2025 Warren East Raiders

2024 Record: 6-5

Graduation (from what I know):  Generational QB/LB Dane Parsely, Jackson McCool RB/DB, Jacob Miller WR, Stephen Rodriguez K, Santiago Hernandez (LB)

Return:  Brandon McClusky (SO) QB, Romario Johnson SR RB, Brayden Lightfoot SR WR, Logan Boyer WR, Levi Faulkner (SR) DB, Atlas Pinson JR DB, Mario Serna JR DB

Transfer:  SO QB Xavier Isabel (from Bowling Green)

This will be Coach Tanner Hall's 3rd Season off Louisville Road.  The Raiders started 2024 in very strong fashion winning 5 of their first 6 games, but district play proved to be their undoing where they would lose their final 3 district games to AC Scottsville, Tilghman and Logan County.  This sent them on the road in the playoffs where they lost a very hard-fought game to John Hardin 48-42. 

Graduating Senior QB/DB Dane Parsely was a generational 4-year starter for the Raiders that will be near impossible to replace.  Last year he passed for 2,289 of the 2,414 yards completed from scrimmage.  He passed for 22 TDs vs only 6 INTs.  Impressive.  AND he rushed for second most on the team (by 55 yards) for 824 yards and 19 TDs.  You might think I'm done with Parsely.  I'm not.  He also LED THE TEAM in tackles with 79 and 1 sack on the year.  That my friends is carrying the load!!!  They lose some other good players on offense like Jackson McCool and Jacob Miller.  But outside of Parsely and McCool most of the defense returns.  BUT they will all have to step up to replace what Parsely brought to the table.

As far as lines go, I really don't know about that.  Maybe our friends @TheBallCoach or @BillNye knows this.

Offensively, you were staring at a very tough picture coming into this season until rising SO Xavier Isable decided to transfer to Warren East from Bowling Green.  This is GREAT for the Raiders.  Isable works very hard and is very active in his X account (see below).  He is really raw though, so some time will be needed in this process.  While as a BG fan, I would have loved for Isable to have competed for the QB job off Rockingham Lane; doesn't look like it was meant to be.  So, best of luck to Mr. Isable and the Raider in 2025.  It is fair to say this is his 3rd school in 3 years.  I hope he finds what he's looking for as a Raider.

I don't have schedule information for them yet, but they have a large 6 team district with Allen-County Scottsville, Calloway County, Franklin-Simpson, Logan County and Paducah Tilghman.

 

 

 

I decided to hop on the lovely BGP this afternoon and we got @Purple88 talking about some Warren East Raider football last week. Was going to let spring ball play its way through but I don’t mind giving an opinion on the opening day of the spring practice window.

We’ll start at the top with Head Coach Tanner Hall, 12-11 through two seasons out on Louisville rd. This will undoubtedly be the toughest test for Coach and his staff with the graduation of Mr. Raider, Dane Parsley. Not only offensively but defensively as well, and quite frankly as a punter too who could boot it 50 or break a fake punt for a big gain. With all that being said, if I had to pick one side of the ball that I would believe to be in a better position come this fall it would have to be defensively. They played some good football at times and with DC Cortez Barber having gone through a season as a first year coordinator, I assume he learned quite a lot and although they do lose the leading tackler in Parsley they bring back quite a bit on that side of the ball and some of those guys are pretty talented and have a knack for the ball.

The glooming question for anyone in and around this Raiders program is what are we going to see offensively. It’s been an absolute nightmare for teams around the area these past few seasons knowing that Parsley is going to find a way to wreck your weekly gameplan. There is no more luxury for the Raiders of having a ball player who is able to find a way regardless of the situation. East lost their RB to graduation in Jackson McCool who recently signed with the Union Bulldogs, but they do bring back a few of the OL. Like many years the Raiders just haven’t had the luxury of high caliber big guys who want to play football on that side of town. I’d argue that the trenches will be serviceable but not dominant and unfortunately that’s what I believe they’ll need in order to move the ball this year. I noticed the transfer of the Sophomore QB Xavier Isable and I don’t believe anyone is more excited than the SR WR Brayden Lightfoot, the position was a HUGE question mark coming into the offseason and as a big time playmaker on the outside not having someone to get you the ball is a problem. I will say that I don’t like that you used the word “raw” @Purple88 unlike the Purples and a couple of the other schools in the area, I wouldn’t consider this a school grounded in the sense of knowing who they are as a program and I don’t believe they develop their talent to the fullest of their capabilities. It’s a very young and inexperienced staff on this side of the ball so they will truly be tested on their knowledge of the game and how they go about scheming defenses on a weekly basis. As mentioned above the capability of turning a disaster of a play into a 1st down or even a TD is no longer in play, not to say Isable couldn’t be that but I’ll have to see it to believe it because what I’ve witnessed in Parsley was truly extraordinary. I’m very interested on what we will see come fall, it’s going to be a lot of new faces having to step up and you don’t want to say it’s a “rebuilding” year in HS football but there will be quite a underclassmen that will be asked to play a role.

I have the schedule posted and I will say it’s a little strange to see Warren East playing a couple of Hardin County schools, wish they would’ve continued playing Barren County or even rekindled the series with Daviess, Edmonson, or Russell County. Overall I think it’s a decent schedule for the Raiders though so I have no complaints.

If you asked me today I’d say these Raiders start off the year 2-2, get a District win against Calloway County and lose their next five and miss the playoffs. Just too many question marks and no matter the 7on7s or spring practices it’s just going to be a very inexperienced team. I think their ceiling is possibly going .500 and hitting the road the first round of the playoffs, and I think that sort of route would have to be driven by some exquisite play on defense. 
 

Best of luck to the Raiders, if they can win a few games and catch a win against Franklin Simpson or Allen County Scottsville on the Smurf Turf you’d have to consider that a solid year.

 

12 hours ago, TheBallCoach said:

I noticed the transfer of the Sophomore QB Xavier Isable and I don’t believe anyone is more excited than the SR WR Brayden Lightfoot, the position was a HUGE question mark coming into the offseason and as a big time playmaker on the outside not having someone to get you the ball is a problem. I will say that I don’t like that you used the word “raw” @Purple88 unlike the Purples and a couple of the other schools in the area, I wouldn’t consider this a school grounded in the sense of knowing who they are as a program and I don’t believe they develop their talent to the fullest of their capabilities. It’s a very young and inexperienced staff on this side of the ball so they will truly be tested on their knowledge of the game and how they go about scheming defenses on a weekly basis. As mentioned above the capability of turning a disaster of a play into a 1st down or even a TD is no longer in play, not to say Isable couldn’t be that but I’ll have to see it to believe it because what I’ve witnessed in Parsley was truly extraordinary. I’m very interested on what we will see come fall, it’s going to be a lot of new faces having to step up and you don’t want to say it’s a “rebuilding” year in HS football but there will be quite a underclassmen that will be asked to play a role.

@TheBallCoach my use of the word "raw" was in direct reflection of having not taken one varsity snap to this point.  Not intended as a jab at the young man or program, just a fact. 

I hope East has a good season.  East, BG and South all lose generational QBs this year. So, all will be a little raw in the QB category come fall. 

Isable going to East is a good development in the fact that there is at the very least capable of slinging it around and mobile enough to occasionally turn nothing in to something. However, that in it of itself isn't enough for me to be too optimistic on the Raiders this year. I agree with @TheBallCoach and think 5-5 would be the ceiling for this season. Just too much production to replace and new faces to trust against that kind of schedule. I think putting the big Hardin Co schools on the schedule will prove to be a rough challenge just taking it at surface level. 

I think Coach Hall & the Raiders will have their work cut out for them this year. It will be his toughest coaching job to date. Lumps will be taken but hopefully some growth can be established as overall this is a semi young team. 

Unrelated to the upcoming season but surprising news to me nonetheless and thought I would share, I’m hearing that the 2025 WE graduate Dane Parsley is not furthering his athletic career at the next level. Very strange and uncommon that a player of his magnitude is not willing to test the waters in collegiate ball. If you’ve seen the young man play then you’d understand the confusion I have, 6’2 215, sub 4.5 40, brute strength with aggression while also being a very intelligent student on and off the field.

May not of been a Quarterback at the FBS level, but could’ve made an FCS program very happy. Defensively on the other hand, I have a hard time believing that he couldn’t have played a big role in someone’s program at the highest of levels.
 

Hate to see one of the best athletes in the schools history playing days come to an end.

14 minutes ago, TheBallCoach said:

Unrelated to the upcoming season but surprising news to me nonetheless and thought I would share, I’m hearing that the 2025 WE graduate Dane Parsley is not furthering his athletic career at the next level. Very strange and uncommon that a player of his magnitude is not willing to test the waters in collegiate ball. If you’ve seen the young man play then you’d understand the confusion I have, 6’2 215, sub 4.5 40, brute strength with aggression while also being a very intelligent student on and off the field.

May not of been a Quarterback at the FBS level, but could’ve made an FCS program very happy. Defensively on the other hand, I have a hard time believing that he couldn’t have played a big role in someone’s program at the highest of levels.
 

Hate to see one of the best athletes in the schools history playing days come to an end.

Sometimes kids simply have had enough.  Their love & passion for the game are gone.  They’re done with the game & good for them for recognizing that.  The game is done with 99.9% of football players before they’re done with it.  He’s part of the lucky 0.1%.  Best of luck to him.

2 hours ago, Unrivaled97 said:

Sometimes kids simply have had enough.  Their love & passion for the game are gone.  They’re done with the game & good for them for recognizing that.  The game is done with 99.9% of football players before they’re done with it.  He’s part of the lucky 0.1%.  Best of luck to him.

I disagree, if it were someone who didn’t have the capability of taking advantage of the possible prosperity that the next level has to offer in this day and age then sure go out on your high horse as the best player to ever come through lil ol’ Warren East HS. That’s just not the case when you’re talking about this young man who has all the physical attributes and intelligence you need to be great. I’d agree with you if he had won 3 state championships in a row and was tired of the grind and felt accomplished already, I know a lot of Bowling Green Purples from the 2012-2014 3 peat run they had that could’ve easily played at the next level, just got burnt out, which I still think was a silly decision not to at least give it a try but it’s understandable.
 

I’d argue that since he didn’t get the offers from the programs he believed he could play at it led him to question his belief in himself, which is asinine because the kid is a stud. Makes you  question his maturity and the people in his corner, which he’s 18, and I didn’t know what I wanted from this world either so that checks out. However, Coaches, Parents, friends, they’re failing the young man from a mentorship perspective by not being boisterous about what he could become, kids are easily persuaded when you have that belief in them that they may not be able to understand at the present time. With that being said every guy that I know that has had the luxury to play on Saturdays and even Sundays knows it becomes strictly business after HS, love and passion for the game is nice to have but in the grand scheme it’s all about business. It’ll be a decision he’ll regret for the rest of his life, not even attempting to see where this great game could take him, at minimum walking on at WKU and seeing where you stand before hanging it up, because once it’s over there is no going back.

15 hours ago, TheBallCoach said:

I disagree, if it were someone who didn’t have the capability of taking advantage of the possible prosperity that the next level has to offer in this day and age then sure go out on your high horse as the best player to ever come through lil ol’ Warren East HS.

Dane was a great player. But in the last 30 years alone, Warren East has produced:

Stephen Anthony - Indiana University TE

Jeremy Britt - One of the best RBs in KYFB history, statistically and objectively 

Shenard Holton - U of L Strong Safety

Eli Brown - US Army All-American, UK/WKU LB

I think Dane can walk away and say he was one of the best to ever play for the Raiders. And that's a pretty special company to be in. 

49 minutes ago, VF111 said:

Dane was a great player. But in the last 30 years alone, Warren East has produced:

Stephen Anthony - Indiana University TE

Jeremy Britt - One of the best RBs in KYFB history, statistically and objectively 

Shenard Holton - U of L Strong Safety

Eli Brown - US Army All-American, UK/WKU LB

I think Dane can walk away and say he was one of the best to ever play for the Raiders. And that's a pretty special company to be in. 

I don’t disagree that you can make an argument for any of those names you’ve mentioned, especially Britt, unworldly numbers indeed. Holton in my opinion is the biggest what if that has come through the Warren County area to start the 21st century, didn’t have great numbers for the Raiders but showed his ability at the next level in big time fashion, so that’s understandable as well.
 

However, Parsley leaves Louisville Road behind as the All-time Rushing TD leader, #2 in Rushing yards, atop of every passing record, undoubtedly the best punter the school has seen and add to that his defensive prowess that we got to see in his final two seasons. A modern day Jim Thorpe if you will, I have a difficult time not giving him the throne; though I do understand the level of competition he had to face was rather favorable compared to the list above, so it’s reasonable to say why others would have that title as the best.

 

Outside of the rankings of the wonderful past Raiders, how you say @VF111, you’ve seen the young man play, and seen enough talent to know whether or not they have a gift that not many people are fortunate enough to have. Would you have mentored him to chase what’s next in the game of football to see where it could possibly take him or tell him it’s time to start paying bills and being a working adult for the rest of his life?

One big question that only Parsley would be able to answer would be, was football even his favorite sport? I know he was also pretty invested in baseball and basketball at WE. 

A hard truth that I have learned in many years of being around HS athletes is that it is not uncommon that a kid loves a sport that they are just "OK" in, and are "meh" about a sport in which they are exceptional at. And this is regardless of the amount of success or lack thereof they experience.

Not saying that this is the case for Parsley. But I can tell you it has been the case for more players that I have come across than would seem rational. 

I think Parsley could play at the next level. It would be an uphill climb though (as it is for 99% of people going to the next level), as he is big, but not exceptionally big, fast but not exceptionally fast. I would say his exceptionality lies in his ability to remain balanced when getting hit. He is incredibly difficult to tackle.  

5 minutes ago, VF111 said:

One big question that only Parsley would be able to answer would be, was football even his favorite sport? I know he was also pretty invested in baseball and basketball at WE. 

A hard truth that I have learned in many years of being around HS athletes is that it is not uncommon that a kid loves a sport that they are just "OK" in, and are "meh" about a sport in which they are exceptional at. And this is regardless of the amount of success or lack thereof they experience.

Not saying that this is the case for Parsley. But I can tell you it has been the case for more players that I have come across than would seem rational. 

I think Parsley could play at the next level. It would be an uphill climb though (as it is for 99% of people going to the next level), as he is big, but not exceptionally big, fast but not exceptionally fast. I would say his exceptionality lies in his ability to remain balanced when getting hit. He is incredibly difficult to tackle.  

Add Track and Field to that list of extracurricular activities as well, had a 21”7 long jump which is quite impressive considering his size of 6’2 215, which is the size of D1 Safeties, hell NFL safeties for that matter. Only being 18 as well, they’d put a little more lead in his pencil and possibly make him a LB, you could even let him flip the field with one swing of the leg, the possibilities are endless. Runs a 4.53 in the 40, game speed though? I didn’t see him get ran down once in his career and he broke a lot of long runs. Fits all the credentials to get the looks, and I’m unsure why he didn’t quite frankly, but I truly believe this is a testament to how these college programs view HS recruiting today rather than the talent of the player we’re talking about. No reason he shouldn’t have gained a few offers from some smaller FBS programs.
 

You’re right though, at the end of the day it’s his path and whatever he chooses to do it’s the bed that he made. Personally as a coach, mentor, and fan of the game I hate to see someone who has all the ability in the world to be great give up before even turning over the stone, life doesn’t go anywhere, the responsibilities, bills, it’s every day until we croak, but the timer you have to play the greatest sport on earth has an expiration date. Have to see it through.

Bump.