FOOTBALL FRIDAY: Vikings look to right the ship

Travis Hurley has taken over at Parsons this season following the two-year tenure of Marc Svaty, who went to Fredonia to take over the head coaching job there and be closer to family.

Hurley is the latest in a line of Viking head coaches looking to bring winning ways back to Parsons. Since the 2005 season, Tony Canacari's last in a six-year tenure, the Vikings have had four head coaches and compiled a record of 18-74. That includes five winless seasons (2008-09, 2012-14).

It sounds as if winning isn't a thing that can happen in Parsons. But there was once a tradition there. The Vikings were Class 4A State finalists in 1975, winning their first three playoff games all by shutout. From 1967-76, Parsons won at least a share of three Southeast Kansas League championships and had a record of 60-32-1.

Head coaches Charlie Nally (1981-99) and Canacari (2000-05) combined to guide the Vikings to a 129-115 record with 12 winning seasons and 7 playoff appearances. Since then, four head coaches have guided Parsons and only one, David Pitts, managed a winning season and a playoff berth. In his first year, the Vikings went 7-3. But then he lost his last 18 games.

Svaty was at the helm last season when Parsons broke its 29-game winning streak, the third-longest in the SEK since 1962. Hurley inherits a team that faces a tough road but has a good number of players returning.

Brett Houk (6' 0", 210, Sr.) was a Second Team All-SEK linebacker last season. OL/DL Tyler Gress (6' 2", 280, Sr.), LB Tyler Metcalf (5' 8", 150, Sr.) and Cody Stephens (Sr.) were Honorable Mention selections. However, the Vikes will be without RB/DL Isaac McPherson, another All-SEK pick last year, as he transferred to Fredonia. But the players who remain give Parsons a core to build around.

Hurley expects to run a spread option offense and an old-school 4-4 defense. They'll get tested by the Tigers' 4-3 defense and split-back veer offense.

And if there's still a thought that it's difficult to change a culture of losing into one of high expectations, just compare another SEK school that won just 41 of 147 games -- a .316 winning percentage -- between 1935 and 1951. There were three winless seasons and two others with just one win. From 1952 to 1980, that same school posted a .657 winning percentage in going 172-88-6. It won or shared eight SEK titles and went to three State championship games once the playoffs were established in 1969.

That school, of course, was Fort Scott. So the turnaround can happen. And it can be maintained.

The season opener for both teams kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday night at Frary Field.