During a home game against Ladue, senior runningback Quentin Key gets 133 rushing yards. Key also scored one touchdown. “I felt good up until the second half and then it just got out of hand. We were down by a lot and it was frustrating because all of our summer work didn’t pay off. We had practice from six to eight in the morning for conditioning and weight training, then two days a week we would come back three hours later to have installation and repetition practice for two hours,” Key said.

Football players chanting, fans screaming, The Parkway West Longhorn football team marched into the stadium on October 12 for their last home game against University City, which the seniors were recognized.  At halftime the senior players were walked across the track and escorted by their parents/guardians while history teacher Jeffrey Chazen announced their accomplishments and future plans.

“We’ll definitely have some big spots to fill next year with some of these guys,” Head Coach Jeff Duncan said.

Among the 44 players on the team, the following 11 are graduating seniors: Strong Safety Ryan Demuri, Defensive End JC Demuri, Defensive Tackle Harlan Smith, Defensive Back Jon Demuri, Linebacker Nick Krull, Wide Receiver Jerrord Williams, Running Back Quentin Key, Safety Michael Johnson, Middle Linebacker Kris Maddox, Offensive Guard Luke Anderson, and Offensive/Defensive Tackle Mustafa “Moose” Saffaf.

“It’s going to be weird not playing a sport that I’ve played for so long. It was fun while it lasted,” JC Demuri said.

On the other hand, Ryan Demuri hopes to play college football, first having to recover from his torn ACL, while Smith plans to take his freshman year of college off.

“Maybe later on [I’ll play] at a D-III school,” Smith said.

With 11 players graduating, the younger players will have to step up to challenge of rebuilding the team for next season.

“I’m going to miss them, they are good talent and good guys,” Outside Linebacker David Baranski said. “It was an honor playing with them.”

While the season came to a close on October 22, the memories of the program will continue.

“My favorite memory of the seniors is when Kris [Maddox], JC [Demuri], and Quentin [Key] had a dance competition at like 6:30 a.m. at one of our morning practices,” Center Calvin Gorczyca said.

In the end, Senior Night ended in over time 38-35.

“It was the best game of the year,” Johnson said.

Senior favorite memories:

• “Playing in the homecoming football game freshman year because I was a freshman and played varsity,” JC Demuri.

• The second home game against Ladue because it was freezing and raining and everyone was dressed in swimming trunks. It was a fun game,” Smith said.

• Participating with the hearing kids on the team and getting to know them. I am proud that our school is so unique because they involve hard hearing kids,” Krull said.

• “Definitely not the last drive of my senior night game,” Ryan Demuri said.

• “Scoring the first touchdown of the season because I didn’t play last year and then to come back and score the fist one of the year was impressive,” Williams said.

• “The ride down to Fayettville because it was good bonding with my teammates,” Jon Demuri said.

• “Playing basketball at Coach Duncan’s barbecue because the game was getting a little intense,” Key said.

• “The U-City game because it was our best. The fans were really into it and even ran out of the stands to the fence,” Johnson said.

• “Senior Night because everyone got into the game, the fans went crazy, it was our last home game, and just all the support we got,” Maddox said.

• “When my team nicknamed me Skywalker and Silent Assassin,” Anderson said.

• “Senior barbecue at Coach Duncan’s house because I won the washers championship, it was pretty great,” Saffaf said.