2022 Team Preview - Parkway High School
January 18, 2022
High School: Parkway High School
Classification: LHSAA Class 5A (District 1)
Head Coach: Jay Gabehart
Team Strengths: Pitching Depth
Team Weaknesses: Overcoming Arm Injuries & Staying Healthy
Top Returning Players
-2023 SS/RHP Brandon Levy (University of Louisiana Commit)
-2023 3B/RHP Trenton Lape (Louisiana State University Commit)
Names to Know
-2022 UTIL Tyler Bouillon
-2022 OF Tanner Kirkland
Parkway High School was a team that we really liked heading into last spring. The Panthers finished the year 18-11 and went into the LHSAA Class 5A playoffs as the #18 seed, where they upset Sulphur, on the road, in the first round, and then fell to #2 seed West Monroe in the second round of the playoffs. They didn't go down easy against the Rebels, however, as they forced a Game 3, in which they lost by 1 run. This year's Parkway team returns quite a bit on the mound and offensively and also has a new head coach, in Jay Gabehart, who was previously the pitching coach at Zachary High School. Gabehart knows how to win and had prior success at Parkview Baptist High School, where he helped the team win two Class 3A state titles over six years. Winning all starts on the mound and Coach Gabehart really likes the arms that he has coming back, as long as they can stay healthy. The Panthers have two star junior pitchers in Brandon Levy (University of Louisiana Commit) and Trenton Lape (LSU Commit). Both, have battled injuries recently, however we were able to see Levy back on the mound this fall at our All-State Games, where he looked very sharp. His FB sat 85-89 mph, with cutting action at times, and he was able to flip in a big, "12-6" shaped CB, for strikes in any count. We saw Lape last spring work his FB up to 93 mph, sitting 88-92 mph. The LSU commit is an athletic mover and has aptitude for spin. Coach Gabehart is hopeful that Lape will be back on the mound towards the middle part of the season. Senior LHP Cade Josting gives the Panthers a left-handed option on the mound and Sophomore RHP Sean Waits should contribute even more this spring. Parkway's offensive lineup has the chance to be a deep lineup with the ability to hit for power, according to Coach Gabehart, and he told us that it all starts with Levy, serving as the catalyst to get their offense going. Lape will also be a big piece of the offensive lineup, as well as returning junior starters Barrett Newman and Zach Schoenborn, and senior Cameron Fink. Newman and Schoenborn are physical left-handed hitters, who were members of our Future Games team last summer. Newcomers that will be tally quality innings and at-bats for Parkway this spring include seniors Tyler Bouillon and Tanner Kirkland, as well as sophomore Shawn Driggers. District 1-5A was a really good one in 2021, with the likes of Haughton, Natchitoches Central, Benton, and Byrd. Benton won the district title last year and Byrd fell to Jesuit in the Division I State Championship game. Coach Gabehart believes that this team still has things to work on, such as improving their approaches at the plate, and most importantly, staying healthy, especially on the mound. We expect Parkway to gradually get better as this season moves along and if Lape can come back midway through the year, then the Panthers have two bonified #1 starters on the mound, and in a 3 game series format they will be awfully tough to beat.
UPCOMING EVENTS
| SHOWCASE | STATE | DATE | LOCATION |
| Southeast Louisiana Preseason ID | LA | 01/08 | Mandeville High School |
| Southwest Louisiana Preseason ID | LA | 01/15 | McNeese State University - Lake Charles, LA |
| Northern Louisiana Preseason ID | LA | 01/22 | Sterlington Sports Complex |
| Central Louisiana Preseason ID | LA | 01/23 | LSU - Alexandria |