Parkway North Looks To Defend New Home Turf Against SLUH

In a Friday night battle between two of the area’s top teams, hopes to avenge last year’s 42-28 season-opening loss to Saint Louis University High. But it won’t be smooth sailing for the Vikings.

SLUH returns a slew of talented players this season, including one of the area’s top quarterbacks, Trevor McDonagh, who threw 23 TDs in 2010 and passed for 2,465 yards. Also back for the Junior Bills is Terek Hawkins, the team’s top running back, who racked up eight touchdowns and nearly 1,000 yards last season. The team’s top receivers, Stefan Sansone and Mitch Klug, are back as well.

Defensively, the Junior Bills return Sean Rammaha and Jamil Irvin-Muhammad, who combined for 164 tackles and six sacks.

While graduation was easy on SLUH, it could sink the Vikings. Parkway North lost its quarterback, its leading rusher, its leading receiver and its kicker. The Vikings also lost five of their top tacklers.

Fortunately for them, its best defensive player of 2010, Donavin Newsom, is back for his senior year. Newsom recorded 91 tackles, five sacks and two interceptions last year. He also scored 10 touchdowns: five rushing, three receiving and two defensive. But the Vikings will need more than Newsom this year, especially against SLUH.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at