Built Different: Chandler Page, Parkview Christian
You know the old saying that Rome wasn’t built in day, right? Well there is some truth to that, in a football sense, with Parkview Christian Football.
After only winning two games in his freshman season to now playing in a state championship game tonight at Kearney. Chandler Page has been one of the major building blocks for the Parkview Christian football program.
Chandler, an all-state caliber running back and a very solid linebacker, is a unit for a six-man running back. Standing at 6-1 and weighing around 170 pounds, you rarely see a single man bring him down in the open field.
Like I said, Chandler's only won two games as freshman, but it has only been a steady uphill rise since then. Winning five games his sophomore, making the playoffs. A good step in the right direction, right? Well, the Patriots took another big step in his junior year, winning seven games, including a playoff game, and eventually losing to state runner-up Potter-Dix in the second round of the playoffs. Nothing to be ashamed of, not according to Chandler.
“Last year losing to Potter and exiting the playoffs early wasn’t fulfilling of any of us on the team,” Chandler said. “We all got together and decided that we wanted to achieve more. Over the off-season, all of us were doing something to become better because we knew to achieve more, we would have to put in more work.”
Put in the work they did. The Patriots have been dominant to say the least, winning and winning by a lot. The Parkview Christian offense is averaging a little over 51 points per game on offense and only giving up around 16 points per game. I say that pretty good if you ask me.
The Patriots lone loss came to Sumner-Eddyville-Miller, top seed in the Six-Man playoff bracket, back in Week Three, in which a game Chandler was sidelined after the second series due to a head injury. But the Patriots avenged their loss to the Mustangs with a 40-22 win in the semifinals, Chandler having a big part in the win, going for 36 carries for 304 yards and five touchdowns, punching the program's ticket to their first ever state football final.
After being a part of four teams, you start to notice the differences as the years goes on. Chandler thinks this team sticks out a lot compared to his first three years.
“Compared to past years that I’ve been a part of this team puts in more work,” Chandler said. “We set a strong foundation over the past years and have continued to build on it. Through all the hard work and grit, we have grown closer into a band of brothers and become a real family. Since we have that bond, we don’t want to let each other down.”
Going through four years of high school, you get play in a lot of games. One game stands out to Chandler, even though they lost, it is still one of his favorite games to ever played in.
“If I had to single out one game as my favorite, I’d have to choose playing Potter in the second round of the playoffs last year,” Chandler said. “Although we lost, it was a fun game to be a part of. It was a challenge and a physical game, taking plus giving hits. Making the trip out there with the team is also a memory that I’ll hold on to.”
I bet that was fun trip, but the Patriots have a fun trip this week. Traveling west to Kearney to take on Pawnee City on the campus of UNK. The Indians are by far the hottest team in Six-Man right now, but these two teams know a thing or two about each other. These two teams met back on Sept 30, where the Patriots dominated in a 43-16 win, but both teams are much improved from earlier in the season.
As for future plans, Chandler wants to study architecture somewhere, but he would like to continue participating in sports whether that would be football, track or both. Wouldn’t it be cool to design buildings? Sort of like building Rome in a day.
Sounds like a nice gig to me.