He yelled, “seniors, seniors, seniors,” on the SUNY Brockport field Saturday, waving for eight of them to return for a group picture on the 45-yard line following the team’s 32-0 victory against Section V’s Eastridge. Some of the players were confused as to why Parker was so adamant about them returning. To him, though, it was about celebrating memorable milestones.

“I always tell our guys every year that we want to send our seniors out the right way,” Parker said. “That’s been my motto since I started coaching football. Your senior year is the most precious and most valuable year as a player. I tell our younger guys they’re going to be seniors one day, and when you become a senior, you’re going to want your underclassmen to help get you out the right way.”

It was the underclassmen who carried Health Sciences in this game, the team’s first shutout win of the season. The program clinched a spot in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association semifinals next Saturday at Vestal High School at 3 p.m. versus Maine-Endwell. The Spartans are the reigning Class B state runner-up after winning back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022.

Leading Health Sciences was junior running back Kavon Pitts, with 15 carries for 208 yards and two touchdowns. Junior running back Kevin Guy had two touchdowns and senior running back Brandon Mickell had a touchdown.

Pitts opened the score with a 40-yard touchdown rush, followed by Mickell’s two-point conversion to make it 8-0 after the first quarter. In the second period, Pitts scored a 12-yard touchdown, and Guy ran in for a 20-yard score. The team failed on both two-point attempts and was up 20-0 at halftime.

Mickell scored on a 16-yard run to cap the opening drive of the third quarter, then Guy rushed for a 5-yard touchdown to complete the scoring. 

“This feels good,” Pitts said. “We had to redeem ourselves after losing to Monroe (last year in the Far West Regional). It was a good game, and our energy was high.”

Parker’s program has existed for less than a decade and has won five section titles in the last six seasons and three regional titles in as many seasons. The team took as many pictures as possible on the field as Parker held the championship plaque.  He was able to catch up with people he hadn’t seen in years who went out of their way to congratulate him on the program he created.

“It’s a blessing to do what we do,” Parker said. “We love this game and have passion for this game. I’d like to thank God for putting me in this position to do what we do. Our kids don’t really have anything to celebrate. They use football as a tool to celebrate, and we’re going to celebrate our kids because a lot of kids from our community don’t get an opportunity to play at this level. This is the state playoffs and a dream for some of our kids because a lot of kids can’t even play in a sectional final, let alone a regional final. We’re taking advantage of this and love the game of football.”