Parma Western Mixing Youth and Experience for 2026; Expecting Bounce Back Season

Photos by Hannah Tacy & Henry Black, JTV Sports

David Rice | JTV Sports

Wednesday August 5th

(8-5-2026, 4:00PM): After a 2-7 season in 2025, the Parma Western football squad still holds the same high expectations while mixing in youth for the upcoming 2026 campaign.

Western finished 2-7 overall in 2025 after a previous eight year run of making the MHSAA playoffs. Three of those seven losses were by just one score. But this year, the expectation is to compete once again for an Interstate 8 conference title and to reach the postseason.

Head Coach Cody Bentley is back for his second season at the helm. Bentley was previously the Panthers’ defensive coordinator for four years and also spent four years as the DC for Homer HS prior to that. This will be the first season for Bentley not calling the defensive plays, as he brings in a new DC and a new offensive coordinator.

Tony Panici will serve as the new defensive coordinator for Western. Panici comes in after many years as the DC for the Lumen Christi HS program, leading several championship-winning defenses. Erik Giannunzio will now serve as the new offensive coordinator.

Key players for the Panthers include senior QB Lincoln Levy, all-conference seniors Brody Parrott (RB/LB), Andrew Parrott (TE/DL),and senior D’Avion Hughes (WR/DB). Junior linemen Morgan Cameron and Gavin Ethridge are both expected to play key roles and have big seasons. Junior Connor Wrozek (WR/DB) is returning as a starter on defense, and HC Bentley is excited to see a spark from sophomore Logan Young (OLB/WR) on the offense.

The ability to motion, shift, and stretch teams horizontally will be a strength of the Panthers’ offense in 2026, and depth will be their strength on the defensive side. Western opens the season with a non-conference rematch against the Vikings at Jackson High School, a game that came down to the final play in 2025.

2026 Parma Western Football Schedule:

(all games at 7pm unless noted)

Friday 8/28 @ Jackson (LIVE ON JTV)

Thursday 9/3 @ Paw Paw

Friday 9/11 vs Battle Creek Harper Creek

Friday 9/18 @ Jackson Northwest

Friday 9/25 @ Hastings

Friday 10/2 vs Cadillac

Friday 10/9 vs Marshall

Friday 10/16 vs Battle Creek Pennfield

Friday 10/23 @ Coldwater