Grant’s Parker out for season with torn ACL

DRY PRONG, La (KALB) - The Grant Cougars have proven to be one of the most impressive teams in Central Louisiana in 2021 as they are off to the best start to a season in 17 years, but now if they want to keep their hot streak going, they’ll have to do so without their senior quarterback.

Brady Parker suffered a torn ACL in their Week 4 game against Beau Chene.

“I was getting chased to the sideline, and in my mind, I said if I make this one guy miss I have a chance,” said Parker. “I made that one plant with my left foot, and as soon as I planted, my knee just gave out. I fell on the ground, and it was instant pain.”

The knee injury, which has become common in sports, effectively ended Parker’s senior season.

“It was devastating,” said Parker. “It hit me really hard, because I’ve worked my butt off these past four years playing with these guys since junior high and just all those types of emotions coming together knowing I won’t be able to finish the season with my brothers is hard.”

Parker helped turn a Grant program that only won one game from 2018-2019 to now having the best season for the Cougars since 2004. Now, former athlete of the week, Eli Morrison, will take the reigns at quarterback halfway through the regular season with hopes of having the same success that Parker had.

“I made a comment early in the year that Eli could play all over the field, and I think I even said he could play quarterback if we needed him to,” said Grant’s coach Dillon Barrett. “I really didn’t think that would ever be the case. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do and is a guy that you can put all over the field.”

Parker has full confidence in his teammate that he will continue that same level of success.

“He bought into the system, and you could tell as soon as he bought in, he turned into one heck of a player,” said Barrett.

Parker had successful surgery to repair the torn ACL on Thursday, Sept. 30, and he now plans to be at every game to cheer on the team.

“They’re going to get one heck of a cheerleader out of me that’s for sure,” said Parker.

Parker still hopes to be able to play college athletics once he graduates high school, so he is more determined than ever to come back stronger from the injury.

The Grant Cougars open up district play Friday, Oct. 8 against the Marksville Tigers as they are trying to start their season 6-0.

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