by Rusty Ellis
Clay County senior Parker Smith took the next step in his academic and athletic journey on Friday, as he signed his national letter of intent to play football for Maryville College after graduation.
An exciting day for Smith, he says the natural landscape around the school is a major part of what caught his attention.
“It feels awesome, I’ve come a long way to be here,” Smith said. “The recruiting process was pretty nice, I went and visited, and I loved Maryville. You can stand on the football field and see the mountains. It’s good to me, I love that.”
CHS head coach Bruce Lamb says Smith was a difference-maker from the moment he first stepped on campus two years ago, and he’s going to miss his attitude above all else.
“It’s great, I’ve known Parker for a long time and got to coach his older brother, Carson,” Lamb said. “It’s been a blessing to watch him grow like this, and to see the effect he’s had on his teammates, it’s just awesome.”
And Lamb has zero reservations regarding how Smith will fit in at Maryville.
“He’s going to do well there, he’s going to go in as a defensive lineman,” Lamb said. “They may even move him to interior offensive line…I love the defensive coaches, I think they’re getting a great player and I think he’s going to play a lot on Saturdays.”
There’s quite a bit Smith says he’ll miss about the environment in Celina, and right at the top is the bonds he built with his teammates.
“The thing I’m going to miss the most is all my buddies,” Smith said. “I’ve played with them for the past two years and I love them to death, but the thing about Maryville, I’m looking forward to finding something new in a new place and meeting new people.”
