MORGANTOWN — University senior Evan Parow is no stranger to going unnoticed.
“I’ve always been under the radar in every sport I’ve played since I was young,” Parow said. “I’ve been used to it.”
Now, the rising wide receiver is becoming hard to ignore. Parow has been a stand out as a lethal weapon in the passing game, pacing the Hawks to the tune of 368 yards receiving and five touchdowns through three games.
His performance has proved crucial in an electric offense that averages 422 yards per game, and has propelled the Hawks to a 2-1 start to their season.
“I just go out and do the best that I can for my team, so we can win football games,” Parow said. “I look at my responsibility as a starting receiver as doing the job as best as I can, whether I’m running a route, blocking and catching a football.”
The mentality paid off for Parow, as he has become one of the top receiving threats in Class AAA. Now, when opponents line up against the Hawks, they know they have to account for Parow, or things can turn south quickly.
“He’s by far one of the most athletic and talented guys I’ve been around,” senior Amir Richardson said. “He does things that other guys just can’t. I love to see him getting the attention he deserves.”
Of course, a target like Parow also opens up options for Richardson himself. The WVU commit is a highly talented weapon at receiver, but teams can’t focus as heavily on Richardson with Parow lining up next to him. That allows the 2017 first-team all-state selection to continue making an impact, as well.
“Having a guy like him makes our opponents not just target me,” he said. “That way I can still help my team win days.”
Parow welcomes his new role on the offense — after years of solid play behind the top targets, he’s excited to have the stage to showcase his talents.
“I felt like I did really well last year, and I’ve wanted nothing more than to improve this year and show people that I can step up and make plays,” he said. “Stepping up as a top receiver is what I’ve been working for since the end of last season.”
As he looks to continue producing numbers and putting up points for the Hawks, Parow hopes his work will be just one piece of a larger puzzle — putting together another playoff campaign for the red-and-gold.
“I want nothing more than to not lose another game and make a deep run in the playoffs,” he said. “It’s my last year playing with these guys. I want to make it a good one.”
The Hawks will look to pick-up its third-consecutive win as they host Wheeling Park at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
