Longtime St. Thomas Aquinas wrestling coach stepping down
Shortly after he received a plaque from the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association in recognition of his 30 years of service, St. Thomas Aquinas High School coach Lorne Parks announced last weekend that he would be stepping down.
Parks started coaching on the high school level in 1992 at Wyandotte. He also coached for stints at Sumner Academy, Washington and Schlagle before landing at Aquinas, where he spent the last 17 seasons.
“I have had the privilege to coach some of the best wrestlers in the state, as well as two state championship teams,” Parks said. “The program here at St. Thomas Aquinas has been very competitive for many years due to the loyalty and hard work put forth by many quality assistants, wrestlers and parents.”
Parks compiled a 80-26-1 record in duals and led the Saints to six Eastern Kansas League titles, five regional titles and two state championships. He had 51 wrestlers who placed at state, 14 individual state champions and 13 runners-up.
The Saints’ most recent runner-up was senior Ben Ewing in the 220-pound weight class at last week’s state tournament in Park City. He won a title his sophomore season and finished in the top five all four of his years. Ewing lauded Parks’ dedication to his athletes in the classroom, as well as in the wrestling room.
“The work habits I have developed in the wrestling room because of his coaching have turned me into a young man and champion on and off the mat,” Ewing said. “I am blessed to have gotten a chance to win a state title my sophomore year with him in my corner and to have him watch me develop as a student athlete the past four years.”
Parks has also coached the Aquinas baseball team and freshman football team. He plans to continue coaching those two squads. Parks added that he’s retiring from wrestling to lighten his load after coaching three sports for 30 years.
Parks’ baseball team will attempt to defend its Kansas Class 5A state championship.
GKCFCA scholarship recipients
Seven Johnson County-area high school football players were selected as McCarthy Auto Group 2015 Scholar Athletes by the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association. As part of the scholarship program, each athlete received a $1,000 scholarship and was honored March 1 at a banquet.
The seven Johnson County recipients are Bishop Miege’s Brandon Gonzalez, Blue Valley’s Dylan Smith, Blue Valley Northwest’s Dalton Schoen, Blue Valley Northwest’s Caleb Hughes, Blue Valley West’s Samuel Daily, Olathe North’s Cole Murphy and St. James Academy’s Braxton Lewis.
Former SM West athlete honored
Pittsburg State senior forward Lizzy Jeronimus, who graduated from Shawnee Mission West, was selected as the MIAA Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week on Feb. 16.
She scored 36 points and pulled down 13 rebounds for the Gorillas across two wins and eclipsed the 2,100 point mark in her career, which is a program record for men and women. Jeronimus is leading the Gorillas with 19 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 27.7 minutes per game.
She was later voted All-MIAA first team for the fourth consecutive season. Teammate Kylie Gafford, who attended Olathe East, was an All-MIAA third-team selection.
This story was originally published March 5, 2015 at 3:59 PM with the headline "Longtime St. Thomas Aquinas wrestling coach stepping down."