Lawrenceburg's Parris enjoys physical nature of DL

It’s been said that defense wins championships. And, for Lawrenceburg High School senior Ethan Parris, he is hoping that adage proves true as the defensive lineman is optimistic this is the year for the Tigers. Ever since he was signed up for the game at the age of 5, Parris has dreamed of winning a championship and imposing his will on opposing players. “When I was five years-old, my parents signed me up for peewee football, and I fell in love with it. My favorite thing about playing on the interior defensive line is how physical it is,” Parris said. And, was Parris ever physical last year. In 13 games, he notched 33 tackles, five sacks and one interception. For his career, he has amassed 64 stops and seven sacks. Parris tells Sideline Prep Sports Report that he noticed a huge jump in his production during his freshman year when he started lifting weights with a focus. “The main thing that helped me become a better lineman is the weight room. My freshman year, I started taking weightlifting seriously and it’s played a huge factor. It feels good knowing the work you put in pays off,” Parris said. A season ago Lawrenceburg, who is coached by Ryan Knigga, finished 11-2 and lost to Heritage Hills in the regional round of the state tournament. Parris is hopeful this is the year the Tigers break through and contend for their first state championship game appearance since 2016. “From a team standpoint, our number one goal is always to win a state championship. My individual goals this season are 50 total tackles and 10 sacks,” Parris said. Along the way, he has received offers from Valparaiso, Mount St. Joseph and Lawrence Tech, while also drawing the attention of Indiana State, Dayton, the University of Indianapolis, St. Francis and Indiana Wesleyan.