Perry — Teachers know that sometimes highly motivated, interesting and interested, low-maintenance, unselfish students happen to pack particular classes. Everything clicks. Coaches experience it, too.

Perry-Lecompton football coach Mike Paramore instructs a senior class that is to the local high school landscape what Bill Self’s seniors of a year ago were to the national college basketball scene.

“A great senior class,” Paramore said. “There are not really any egos involved with them. They like each other. They hang out together. They pull for each other. They made a commitment as a group. We’ve had a great turnout in the summer time with our conditioning program, seven on seven, going to team camp, coming to our camp.”

Complacency never entered their vocabularies and that as much as anything is why the Kaws will compete at 1 p.m. for a 4A state title Saturday against favored Topeka Hayden in Salina.

“They’re a group of guys who had a lot of success coming in and didn’t let it go to their heads,” Paramore said. “They wanted it to continue in high school. Sometimes you see those groups in middle school they have great success and they think they’ve arrived. They’re fun to be around, fun to practice with, they have a good sense of humor, just a good group.”

A bunch he’ll look back upon fondly so many moons from now.

Paramore will remember the first time he saw Chakkaphong Artwichai kick a football and reacted with one word, “Wow!”

He’ll recall how leading receiver Kyle Morgison “didn’t like football when he came in as a freshman. Now he likes it.”

Two-way starter Eric Hastert will be held up as an example of what Paramore proved during his playing days at Ottawa University: “I don’t ever buy too small is why you can’t play. I wrestled at 126 my senior year in high school,” Paramore said.

The coach never will forget how his top running back, Mark Higgins, couldn’t play his freshman season because of an injury not related to football and still showed up for practice every single day.

When Paramore looks back on superstar double-threat quarterback Shane Gimzo he’ll remember an understated, humble teenager quietly handing the football to the official after yet another touchdown.

Images will endure of Aaron Andrew, coming off of two shoulder surgeries, making tackle after tackle, even though braces on both arms prevent him from stretching his arms very far from his body.

Left tackle Caleb Wege, a starter since midway through his sophomore season, “made himself into a good football player just by want to,” according to his coach.

Paramore will recall undersized nose tackle Josh Durflinger, the Kaws’ version of Free State’s Jack Caywood, as “a street-fighter kind of guy, plays with great leverage, just tough.”

The coach won’t ever forget that Dillion Freed, the starting center, outside linebacker and long snapper had a perfect attendance record over the summer, didn’t say a word, didn’t miss processing a thing.

Right tackle Casey Quigley, one of the three red-headed offensive linemen, impresses his coach with steady improvement.

When Paramore remembers Brad McNish, he hopes the memory can be that teammates helped him to become more ambitious in areas beyond just football.

Others will recall big tight end Joel Gantz for his excellent hands and vicious blocks, but it’s the way his motor keeps gunning every play of every day in practice that stands out for the coach. Paramore loves how offensive lineman C.J. Bunce’s toughness and drive make him a good example for young players to follow.

Trey Moss, a special teams contributor before injuring his knee, still attends practice. The coach forever will be grateful to Jacob Hayes and Roy Roberts for putting as much effort and attention to detail in their roles on the scout team as if they were being evaluated at an NFL combine. He’ll remember them for doing whatever they were asked to do to prepare teammates for the next game.

The coach wouldn’t have made it this far without the help of his family, either. Wife Tracey designed and updates kawfootball.com, a Web site slicker than that of some college football programs. Father Jim, a former Baker University All-American whose long Kansas coaching history includes stretches at Bethel College, Dodge City Community, Fort Hays State and Southwestern College in Winfield, is one of his assistants.

“To see your son doing what you did and seeing him doing it so well, you better believe this has been fun for me,” Jim said. “He’s a darn good football coach. I’m really proud.”

The younger Paramore is enjoying coaching a winner. He knows what it’s like to stand on the other sideline. When he took over the head coaching job at Bluestem High, he inherited a 29-game losing streak and watched it grow to 43. The year after it ended, Paramore’s team won four games.

“Our motto was shut the door on 44,” Paramore said. “We had a funeral that Monday, buried a jersey with No. 43 on it.”

He’ll never bury the memories this Perry-Lecompton senior class has created for him. Never.