Parkview 22, Grayson 7

Reigning state champion Grayson became the consensus No. 1-ranked team in the country this week, but unsuspecting Parkview of Lilburn cast a dissenting, shocking vote Friday night, scoring a 22-7 victory and the biggest upset in high school football nationwide.

Ranked in the top three of all eight national polls, and No. 1 by Rivals and ESPN, Grayson led 7-6 late in the third quarter when the ghosts of the Big Orange Jungle, home to Parkview’s faded dynasty from a decade ago, began to bite.

A pair of 15-yard penalties after a punt gave Parkview a first down inside the Grayson 30. Parkview (2-1) was stopped, and Tyler Stephenson made a 43-yard field goal. But coach Cecil Flowe accepted a roughing-the-kicker penalty instead, boldly taking points off the board against Grayson’s vaunted defense, led by the nation’s top recruit in Robert Nkemdiche.

Parkview – which had failed to score a touchdown in its first two games – dominated from there as Rob Youngblood threw a 14-yard TD pass for a 12-7 lead.

After a Stephenson field goal, Parkview’s Justis Rosser stripped a receiver of the ball at the Grayson 36. Parkview drove to the Grayson 1 and clinched the victory with Chris Carson’s touchdown run with 3:47 left.

It was the biggest win for Parkview since 2005, when the Panthers last won a playoff game under Flowe, who won state titles for Parkview in 1997, 2000, 2001 and 2002.

Grayson fell to 2-1 overall, 0-1 in Region 8-AAAAAA.

162 comments Add your comment

Matt

September 14th, 2012
10:46 pm

Joe

September 14th, 2012
10:50 pm

Proves it…Grayson was over rated. Parkview not only packed Grayson’s lunch but made them eat it too. Now, we will hear no more talk about how unstoppable Grayson is…boy I sure was getting sick and tired of hearing about those Rams. Funny how all those Grayson homers stop running their ugly candy butt mouths when they lose. Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Hey Good bye!!

randy

September 14th, 2012
11:02 pm

Certainly not over rated (are you kidding me) but that is why you play the games! So proud to live in this area with Parkview, Grayson and Brookwood. Great programs led by excellent staffs.

Harvey Updyke

September 14th, 2012
11:07 pm

But, but, but – I thought Clemson’s #1 man Kimdeche was all world? And you telling me Big Orange smacked them in the mouth?

Looks like we better get some more recruits from Parkview!

Roll Tide Roll!

bksmith14

September 14th, 2012
11:10 pm

grayson is not the team they were last year…….i said that on this blog 3 weeks ago many times…….but they will be fine and be hard to beat come playoff time….you can bet on that

bksmith14

September 14th, 2012
11:10 pm

this win ought to get parkview fired up for the rest of year

GwinnettDad

September 14th, 2012
11:17 pm

That’s why they have to play the games. Never anticipated 22-7. Glad I don’t bet on these games.

bailey manning

September 14th, 2012
11:17 pm

This makes the Brookwood-Parkview game in two weeks even bigger. Go Broncos!

Fred

September 14th, 2012
11:22 pm

@Joe – Give us a chance to get home and we will be here to talk. We stunk it up big time. 4 or 5 turnovers with a 21 point swing. We can’t turn the ball over like that and it bit us tonight. The PA at Parkview stinks so we couldn’t hear what was being called and couldn’t see the ref most of the time. While I won’t blame it on the refs, there certainly was some “interesting” officiating! It what world is it okay to repeatedly push a player into the ground while he is trying to get up 30 yards away from the play. To top it off, a second Parkview player came over and was doing the same thing right in front of a ref. Go figure. Anyway, congratulations to the Panthers! They are a good team that came to play.

GwinnettDad

September 14th, 2012
11:28 pm

@Fred – Grayson had quite a run. Congratulations on that. We do have to remember they are but high school students. How did the first downs break? I would have thought Grayson could run on Parkview all day.

MM

September 14th, 2012
11:29 pm

Parkview #1 nationally ranked by Baseball America and now knocked off the #1 football team in the nation. They can all be had. Well done, Parkview. I watched Parkview lose a lot of football games in the late 1980s; never figured they would have the success of a few years later. They’re saying this game is the biggest high school story in the country. I’m glad I don’t bet on sports. Randy is right – good football played in Gwinnett.

Lost on 78

September 14th, 2012
11:29 pm

“While I won’t blame it on the refs…”

Classic line.

LOL @ Fred blaming the officials.

Grayson… what a bunch of sourpusses! You just lost a game to a team who was averaging 1.5 points per game… Ha! Yeah, I’m a hater. So what?

Observer

September 14th, 2012
11:33 pm

The amount of hatred and anger are disturbing. Grayson did nothing but build a program the right way and they are hated for it. To each his own but let’s remember these are 17-18 year olds. Never thought id say that 3 years out of hs but if there’s anyone to hate conn is not your guy. I can promise you this will motivate grayson

Camden74

September 14th, 2012
11:37 pm

Enough is enough, GHSA, do something about the officiating! :-)

Camden74

September 14th, 2012
11:41 pm

I was expecting a banner headline for the Parkview-Grayson game,what happened? Maybe it was the preseason rankings hype, the pressure of being ranked # 1 or was it the taste of CROW? :-)

Camden'96

September 14th, 2012
11:42 pm

@ Observer…”Grayson did nothing but build a program the right way and they are hated for it.”

Well now you know how Camden feels. LETS GO WILDCATS!!! THE NEW NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE!!

Camden74

September 14th, 2012
11:44 pm

I really hope Camden’s NOT ranked # 1 next week! :-D

sportsnut

September 14th, 2012
11:44 pm

I told you all that Grayson did not have the best D in Georgia, let alone the country. High school football lives and dies on up-sets. “On Any Given Night” applies to all. You will be tested weekly this year. Do not let the opinion of others give you a false since of security.

Fred

September 14th, 2012
11:45 pm

@Lost on 78 – If you are going to quote me, at least get the context correct. Show me where I said it was not our fault or I blamed the refs for the loss. Were you at the game? I clearly said we stunk it up and had a 21 point swing on turnovers. That was not the refs. Parkview got some good field position off 2 separate 30 yard penalties, one while our player was being repeatedly being shoved down and not allowed to get up by multiple Parkview players. The white hat refused to talk to Mickey about what was going on. Mickey had to call a time out to get the ref to explain the call.

Did you see where I congratulated Parkview and said they were a good team? If you would have been paying attention for the past month, I have been saying Parkview was much better than their record. You clearly showed everyone what you are.

Lost on 78

September 14th, 2012
11:45 pm

Observer – Why weren’t they motivated tonight?

You win; you start believing your own press; you still have to go out and perform; and that didn’t happen tonight for the Rams.

Congrats to Parkview… those are 17-18 year olds being forgotten in all of this… Grayson may be the best team in the country, but they are in last place tonight.

Go Panthers!

Observer

September 14th, 2012
11:48 pm

Really no answers for why Grayson was so flat tonight. I find it amusing how it’s being piled on… Does anyone in the state really think this changes who grayson really is? Who wants to play this team come playoffs?

Lost on 78

September 14th, 2012
11:48 pm

@ Fred: Ask and you shall receive:

“Parkview got some good field position off 2 separate 30 yard penalties, one while our player was being repeatedly being shoved down and not allowed to get up by multiple Parkview players. The white hat refused to talk to Mickey about what was going on. Mickey had to call a time out to get the ref to explain the call.”

Just say Parkview played the better game and move along…

Tonight is the Panthers’ night!

Fred

September 14th, 2012
11:51 pm

@Camden74 – Did you see the game? I would be interested to hear what a mostly impartial observer thought about the officiating. It is hard for me to totally rational about it no matter how hard I try.

@sportsnut – I’ll still stack us up against LJ any night. We have had too much success at this leve, tonight not withstanding. I too have preached the “any given night” for several years. I make no excuses for us, We clearly did not come to play tonight.

Lost on 78

September 14th, 2012
11:51 pm

Observer:

While I certainly think Grayson is still a very good team, and I think they “should” fight their way into the playoffs… after tonight I don’t think one should “assume” they will just waltz right into the playoffs…

Just food for thought…

Blake

September 14th, 2012
11:51 pm

Brookwood came back and beat Archer…could catapult their season…..Love Gwinnett Football…

GwinnettDad

September 14th, 2012
11:55 pm

@Fred – I already know you to be a class act. The blowhards are here, the egocentic little children are here too – they’re the ones with the biggest mouths and will screech like the immature twits they are. Ho hum. After all, if Grayson wins the State again, tonight will be remembered as a huge wakeup call.

Fred

September 14th, 2012
11:58 pm

@Lost on 78 – Try again. That does not in any way saw we lost because of the refs. It does explain why I said the officiating was interesting but in no way says we lost because of that. If you can get past your gloating you would see that I did congratulate Parkview, multiple times. Go back and read the blogs and you will find that I have repeatedly said Parkview was a good team. Once again, were you at the game? Did you see this live? Watching on GHSA tv isn’t good enough as much action went on away from the ball.

BcS2010

September 14th, 2012
11:58 pm

Grayson is too overratted like I’ve Ben saying tucker can beat grayson!! Another note region6 in 5AAAAA tucker beat Arabia 39-20. I cant lie Arabia is better than I thought. And MLK beat Mays 29-23 MLK is a average team they will have trouble against Stephenson and tucker.

cchswildcat86

September 14th, 2012
11:58 pm

Grayson will be fine……I think this will help Grayson refocus……

Camden74

September 14th, 2012
11:58 pm

Fred, now Grayson knows what it’s like to live with a TARGET on your back! Welcome to the club! Congratulations to Parkview……… :-)

Camden74

September 15th, 2012
12:01 am

Fred, I did not see the game. Actually I was referring to Camden’s game, bad officiating is getting to be a habit! But I can relate, it’s frustrating to watch/listen to……… :-D

Fred

September 15th, 2012
12:03 am

@GwinnettDad – Thanks! Gosh I hope this serves as a wake up call. It reminds me of the 2010 team where we never knew for sure which team was going to show up. We lost some we should have won and won some no one believed we could. I have been worried about this all week. I never assume we will win against anyone. Okay, maybe Meadowcreek but I have said for years they shouldn’t be playing a region schedule in football. ;-)

One thing is for sure, Region 8 just got very interesting!

Devil in Atlanta

September 15th, 2012
12:04 am

Fred, get a beer and relax a little man. Everybody loses games. Now Grayson loses too!

cchswildcat86

September 15th, 2012
12:05 am

The Norcross game I watched had it’s share of bad calls……

Fred

September 15th, 2012
12:06 am

@Camden74 – Amen on the target! I think we had one last year but this year’s was brighter I guess. I kind of liked being #2 most of last year.

Plowboy - Viking

September 15th, 2012
12:07 am

How many times did nkemdiche do his Aaron Rodgers thingy? Serves him right!!!

Camden74

September 15th, 2012
12:08 am

D Evil in Atlanta………Don’t think a beer will help, only time. :-)

JRW7

September 15th, 2012
12:09 am

Parkview 22
Grayson 7
Hahahaha

Plowboy - Viking

September 15th, 2012
12:10 am

I bet coach conn was working his gums doing that nervous thing with his hands and gums……ok enough gloating….Grayson is a really good football team and I would not want to play them next week!!!

Camden74

September 15th, 2012
12:12 am

When you’re # 1, every team plays you tough. It might be their championship game! :-)

cchswildcat86

September 15th, 2012
12:14 am

I just hope someone other than Camden gets that target….

Plowboy - Viking

September 15th, 2012
12:15 am

Tell me about it^^^^^

Plowboy - Viking

September 15th, 2012
12:18 am

In 2005 Lowndes was ranked #2 in the nation and lost to ware county because of fumbles…..it was a wake up call in route to a state championship

DOSTA DAWGS

September 15th, 2012
12:18 am

Everybody laughed and talked when Valdosta lost to Brooks Co. last week. It is soo hard to play at a high level every week. I’m sure Parkview played more inspired and probably played like this was the state title. A 0-2 Parkview team probably looked like a easy game to the Grayson players. When your the hunted, you have to be focused every week regardless if your playing the #1 ranked team in the country or a winless team!!!!! You are going to get every teams best effort!

cchswildcat86

September 15th, 2012
12:20 am

Fred could very well get the last laugh…….

Plowboy - Viking

September 15th, 2012
12:20 am

Pview was 1-1

Flo - Ri - Duh

September 15th, 2012
12:21 am

Maybe Nkemdiche isn’t #1 …….. my vote is for Montavius Adams. Cecile Flowe out coached and Parkview outplayed. The old man is still the best coach in the state.

Plowboy - Viking

September 15th, 2012
12:22 am

@cchswildcats86 ….. The state championship is coming to region1 this year!!!!

Plowboy - Viking

September 15th, 2012
12:23 am

Nkemdiche better get use to losing, because uga and FSU are going to take Clemson to the woodshed

marcus moore

September 15th, 2012
12:25 am

@fred, Do you remember the Colquitt/Grayson game last year, so I know you are not talking about bad calls. Grayson and the highly touted DE are overrated.