Prep football: Elk Grove running back leads the way as the Thundering Herd stomps ahead
Wayshawn Parker is new to Elk Grove High School football this season, but not really.
Yes, he’s a transfer from Rosemont High of the Sacramento City Unified School District, but he grew up around the Thundering Herd, serving as a ball boy for Elk Grove powerhouse teams well before his prep days, including the ones led by his older brother, Wadus Parker.
Now it’s the kid’s turn to shine. Parker rushed and bolted for 206 yards on just four carries, each of them touchdowns on runs of 66, 36, 60 and 24 yards to power No. 11 Elk Grove past tough-luck yet talented Cosumnes Oaks 49-14 on Friday night in a Delta League opener at CO.
Parker is a powerfully built, 5-foot-9 runner who relies on one motto in particular when he has the ball in his hands.
“Do not stop!” he said with emphasis and a smile. “Keep going, keep your feet going, get those knees up higher.”
That was Parker’s thinking when his 60-yard score made it 28-6. He blasted into the linemen, known as the Hammerheads, was engulfed for a moment, seemed to disappear in the mass and then emerged out of the other end and took off for the remaining 75 yards. That electrified the overflow Elk Grove crowd, players and coaches. And the runner.
“He is a game-changer,” Elk Grove coach John Heffernan said as his team evened its record at 2-2. “Wayshawn is dynamic. He makes us dynamic. He can take it and go. He plays hard. He has a great work ethic.”
On the 60-yarder, the coach said, “I saw him still upright and thought, ‘If he’s still standing, he’s got a chance.’”
Now the Thundering Herd have a chance to make another run at the Delta League championship after a grueling nonleague schedule that included a loss to second-ranked Granite Bay and setbacks to Bay Area powers Menlo-Atherton and San Ramon Valley.
Elk Grove is simple in its approach of wanting to set a ton with its huge linemen and bevy or tough and fast backs. The line is the key, led by Dallas Fineanganofo, Salesi Kafovalu, James Minot, Simi Pale, Brandon Sullivan and Brady West. Their position coach, Moe Loller, said the game plan was, simply, “to pound them.”
A triple-option team, Elk Grove also showed it can run with power and breakaway speed. Whatever it takes. That’s Parker in a nutshell.
Parker said he’s delighted to be at Elk Grove, though he appreciated his season at Rosemont last fall in which he was paramount in leading that team to a Sac-Joaquin Section championship finale.
“I know these guys here, grew up with Elk Grove football,” he said. “I loved watching my brother play. I was a ball boy. I hyped him up all the time. I love my line. They’re great.”
Elk Grove’s first big play came on defense. Trailing 6-0, Lati Vaefaga returned an interception 96 yards for a touchdown. Moments later, Parker’s 66-yard burst with 50.3 seconds in the half extended it to 14-6. Isaac Duran and Dylan Archuleta had touchdown runs for Elk Grove, and Raniv Malhiand Jeremiah King scored for Cosumnes Oaks.
Elk Grove opens Delta action at home against Davis on Sept. 30. Cosumnes Oaks (1-4) opens Delta play against Davis next week.
This story was originally published September 16, 2022 at 10:57 PM.