Plain Dealer
8/25
I still haven't found what I'm looking for
St. Ignatius combo Parris, Kirbus have experienced much success, but they still haven't found that elusive state football championship
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Eddie Dwyer
Plain Dealer Reporter
St. Ignatius senior wide receiver Robby Parris is a laid-back, good-natured kid.
But when asked to describe the tie that binds the success he and Wildcats all-district senior quarterback Rudy Kirbus have enjoyed, Parris' serious side came to the fore.
"Right away, it just seemed like we had a trust between each other, that we could rely on each other," Parris said.
The trust Parris referred to was developed long before he and Kirbus stepped inside St. Ignatius.
Parris, a West Sider, and Kirbus, an East Sider, became teammates as 9-year-olds competing in AAU summer basketball.
Those early years of competition are what Kirbus points to when discussing the confidence he has in Parris, both on the football field and the basketball court.
"I think playing basketball together five years before we got here, even though it's a different sport, gives you the trust that he's going to be there," Kirbus said of his favorite receiver. "If you throw the ball, Robby's going to catch it."
Parris and Kirbus, who also are one of the top tandems in area basketball, combined for 13 touchdowns last season. The 6-4, 190-pound Parris finished with 34 receptions, while averaging better than 22 yards per catch. Kirbus (6-4, 215) threw for 1,623 yards and 20 TDs, and completed nearly 55 percent of his passes.
"Knock on wood, I don't think Robby has ever dropped a pass I've thrown to him," Kirbus said. "He runs his routes so well, he's like a machine.
"We always joke around, because people don't think he's that fast. But I think it's all about game speed. And I would take his game speed over anyone in the state."
Parris, who credits his dedication to track last spring as being the key to his 4.5 40-yard dash time, cannot say enough about the savvy Kirbus brings to his quarterback position.
"Along with his physical attributes, Rudy just knows everybody's routes and where they're going to be every time," said Parris, a Notre Dame recruit. "He always has his head in the game."
Since cracking the varsity starting lineup in basketball as sophomores, Parris and Kirbus have tasted some of the sweetness of success. But they are far from satisfied.
As Kirbus pointed out, it is like the title and main lyric from the hit U2 song, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - a tune that occasionally inspires the Wildcats during weight-lifting sessions.
And what Parris and Kirbus are seeking is their school's 10th Division I state football championship.
St. Ignatius last won in 2001, the fall before Kirbus and Parris became Wildcats.
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</TD><TD vAlign=top>by Tom Kakert
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