LAKE WORTH – Park Vista is mission focused at this time.
It has been a scary proposition for its three previous opponents, and it could be a scary proposition for its seven remaining opponents as well.
Who knows what will actually happen with our fifth-ranked team as we get to these next several weeks ahead and possibly even beyond?
While it is not possible to answer this right now, what is certainly true is the Cobras determination to move as a highly efficient and effective unit.
“We’re here to make a statement,” Park Vista senior running Adam Philp said.
Park Vista (3-0) did just that in Week 4, as it easily dispatched Lake Worth (0-2) in a 51-0 win on the road.
This was enough for Park Vista to be selected as our Team of Week 4.
It is Park Vista’s second team honor in three weeks.
“It felt good,” Park Vista linebacker coach Rufus Thomas said. “The good thing about getting Team of the Week again is that the guys aren’t satisfied and they tell us that they are aiming to get it every week, so we just tell them to make sure that’s what they want and we will hold them accountable. That’s the good thing about this group. They are hungry and want to get better.”
What helps Park Vista stand out in Palm Beach County this season is its sheer emphasis on being a team on all levels.
“It’s great to know that our hard work is starting to pay off and that we have started to put the whole county on notice,” Park Vista junior wide receiver Josh Wagenmann said. “Our coaches have put us in the position to exceed every week, whether we are in the individual period or practicing scenarios.”
What stands out above all else for Park Vista is the unshakeable level of confidence the players and coaches have in each other.
“I think that it is a mixture of things,” Thomas said. “It comes from the top with Coach [Leonard] Weaver and the rest of the staff believing in them and teaching them and pushing them to new levels that they didn’t think they could achieve before. As a coaching staff we believe in this group and we let it be known everyday. The kids have confidence in their abilities, and we just make sure that it is channeled in the right direction.”
Park Vista senior Shawn Estiverne agrees with this assessment.
“Our confidence feeds off each other as teammates,” Estiverne said. “The level of it became higher because we don’t want to be slept on. It’s for Palm Beach to know how we handle business over here at PV.”
After three games played, Park Vista has outscored its opponents by a score of 109-15. This averages out to 36.3 points scored per game and just five points allowed per game.
Estiverne said that Park Vista has a certain way of how it approaches the opposition week in and week out.
“We don’t underestimate teams,” Estiverne said. “But the mentality we have over here is if we do everything right with no mistakes, we’re going to win.”
Park Vista has moved up a whopping four spots from its No. 9 spot from last week. The rising program does not want to stop there.
The next three games for Park Vista are against Royal Palm Beach (0-3) in Week 5, Santaluces (0-4) in Week 6, and top-ranked Palm Beach Central (4-0) in Week 7.
“We are glad we are starting to get some love,” Thomas said. “But we want that No. 1 spot and a state championship. We got a lot more football to play, so we will continue to get better.”
