Parmely goes from front to back for Maquoketa Valley

DELHI - Ryan Parmely goes out of his way to praise his offensive line at Maquoketa Valley.

When you consider his football background, you understand why.

The junior has been a two-way starter since his freshmen year for the Wildcats, including a stint as a left guard. He made the unique transition to running back a season ago and has piled up a ton of yards and touchdowns.

Cue the plaudits for the "big uglies" up front. Parmely has to throw them out there because he used to be a "big ugly."

"I mean, it all starts with our linemen," he said. "They put in a lot of work. A lot of people don't recognize, don't realize that our team, every team, revolves around them. If the quarterback throws for 100 yards in a game, it's because he didn't get sacked very many times because our linemen were blocking for him. A running back runs for 200 yards in a game, it all starts up there."

Parmely has been able to surpass the magic 200 mark in MV's first two games this season. He had 271 and three touchdowns on 25 carries in the opener against Starmont and 225 yards and a score on 29 carries last week against Monticello.

His 496 yards lead Class 1A. Maquoketa Valley hosts fellow unbeaten Clayton Ridge in their district opener Friday night.

"Ryan is a big, strong kid, so running the ball, you've really got to try and bring him down," said MV Coach Wes Wilson. "Not very often do you get him down on the first attempt. He gets a lot of yards after contact."

Parmely began his football career at Oelwein but moved to Maquoketa Valley as an eighth-grader. Physically being the biggest kid in his class meant he was pigeon-holed as a linemen.

At least until Wilson decided to make him the featured back in his spread offense. He's still the biggest kid in his class (a solid 225 pounds), but now he's hitting holes instead of helping create them.

"He sees things so well," Wilson said. "He sees the game so well, reads his linemen so well ... Playing a year there on the offensive line has helped him as a running back. It has helped his patience and being able to see the hole."

"I know all the steps and stuff. How to block and all that," Parmely said. "So as a running back, I can read that in my mind and read where to cutback. I know where a lot of the holes are going to be from being a lineman my freshman year."

Before Parmely gets too upset, let's mention the guys that block for him. Tanner Hargrafen is at left tackle, Tyler Yonkovic at left guard, Elijah Deutmeyer at center, Jesse Melcher at right guard and Drew Wilson at right tackle.

The Iowa Newspaper Association named Parmely a first-team all-state inside linebacker last season, but if he keeps churning out yards like this, you'll see his name there on the offensive side this season. Maquoketa Valley advanced to the 1A playoff quarterfinals a year ago before losing to Iowa City Regina.

The Regals are overwhelming favorites again in 2013, but Parmely says not to discount his team.

"We've played all right so far," he said. "As a group, we've got a lot of room to gain, which is what every team should have right now. We've been able to move the ball pretty well, and hopefully we can do that every game.

"We expect to go all the way. That's our team goal. We want to play in the Dome this year. We came up short last year, playing Regina in the quarterfinals. I think a lot of people are doubting us right now, but we plan on making it just as far as we did last year and probably farther. That's our goal."