BY JOEY GOODMAN
SPORTS EDITOR JGOODMAN@LAWTON-CONSTITUTION.COM  
Think back, when was the last time MacArthur was known for having a big, strong tight end who could get that big seal block on the corner or go downfield and catch passes?
Well, we’re not sure when that last happened either but we do know that this year the Highlanders don’t just have one good tight end, they have two in Dewayne Sanford and Quinton Paras, and coach Brett Manning says they are going to utilize them as much as possible, especially in games like the one coming up Friday against city rival Lawton High.
“You look back and it’s been some time since we had a true tight end,” Manning said. “We’ve always had those smaller receivers who could go downfield and make big plays but they weren’t big and strong enough to handle some of the blocking there at the point of the attack. Now we have two guys who fit that mold and we like both of them. In fact, we’re going to even line up in a two-tight set at times.”
Paras is one of the best athletes on the team, and anyone who witnessed him slamming down monster one-handed dunks in basketball last winter can easily attest to that fact. He also brings 4.6 speed in the 40 to the program, plus he brings a tremendous competitive desire to the practice field every day.
“I’m very competitive; I’ve always been that way,” the senior said. “I started playing football at Woodland Hills and that’s when I first started learning to run routes and catch the football.” Ironically, the quarterback throwing those passes was Adrian McDonald, Eisenhower’s senior quarterback who Paras and the Highlanders will face next week.
Paras really didn’t emerge for a time because he was moving around — he spent his seventh grade season at Eisenhower Middle School, he was in the eighthgrade at Tomlinson and then he wound up at Mac Middle in the ninth grade. Once he settled into one program, he quickly started emerging as a force and soon was making plays in both football and basketball. He knows at some point that he may have to choose one but for now he’s content to help the football team make a big run at the Gold Ball.
“Right now football is my focus,” he said. “I probably like basketball better because of the fans; they are right there on top of you and you hear them so much. When you throw down a dunk it’s a great feeling and the fans get to share that. Out here (football) you hear them but it’s not like in basketball.”
Last week Paras caught five passes, one for a short touchdown, and the Highlanders rolled to an easy 43-17 victory over Wichita Falls High. While those passes were important, his work with the scout team during the week was even more important.
“I just love doing stuff like that because it’s fun and it helps the team,” Paras said. “It helps the defense get ready for those guys and it keeps me busy.”
Sanford showed up at practice listening to Young Nation by Aaliyah. “It’s just something to help me get in the zone and get ready to focus,” the senior tight end said.
And, he better be focused because he and Paras are due for a good deal of work this season and he knows he needs to play better than he did last week, especially on the defensive side of the ball where he sees a good deal of action.
“I think I graded out about 80 percent, which is OK but I can do better,” Sanford said after a six-tackle performance. “I think I was in position to make a few more tackles, but I felt pretty good.”
As far as the defense goes, he gave them a 90 grade in the first half and then a 100 percent in the second.
“The defense really didn’t let them score, but we gave up some yards,” Sanford said. “The thing we did was we didn’t give them many big plays.”
So, what’s the most important thing a defensive end must do?
“You can’t let somebody pin you inside and then get to the boundary,” he said. “You have to be strong enough to shuck a blocker and work to the sideline and turn them back inside. You can’t get beat to the sideline; never.”
Sanford knows the Highlanders have the type of team that will challenge for the Gold Ball and he’s also setting his own goals just as high.
“I want to do something in the medical field; maybe become an anesthesiologist,” he said. “That’s always been a dream of mine and if you work hard you can make those dreams come true.”
Both players are excited about the big matchup with Lawton High Friday.
“The team that makes the least mistakes is going to win,” Paras said. “We made a bunch of mistakes last year and they beat us, so we want to come out and play the best we can play and see what happens.”
Sanford agrees and he sees a difference with last year’s Mac team and this one. “We have a team full of leaders this year and we’re all trying to make sure we don’t have letdowns like we did against Lawton last year,” Sanford said. “We want to play our best this time, not make a bunch of mistakes. You will see the real Mac team this time.”