8 consecutive wins on their home field at Major Brown Memorial Stadium.

       Parker will return five starters on offense and five to a very solid defensive unit this season. They will be led by five star athlete Na'eem Offord at cornerback. He is one of the most sought after players in the state.

       In 2024 the Herd will face seven teams that qualified for the playoffs last year. Region five remains intact from last year so the Herd will once again face Gardendale, Mortimer Jordan and an improved Homewood team on their path seeking another region crown.

       The Herd will open the season against 5A power Ramsay and then travel to Mountain Brook before going on the road to Gardendale in a region five matchup. Parker won all three of those games last year and if they pull off the trifecta again this year it will be a great start to the 2024 football season for Coach Warren's team.

       Parker has reached the playoffs the past four seasons. That is the first time in the school's history they have accomplished that feat.

    The Thundering Herd are considered one of the favorites for the region five championship this season and a home game in the first round of the playoffs. Don't be surprised if the Thundering Herd are making another deep run into the playoffs.

Players to Watch in 2024:
      Na'eem Offord will be back for his senior season and is rated a 5 Star CB and one of the most sought after athletes in the country.

      RB Chancellor Sparks will be returning for his junior season after rushing for 603 yards and 7 TDs last season. WR Jeremiah Jelks will also be back after catching 29 passes for 533 yards and 5 TDs.

      WR Clarence Taylor transferred over from Pleasant Grove for his senior season after catching 70 passes for 1,621 yards and 25 TDs last season.

Returning Starters:
OFFENSE:WR Kentrell Davis, WR Jeremiah Jelks, OL Oliver Maldonado, RB Chancellor Sparks, Kicker Quederrius Sterling
DEFENSE: Na'eem Offord, DL Jourdin Crawford, DB Tim Merritt, DB Joseph Holt, DL Robert Taylor

Season Opener:
       The Thundering Herd open the 2024 season at home against non-region opponent Ramsay on Thursday, August 22 at Major Brown Memorial Stadium. Last year the Ramsay Rams finished with an overall record of 12-3 and in first place in Class 5A region five. The Rams lost in the Class 5A State Championship game last season when they were defeated by Gulf Shores. They final score was 21-14 in the Super Seven finals in Birmingham.

       Parker and Ramsay have met a total of 16 times on the football field. The Thundering Herd have a 8-8-0 record against the Rams. They last met in 2023 with Parker winning by a score of 20-17.

  


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

Morris Higginbotham coached three different teams to divisional state championships in the 1950s. He won titles at Walnut Grove in 1952, West Blocton in 1955 and Enterprise in 1960.