Salisbury WR Parton’s forte is setting records
Head coach Andy Cerco was working with a player during individual sessions of a practice as Salisbury was days from finishing a 3-5 season in which it missed the District 11 playoffs.
The Falcons’ final two games — both victories — meant nothing, really. Or, did they?
Cerco glanced across the field at senior Chad Parton.
“You would have sworn it was the first week of preseason practice or the week going into the state finals,” Cerco said. “He was doing cone drills and going at it 100 percent.
“It was a pleasure to watch him practice.”
Colonial League coaching colleagues did not get much joy in preparingtodefendagainstParton, who broke every school receiving record in his final season.
He finished among the state’s leaders in all classes in receptions (fifth), receiving yards (third) and receiving touchdowns (tied for fifth). He did so in only eight games. at least two fewer than anyone ahead of him.
Parton also was tied for the team lead in tackles (51) and tied for second in the Colonial League with four interceptions.
“You could put Chad anywhere on the field and he wouldn’t bat an eye,” Cerco said. Hewould just do it and do it well. If I told him to play right guard, he’d be like, ‘OK, coach. What do I do?’ ”
Parton’s record-setting performance and leadership make him worthy of being The Morning Call’s Colonial League offensive player of the year.
Parton finished this season with 58 catches for 1,052 yards and 12 touchdowns, all school records. Heended a stellar career with program marks of 127 receptions, 2,113 yards and 23 scores.
The 5-foot-11, 175-pounder also is a standout in the classroom with a 3.8 GPA and in the leadership department with his teammates and classmates.
Salisbury coaches work in the offseason with the players about how to become better, more well-rounded people. Parton took that input in the leadership council to heart, especially the last two years.
“We talked about things like sitting in the front of the class and asking questions,” Cerco said. “I’d walk around the halls at school and he’d be doing just that.
“His social and emotional maturity was obvious. In his junior and senior years, he separated himself from others. He took this part really seriously to make himself a better person.”
The by-product of Parton’s development and maturity on all levels is the younger players in the Salisbury football program seeing first-hand every day what it takes to be a person of such high caliber and high character.
They saw the investment and commitment it took to reach that level on the practice field, in the weight room, in the classroom, in the community.
“Hemakes other kids around him better because of how he operates,” Cerco said. “On the field, any time he touched the ball he had the opportunity to score because of how special an athlete he was. If you watched our games, you knew it was 25 ways to get Chad the ball.
“He was a fun kid to be around in down times, in meetings, walking the hallways. He was a great kid to have in our program. As a coach, you know you only get a kid like this every 10 to 15 years.”