Park Hill puts themselves on the map

Park Hill’s Boys Basketball hasn’t had too many games where they’ve made statement in recent years. Going up against some of the top teams in the metro hasn’t produced the results coach David Garrison and his Trojans would have liked in the past. That’s all changed this season and was taken to the next level last Saturday in Park Hill’s inaugural appearance in the William Jewell Holiday Classic as they defeated Grandview, defending state runner-up, by a score of 70-59.

It was evident from the tip that Grandview would use their speed and size to play the Trojans full-court the entire game. Nothing came easy for Park Hill, but a composed and methodical breakdown of the Bulldog press allowed them to get some quality opportunities in the half-court. Even with a controlled offense, Park Hill found themselves down throughout the first half including a 16-10 deficit at the end of the first quarter.

“We weren’t moving very well,” Garrison said of their first half. “It took us awhile to get our legs underneath us.”

Grandview’s 6’7” power forward, Quentel Denson, was a big threat down low for the Trojans and when combining it with their fast style of play could have led to a detrimental scoring streak at any time, but the Trojans held steady with physical defense and went into halftime only down 33-25.

“We knew from watching him in the Hy-Vee Shootout what problems he could cause us,” Garrison said of Denson.

Coming out of the second half, the Chris Nsenki Show came alive as he racked up four consecutive three-pointers for Park Hill. A defense led by De’Aris Flint and Anthony Walters then rattled the Bulldogs allowing Park Hill to take a 45-43 lead late in the third quarter. The Trojans didn’t look back and squashed any potential momentum Grandview was looking to gain by playing fundamental defense.

One key to the Trojans sustaining their lead was their tenacity towards defensive rebounds and pulling the ball in on second and third chances that Grandview wasn’t able to. Park Hill took advantage of the energy as Justin Leathers converted a series of free throws and Brady Kreitzer finished consecutive lay-ins to extend the lead to 64-54 before finally pulling out the victory by a final score of 70-59. Four of Park Hill’s starters finished in scoring double-digits with Nsenki’s 18, Leathers’ 17, Kreitzer’s 16, and Walters’ 11 points.

Garrison talked about the significance of the victory, especially when playing in the tournament for the first time and the added exposure that comes with it.

“It’s new for our program, being in this tournament,” Garrison said. “This is their first time in this setting so to be playing in front of this many different people is something out of our element and it was a big win for us.”

As we went to deadline on Tuesday night, Park Hill (5-1) was playing O’Hara (7-1) in the semifinal round at William Jewell.

Park Hill and Platte County get physical

The Lady Trojans (5-2) and Lady Pirates (7-1) start their Christmas break this week as their next games won’t be until January 4th against Belton and Grandview. It doesn’t mean they won’t be working hard though as the break will provide for some important practice time to sharpen up on certain things as they head into the bulk of their season.

For Park Hill, one key will be decreasing the amount of turnovers they give up. It has been one area holding the Trojans back early this season and was a factor again last Friday as they played defending state champion Platte County.

“I think it’s more mental because we’re getting more pressure put on us. They’re unforced and uncharacteristic turnovers,” Coach Brian Rockers said. “It’s going to be one our focuses over break.”

The Pirates visited the Trojans in a battle of two bordering school districts. Park Hill came swinging out of the gate to gain a 13-9 lead with the help of three-pointers from Laura Bennett (2) and Michele Rupard over the Pirates’ zone defense. Bennett led all Trojan scorers with 14 for the game. Platte County was able to close the gap to 17-15 going into the 2nd quarter with a steady dose of close range jump shots.

Shortly after the start of the second quarter, the Pirates sparked their momentum when Kelsey Knox dove into her own bench in a successful effort to deflect a ball over a Trojan defending out of bounds. Platte County took their first lead of the game shortly after at 21-17 as the game speed picked up. The Pirates went into halftime with a 28-27 lead. Once again, Platte County came out of the break with momentum taking a 35-27 lead midway through the third quarter. Both teams displayed defensive intensity throughout the game, but outstanding performances from Lady Pirate Taylor Johnson with 30 points and Kelsey Knox with 17 points was too much for the Trojans as they were only able to come within three points late in the fourth quarter before falling 60-52.

It was an unusually physical game, but even this early in the season, when two teams with high expectations meet against each other the stakes are higher.

“It was just two teams getting after each other,” Rockers said of the physical play. “We aren’t necessarily a real physical team, but our girls didn’t back down.”

It was the second loss in a row for Park Hill as they lost to Truman last Thursday 40-31, in a game that could mean something in the conference standings the next time they meet.

“We played catch up the whole game, but if we played the way we did tonight (vs. Platte County) then we could have taken care of business,” Rockers said. “Our conference race is wide open and we’ll see them again.”

Player’s death has left positive legacy through alumni game

Sometimes when people experience tragedy it isn’t necessarily the initial event that people remember, but what comes out of it and whether it can be turned into something positive. Darren Floyd, a junior at Park Hill High School, was involved in a car accident that claimed the life of him and classmate Brandon McPherson in the spring of 2004. Unfortunately, the accident hit home for me as both were good friends of mine and we had only left minutes apart on our ways home. The effect their deaths had not only on me, but parents, teachers, family, and friends was enormous. It isn’t death and sadness I want to focus on though, but how the tragedy has resulted in the creation of something special at Park Hill High School that will be on display this Saturday night in the school’s gymnasium.
Darren, an avid athlete, had previously finished his junior basketball season by receiving team awards for his high three-point shooting percentage and the team leadership award for his outstanding character and attitude. Knowing about his love for the game, parents and friends decided to name a scholarship fund in his memory. Not only would they start the scholarship, but they would fund it by putting together an exhibition basketball game featuring former players in a friendly hoops game. The first game was held in January of 2005 and a crowd usually un-seen at regular varsity games filled the gymnasium in an outpouring of support. Thousands of dollars would be raised over the next three years; eventually it was enough to officially endow the Darren Floyd Memorial Scholarship with the Park Hill Education Foundation and an additional scholarship to be awarded to a graduating member of the boy’s basketball team for college. In 2007, Darren’s #14 was retired by the program and remains the only basketball player to have had that privilege.
After the scholarship had been endowed and Darren’s number retired, there were some who thought there wasn’t a need to continue the game as an annual event. What they hadn’t realized though, is the game in and of itself had become something meaningful in ways the inaugural organizers had not envisioned. It was something former players started to look forward to each year. As it tends to be the case with high school, some alumni didn’t have any other reason to come back, but would for a worthy cause. For recent graduates, it was something they had come to expect to participate in as new alumni. Even those who weren’t familiar with the original circumstances or the person for which the game is named would have at least one thing in common, a love for the game. With the demand so high, a new energized group of current basketball parents and friends put forward their time to make sure the alumni game stayed alive along with the different symbolic meanings it had for each person involved.
With that in mind, one of the only events of its kind in the area is set to tip-off again this Saturday. The fifth annual game features the largest contingent of returning alumni players yet. The game will once again be a reminder of how fragile life is, but also how positive things can result from the most tragic of circumstances. It wouldn’t be able to happen if five years ago a committed group of people didn’t try to do the right thing and bring a community in mourning together. The feeling those in the gym on Saturday night will experience can be credited to Darren because of the 17 years of life he lived and also a reflection on us in the previous five years he’s been absent.

Lady Trojans look to big week ahead

Coming off a Fort Osage Tournament Championship run, the Park Hill Lady Trojans were back in action last Tuesday as they played their home opener against Ruskin. The Trojans built a gradually increased lead throughout the first half resulting in a 22-13 halftime score. Park Hill increased their lead in the second half to end up winning 41-30. Leading the Trojans in scoring were Laura Bennett with 11 points and Katy Plummer with 10.

After such impressing performances last week, Coach Brian Rockers felt his team could have played better.

“Overall, not one of our better performances so far this season,” he said.

Although they didn’t shoot very well from the field (32%) and had more turnovers than they would have liked(31), their defense was able to put up enough pressure to pull out the win.

“We have a lot to work on before a big week next week,” Rockers said of their upcoming matchups.

Those three big games will be a measuring stick of the season up to this point. They travel to Truman on Thursday to face a 1-5 Patriot team in a conference game, and then host defending state champions Platte County (6-0) on Friday night. Rockers emphasized the importance of both games in the pre-season and what potential wins against those opponents could do momentum and confidence-wise.

Park Hill Boys off to fast start

The Park Hill Boys Basketball team is off to one of its better starts in recent years after defeating Truman and Oak Park last week. The Trojans, now 4-1, won’t have much of a break though, because they’ll be preparing to take on highly ranked Grandview the day after Christmas in the first game of the William Jewell Tournament in Liberty. Grandview comes in with a record of 3-3 after beating Shawnee Mission East last weekend in the Hy-Vee Shootout at Avila University.

A win against Truman last week by a score of 76-65 was a big road victory as the Trojans were able to contain top guard Antonio Winn especially in the second quarter as they were able to go into halftime with a 33-19 lead. Justin Leathers turned in an outstanding performance with 35 points while De’Aris Flint added another 15. They were able to see gains from their defensive rebounding and control of the ball in their offensive sets. Chris Nsenki put up 13 points while battling a sprained wrist. He’s expected to return to the lineup next week.

Then last Thursday, facing a young and inexperienced Oak Park Northmen squad, the Trojans used their athleticism and active defense to take a steady halftime lead of 30-24. It was at that point when De’Aris Flint took center stage and went on to score 14 points in the third quarter which he capped off when he received a Steven Clark pass and took it in for a dunk. Flint finished with 26 points.

“It was a night when he was finishing it whenever he had a chance to get a shot off,” Garrison said of Flint.

“As a basketball player, when you get that moment when you have that kind of confidence, you have to go for it. Otherwise, you’re hurting yourself and the team,” Garrison said of some of his players’ ability to take over a game.

Park Hill only allowed three Oak Park points and had gained a 41-25 score going into the fourth quarter. The Trojans continued to pull away before posting a final score of 56-34.

“Nathan Wilson, Burt Taylor, Steven Clark all gave us some good minutes. Especially with Chris (Nsenki) out, we were able to overcome that. Anthony Walker stepped up and he can start for us if we need him to,” Garrison said of his team’s bench play of late.

Park Hill will now look to an early morning game on December 26 against Grandview who will pose some difficult challenges to the Trojans. Their reputation is one that includes a fast-paced style of play possibly not similar to any opponent Park Hill has seen.

“They’ve got some height and some kids who are very fast,” Garrison said. “They like to play in the full court.”

Park Hill looks to build momentum going into William Jewell Classic

The Park Hill Boys built on their first home victory by pulling out a win against North Kansas City last Tuesday. It was a quality win to build momentum coming into this week with games at Truman and then against Oak Park this Thursday before having a week off to prep for the William Jewell Tournament over Christmas break.

In the first half, the Trojans allowed themselves to get into foul trouble as Chris Nsenki, Justin Leathers, and De’Aris Flint all had two apiece, but went into the locker room at halftime with a 42-36 lead. Stepping up for their teammates in foul trouble was Brady Kreitzer who finished with 24 points and 8 rebounds along with Anthony Walter who added 13 points.

Nsenki and Leathers came back in the second half to round out a Trojan offense that presented a balanced scoring attack with 20 and 11 points respectively. Nsenki also grabbed seven boards.

The Hornets were able to cut the margin to three going into the fourth quarter. That’s went Park Hill went to work at the free throw line. As many coaches have said over and over again, free throws win games, and that was the story for Park Hill last week as they made 27 of 34 in the game. With that, the Trojans increased the margin to 82-73 for the final score.

“We did a great job of getting to the free throw line and converting,” Coach David Garrison said.

Park Hill is now 2-1 on the year as they’ll play key conference games against Truman who is off to an undefeated start to the season after winning the Blue Springs/Blue Springs South Tournament this past weekend. Oak Park at 2-3 then travels to Park Hill following a lose against Southeast last Friday night.

Lady Trojans start season undefeated, look to Platte County

Coming off a Fort Osage Tournament Championship run, the Park Hill Lady Trojans were back in action last Tuesday as they played their home opener against Ruskin. The Trojans built a gradually increased lead throughout the first half resulting in a 22-13 halftime score. Park Hill increased their lead in the second half to end up winning 41-30. Leading the Trojans in scoring were Laura Bennett with 11 points and Katy Plummer with10.

After such impressing performances last week, Coach Brian Rockers felt his team could have played better.

“Overall, not one of our better performances so far this season,” he said.

Although they didn’t shoot very well from the field (32%) and had more turnovers than they would have liked(31), their defense was able to put up enough pressure to pull out the win.

“We have a lot to work on before a big week next week,” Rockers said of their upcoming matchups.

Those three big games will be a measuring stick of the season up to this point. They travel to Truman on Thursday to face a 1-5 Patriot team in a conference game, and then host defending state champions Platte County (6-0) on Friday night. Rockers emphasized the importance of both games in the pre-season and what potential wins against those opponents could do momentum and confidence-wise.

Park Hill starts season with impressive performances

It was an exciting first week of the season for the Park Hill Boys Basketball team. They started off against a formidable opponent in tradition-strong Liberty. The Trojans knew coming into the game that it would be a key game early in the season to give them an idea of where they are and where they could be by the end of the season. With four starters in double-figures including Chris Nsenki’s 25, Justin Leather’s 14, Brady Kreitzer’s 13, and De’Aris Flint’s 10 points, the Trojans came out swinging. No team wants to lose, but the 73-68 score that left Liberty on top in the end was something the Trojans wanted to build on coming into their home-opener last Friday against Winnetonka.
The Trojans didn’t get the rhythm they wanted in their offense during the first half, but with a tenacious defense led by De’Aris Flint and an overall solid rebounding effort they went into halftime only down 21-17. Things started clicking in the second half when the momentum shifting to the Trojan’s favor when Chris Nsenki erupted for a series of three-pointers. The first gave Park Hill their first lead of the game mid-way through the third quarter and gave the crowd something to get behind.

“He has stretches where he can take over a game,” Coach David Garrison said of Nsenki’s shooting ability.
With the offensive runs they went on in the fourth quarter came a renewed intensity on the defensive end. Flint took a fast break pass and finished it with a dunk to open the fourth quarter to put the Trojans up by ten at 44-34. Winnetonka did not go quietly into the night though, as they went on a run that cut the lead to one at 48-47 with three minutes remaining.

“They’re very fast and they’ll make you pay for it,” Garrison said of some of the troubles Winnetonka gave the Trojans.
The Trojans’ high-energy defense frustrated the Griffins into fouling down the stretch, as Park Hill was able to make several key free throws to seal the victory. Justin Leathers, was key in putting the game away as he was able to make four free throws and a layup in the last minute to lead the Trojans to a 63-51 victory.

“Defensively, I’m happy with what we were doing,” Garrison said. “We just have to be consistent.”

Trojans bring home tourney championship

The Park Hill Girls Basketball team is off to quite a start after winning the Fort Osage Tournament this past week to start the season 3-0. A 69-44 victory over Ray-Pec in the first round featured a strong performance from the starting five as they all score in double-figures with Laura Bennett, Spenser Rhodus, and Helena Hudson all scoring ten points apiece along with Kyleesha Weston’s 11 points and Katy Plummer’s 17.

“We played well for our first game,” coach Brian Rockers said. “I was very pleased with our balanced scoring and total team effort.”

Next, the Trojans faced off against the host team, Fort Osage, in the second round. A second half adjustment to full court man to man defense allowed the Trojans to pull away after a close first half to win 53-41. Bennett hit two three-pointers on her way to 20 points added in with Weston’s 11 and Plummer’s 12 points.

In the championship game, Park Hill went up against Kansas City Central. And what a title game it was, with the two teams neck-to-neck the entire game. Central took a 21-18 lead going into halftime in what would be a low-scoring, defensive-oriented game. Going into the fourth quarter the Trojans had narrowed the margin to a score of 30-28 with Central still ahead, but an unusual strategy was taken by Central on offense as they held the ball for nearly four minutes to force Park Hill out of their half-court zone defense. The Trojans were eventually able to force a steal and convert it into a score to tie it up. Central sank two free throws to go up by two with 23 seconds remaining in the game, but sophomore Kyleesha Weston came up big when she received an inbounds pass with 3.2 seconds and hit a three-pointer to win the game along with bring home the championship trophy. The three-pointer was the only of the game for Park Hill and made up for three of Weston’s seven points. Plummer contributed 11 points and Bennett added 8.

“Gutsy effort from our girls as they held on and fought through some strange things to pull it off,” Rocker said.

They’ll come home to play Ruskin this week in their first home game, then play two tough conference games at Oak Park and Truman next week before playing a key game against Platte County on Dec. 18th.

In honor of a fallen Marine

Early last week as we were in the process of printing our Thanksgiving edition, we learned of the tragic death of 20-year-old United States Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas Hand. Hand was laid to rest early this week after. He killed on November 22 in an exchange of small-arms fire in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan while support Operation Enduring Freedom. After attending Park Hill High School, he graduated early from Oak Park High to enlist at age 17. He deployed to Iraq in April of 2008 for a tour lasting seven months, allowing him to return and spend the holidays with his family. In late October of this year, Hand was deployed again in a second tour of duty, this time to Afghanistan. The second-oldest of ten siblings, he saw the Marine Corps as a second family and performed the job of a squad leader with a great sense of duty. Hand approached the Corps much the same way he lived his life, disciplined, patriotic, and with a smile. Well-liked and encouraging to his peers, when he returned he was considering college and pursuing a career in politics. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Nicholas' name may be made to Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.

Having not known him very well, but seeing him on various occasions, I was able to see his pride and dedication to the Marines on display because it was evident to those around him. For those of us who were fortunate to know him, even by associate, we are grateful. Thank you for your valued service and dedication to our country along with the happiness you’ve share with those closest to you. Our thoughts go out to your family.

Trojans Swim & Dive team looks to constant improvement as key

After winning their conference the two previous years, it was dissatisfying for the Park Hill Girls Swim and Dive team to come up short by finishing second in last year’s conference meet. But that leaves all the motivation in the world for Karl Haley’s team coming into this year.

Haley tries to focus his team on the importance of two meets all season: conference and state, where they finished 24th last year.

“We point all of our training towards two meets,” Haley said. “All the other meets are tests that occur along the way.”

They want those meets to be their best performances. In fact, last year each member of the team accomplished not only their best individual showings of the season in those meets, but also in their careers. The Trojans strive for that kind of constant improvement in order to get the kind of results they want when they matter most.

“We expect the same this year,” Haley said of his team’s approach.

Like all competitors, Haley says it’s about who can work harder and smarter than their opponents. With another successful swim program not too far away in rival Park Hill South, it’s an easy motivator for members of the team. Battling a rival for that top spot year after year makes it mean just that much more.

Park Hill will return several proven members of their team from last season. Brynn Guardado and Kori Wagner were a part of the team to set the school record in the 200 medley relay last year. Both were named all-state honorable mention. Guardado in the 200 free, 500 free, 200 medley, and 400 free relay events. Wagner in the 200 medley relay event. Kaley Hensel was also honored as an all-state honorable mention for her performances in the 100 breaststroke, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay. On the diving side, Eleanor Parrott returns after being a state qualifier. Erin Flagler, Halle Musfeldt, Molly Pennington, Hannah Pennington, Hannah Rank, Hannah Reichert, and Erin Barry round out the rest of the team as returning lettermen.

The Trojans’ big meets of the year will be their own Park Hill Invitational in early January followed by the KC Classic later in the month.

Trojans look to fast-paced approach, intense defense to reach next level

A 14-13 record last year for the Park Hill Boys Basketball team was just enough to declare their first winning season since 2002-2003. Gradual improvement for third year head coach David Garrison is what he’s looking for though. A foundation in place, the Trojans will be looking to take another step forward this season.

With first-team all-conference forward Justin Leathers and returning starter Chris Nsenki coming back alongside seniors Steven Clark, Bryan Willis, and Austin Kepler, Park Hill will be looking to use their athleticism to put pressure on Suburban Conference foes this season. Juniors Anthony Walter, De’Aris Flint, Nathan Wilson, Burt Taylor, and Brady Kreitzer will all be in the mix of what will be a team with good depth.

Garrison’s approach to the game focuses on basic defensive fundamentals: not fouling, blocking out, and rebounding.

“If we can do that every game, we’ve got a chance to win regardless of how we do on offense,” Garrison said. “After that it just comes down to decision making.”
The Trojans have stuck with a simple man-to-man defensive approach ever since Garrison took over the coaching position in 2007, but with the depth and ability of some of his players this year they may look to get away from the basket a little more and take their defense into the full court.

As is normal at this stage in the season, the Trojans have been working their bodies into game condition. Not only is there a focus on the physical side, but also the mental. A lot of time early on has been spent on making good decision and getting a good shot selection each time down the floor. Successfully handling situations late in the game is the goal of the early attention.

“You better be playing your best towards the end (of the game) or you’re not going to be successful,” Garrison said of the importance of playing well at the right time.

One thing the Trojans know for sure is that the next step forward won’t be easy as they’ll face top competition in what seems to be a loaded conference schedule. Park Hill South, Winnetonka, Truman, and defending champion William Chrisman all have different strengths they’ll have to compete against.

“You have to come and play every night because you’re playing against some outstanding coaches and players,” Garrison said. “You’re playing a 32-minute basketball game and if you have a bad three minute stretch it could come back and cost you.”

Lady Trojans return experience, tough defense

One of the good things about being thrown into the fire is that the next time it isn’t quite as bad. The Park Hill Girls Basketball team has reached that point with eight returning lettermen on their squad this year. Five of them are seniors, who bring back strong experience after having seen significant playing time since their sophomore year. Coming off an 11-15 season last year, the expectations are much higher coming into this season.

With a team who will showcase their quickness and athleticism, you won’t see a lot of size on head coach Brian Rockers’ team. His tallest player, Katy Plummer, measures 5’11” and returns as the team’s leading rebounder after averaging 6.7 boards and 9.8 points a game in her junior campaign. Also returning will be leading scorer and all-conference, all-district first team honoree, Laura Bennett who averaged 11.5 point per game last season. Emma Gossett returns with her average of 4.8 points and will play a big role in bringing energy to the defensive end which will be key for the fast-style of play the Trojans look to put into motion. Seniors Spenser Rhodus and MacKenzie Janner will be vying for a starting spot, but will contribute nonetheless in the rotation.
“We’ve talked a lot to them about what they need to do,” Rockers said of his seniors. “We’re expecting a lot out of them, not only on the floor, but off the floor and in terms of leadership.”

Look for Sophomore Kyleesha Weston to lead the Trojan offense as she returns at the point guard position after improving over the summer and becoming more comfortable running the offense. Juniors Helena Hudson and Liza Hill round out the returning letter winners after being in the mix as sophomores last year.

Rockers believes his team’s success will rely a lot on whether they can produce points and if their shooting continues to progress as the season goes on. Having confidence in a high-speed, attack defense that features both the ¾ court trap and man defenses, the Trojans will have to convert what they hope will be turnovers into points.

“In order to play fast, you have to put the ball in the basket,” Rockers said. “If the ball is going in (the hoop) coming into February, we’ve got a chance.”

Key matchups for the Trojans will include two games against rival Park Hill South, defending state champion Platte County, and two games against Truman. If things work out the way Park Hill hopes, that second game against Truman could be for a share of the conference championship.

In Memory: Nicholas Hand

Early last week as we were in the process of printing our Thanksgiving edition, we learned of the tragic death of 20-year-old United States Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas Hand. Hand was laid to rest early this week. He was killed on November 22 in an exchange of small-arms fire in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan while support Operation Enduring Freedom. After attending Park Hill High School, he graduated early from Oak Park High to enlist at age 17. He deployed to Iraq in April of 2008 for a tour lasting seven months, allowing him to return and spend the holidays with his family. In late October of this year, Hand was deployed again in a second tour of duty, this time to Afghanistan. The second-oldest of ten siblings, he saw the Marine Corps as a second family and performed the job of a squad leader with a great sense of duty. Hand approached the Corps much the same way he lived his life, disciplined, patriotic, and with a smile. Well-liked and encouraging to his peers, when he returned he was considering college and pursuing a career in politics. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Nicholas' name may be made to Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.

Having not known him very well, but seeing him on various occasions, I was able to see his pride and dedication to the Marines on display because it was evident to those around him. For those of us who were fortunate to know him, even by associate, we are very grateful. Thank you for your valued service and dedication to our country along with the happiness you’ve share with those closest to you. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family.

Trojans finish 3rd in State after historic run

No matter what the outcome would be this past weekend at the state finals in St. Louis, the Park Hill Soccer team knew they would be concluding their exciting run. The only thing left to be determined would be the title on the trophy they would bring home. As noted over recent weeks, the Trojans haven’t been to a final four since 1993 when they finished second. An enthusiasm not quite seen since that time has begun to surround the program of late, including support from both young and old alumni, former players, parents, teachers, and community members. All witnessed the Trojan’s journey in becoming the only Kansas City high school soccer team, other than Rockhurst, to reach the state finals since 1996.

The goal of returning with a state championship would prove to be a daunting task as they went up against Saint Louis University High, a private school with a proven soccer history, in the semi-final round. In typical Trojan fashion, they fell behind early when SLUH’s Dominic Hewitt scored on a corner kick at the 15 minute mark. Other than the early score, the Trojans were able to control the ball most of the first half and seemed to be right where they wanted to be with some of the early opportunities they were seeing on the offensive end. But unlike their ability to come back strong all season, the Trojans were never able to answer. SLUH came out firing in the second half with two quick goals in a three minute span which dampened any hope of a Trojan resurgence. A fourth goal was scored with under four minutes to play to end the Trojans’ title hopes with a 4-0 defeat.

After the disappointing lost on Friday night, the Trojans didn’t have too much time to sulk. A matchup with Columbia Hickman to determine the third place finisher would take place on Saturday. The physical and emotion play the Trojans had displayed all year was definitely on display in their season finale as Park Hill’s Austin Melott was ejected from the game late in the first half which disadvantaged the Trojans to playing a man down. The ejection must have sparked a second half surge, the Trojans were able to match the Kewpie’s first half goal from Brian Wilcox with one of their own early in the second half when Neal Sampson tied it up.

Although the Trojans controlled the ball twice as long as Hickman, they couldn’t take advantage of some of the shots they had deep on the Hickman side of the field. After being on the defensive end very little during the game, the Kewpies were able to provide a scare in the final seconds, but goalkeeper Shane VanHooser was able to come up with the save. Unfortunately, overtime was not played in the third place game, which resulted in a 1-1 final as both teams finished in the record books as tied for 3rd place.

For Park Hill, an extraordinary season ends, but with it comes high expectations for next year as they return a good amount of their starters and most likely the hunger for another shot at a state title.

Park Hill Soccer is Final Four bound

To the tune of the Black Eyed Peas song “I Got a Feeling,” the public address announcer stated in a dramatic fashion at halftime, “One of these teams will be advancing to the state semifinals next weekend.” At the time, it was a 1-1 tie between Park Hill (25-5) and Lee’s Summit North (17-6-1) in a state quarterfinal game, but in the end it would the Park Hill Trojans finishing the lyrics with “tonight’s gonna be a good night” as they advanced with a 4-1 victory.

This sets up a final four, state semi-final meeting against Saint Louis University High (SLUH) in St. Louis this weekend. The semi-final game will be held Friday evening at 7 p.m. at the Anheuser-Busch Center in Fenton, MO, just outside St. Louis. A school with a strong soccer tradition, SLUH is 20-6-1 on the season coming off a victory against McCluer North in a 3-1 score. The winner will matchup against the winner of the Columbia Hickman and Christian Brothers College game in the championship game at 6 p.m. on Saturday preceded by the third place game at 1 p.m.
As was printed last week, the Park Hill Trojans were preparing for a sectional matchup with Winnetonka where they went on to win 2-0 with goals from Sam Shepherd and Neal Sampson. A likely game against Rockhurst was never realized though, as Lee’s Summit North upset the defending state-champions, 2-1 after penalty kicks in overtime. This set the Trojans up for their first opportunity to advance to the state semi-finals since 1993.

A physically tough and emotionally driven Park Hill team fell behind early when Lee’s Summit North’s Michael Oakley scored with just under thirty minutes to play in the first half putting LSN up 1-0. But the toughness they’ve displayed all season wasn’t dampened, as five minutes later David Zdvoark scored on a breakaway to tie the score at 1-1.

“I think our first goal was the biggest one, to know we were still in the game because it could have allowed doubt to creep in,” coach Dustin Sollars said.
The Trojans were able to control the ball steadily a majority of the game, but a few LSN breakaways caused some scares throughout the game. A tenacious defense turned many of those stops into offensive opportunities and those were exploited in the second half. An Austin Melott goal at the 32 minute mark gave the Trojans momentum and a lead they wouldn’t lose. Goals from Ray Lee and Zdvorak in a two minute span late in the second half capped off the victory for the Trojans, sending them to St. Louis to compete not only with the other three schools in the final four, but with themselves and history.

Park Hill is now one victory away from matching the best finish in school history, a 2nd place finish in 1993.

“It’s a big deal for us,” Sollars said. “Especially when they look at the guys from ’93 coming to speak about it at practice and wishing they could still be out there.”

“Anytime you’re trying to match up with history, it gives them a little something extra to play for,” Sollars added. “A spot in history, a spot in the books.”

“This is a special team with a good mix of talented players that want to play for each other,” Sollars said of their intangible traits. “You can’t teach emotion and physicality.”

Trojans can't jump playoff hurdle, end season

The third time was not the charm for Park Hill on Monday night as they fell for the third consecutive season to Fort Osage in the Class 5 Sectionals 29-6. A mistake filled first half on special teams allowed the Indians to put 16 points on the board from turnovers.

Fort Osage scored first when a Park Hill snap went over the punter’s head into the end zone for a safety. A couple possessions later, the Indians were able to block a Trojan punt to gain field possession at the Park Hill 35-yard line before punching it in for a touchdown six plays later on an E.J. Gaines three-yard run. Another bad snap, this time on a 30-yard field goal attempt with under a minute to play in the half, allowed Fort Osage to score another touchdown when Kamryn Tillmon catch a 12-yard pass. The score put Fort Osage up 16-0 at halftime.

“It’s frustrating because it’s things that haven’t happened to us all year,” Coach Greg Reynolds said.

“We got chances to do things, but we just made mistakes we don’t normally make,” Reynolds said. “We had turnover after turnover tonight.”

A Fort Osage fumble by Gaines on the opening kickoff of the second half gave the Trojans great field position to potentially spark a comeback. Six plays later, Trace Norfleet went eight yards for Park Hill to score their only points of the night. A two-point conversion attempt failed. It would be the only flicker of momentum the Trojans would get though. A usually steady running game seemed to be on the verge of breaking loose throughout the game, but never quite became the force it had been during the regular season.

“We weren’t able to be consistent with our run game,” Reynolds said of the inability to put together complete drives. “We just didn’t finish the deal and its something this team has been able to do all year.”

Fort Osage was able to open the game up with two Gaines touchdown runs (38 and 5 yards) in the second half and prevented a last minute Park Hill drive from converting when a Corey Sterling pass to the end zone was intercepted on fourth down.

The senior-led Trojans finish the season with a 9-2 record along with conference and district titles. Coach Greg Reynolds was particularly proud of his seniors for being so close to each other throughout the season.

“Not seeing them accomplish their goals is what hurts,” Reynolds said of the earlier than hoped for end to their season.

“They’re a group of kids I enjoyed coaching. There were some great surprises with kids who came from nowhere to become starters. They’ve done everything we asked them to do. It’s a class you don’t see all the time.”

Trojans prepare for rematch, ultimate test

After falling behind 7-0 last week against St. Joe Central, the Trojans rattled off 27 straight points in a 27-13 victory to complete a 9-1 regular season and secure a district championship. With the victory, Park Hill will receive a first round playoff bye and play Fort Osage in sectionals November 9th. This will be the third consecutive year Park Hill and Fort Osage meet each other in the playoffs. The previous two meetings resulted in Indian victories by scores of 21-0 in 2008 and 7-0 in 2007. Coming into last week, Fort Osage was ranked number two in the KC Metro Sports poll while Park Hill came in at number seven.

“We knew they were going to be there and we wanted to make sure we got here,” quarterback Corey Sterling said. “It’s our time to go out there.”
The matchup will feature two similar teams. Both look to a physical run game and resort to a potent passing attack when defenses overplay the run. But this game will be won on defense and who can take advantage of those all-important turnovers and penalties. Park Hill will look to limit the production of RB/DB E.J. Gaines, a three-star recruit heading to Missouri next year. Using the bye week as a time to refocus on the basics, the Trojans will also look to get healthy as RB Trace Norfleet and OL Adam Vanderpool left last week’s game with injuries.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s Fort Osage,” Coach Greg Reynolds said about the team that has ended their last two seasons. “They are the number two ranked team for a reason and if we are going to go where we want to we’re going to face them anyways.”
With their playoff destiny on the line last week, St. Joe Central put points on the board first when quarterback Ryan Wallace broke loose with a 59-yard touchdown run. In a game featuring eight total turnovers, the Trojans were able to convert two key Central turnovers into ten points. A Will Brazill 32-yard field goal was followed by Park Hill displaying a flash of their passing game with a 33-yard reception by Nick Hughes setting up a 22-yard Corey Sterling pass to Adrian Esaw for a touchdown to put the Trojans up 9-7 at halftime.
“I told our guys at halftime that this is exactly what we need,” Reynolds said. “You don’t want to go into the playoffs without having been in a dog fight.”

The Trojans started where they left off, only needing 33 seconds on their first second-half possession for Sean Gorman to break loose for a 45-yard touchdown run. He finished with 155 yards on 18 rushes. Central fumbled the next kick-off giving the Trojans the ball at the 33-yard line. Seven plays later, Jordan Wang added a seven yard touchdown run. After a three and out drive for Central, Park Hill went 53 yards in 11 plays before Brazill added a 27-yard field goal.
A steady dose of the Indians running game didn’t produce much offense in the second half, but they were able to post a touchdown on their final drive when Malkaam Muhammad ran the ball for a seven yard touchdown. The two-point conversion failed leaving the final score at 27-13.

Last week’s game was St. Joe Central head coach Tony Dudik’s final game after a coaching career spanning 29 years. Parents, players, and friends remained on the field for over an hour after the game ended embracing someone who had become a symbol Indian Football.

Park Hill Soccer learns history, makes it

Some players on the Park Hill soccer team weren’t even born the last time they won a district championship back in 1993, something in the back of their minds as they met the Park Hill South Panthers in the district final last Wednesday. Both teams came into the match riding high after finishing the regular season on hot streaks and gliding through the first rounds of the tournament, but the Trojans pulled away after a back and forth game to claim the title with a 4-2 victory.

In typical Trojan/Panther soccer style, the match was very physical with its fair share of adrenaline clearly visible. It started with Joe Sbarro drawing a penalty kick which Jacob Fischer converted to put the Panthers up 1-0. Park Hill tied it up when Ray Lee assisted a Quenton Noble goal with about two minutes to go in the first half. South’s Sbarro drew another penalty converted by Fischer after a Trojan goal by Ray Lee to create a 2-2 tie in the second half. Park Hill broke away with less than 15 minutes to play when Lee scored a long distance goal and Zdvorak converted another Lee assist to bring the score to 4-2.

“We were too direct down the middle and got away from our wing play,” said South coach Joe Toigo about his team’s second half. “I think some of that can be contributed to the pressure their team was putting on the ball.”

Park Hill will now take on a familiar opponent in the sectional round Tuesday, Winnetonka. The Trojans won the season series 2-1, but the Griffins are coming off several wins including an upset of number one Liberty in the district final. Both teams are playing inspired soccer and peaking at the right time.

For the Trojans, to be in the playoffs has been on their minds since they were defeated by the Panthers to end their 2008 season.

“Revenge is a component of any good rivalry,” Park Hill coach Dustin Sollars said.

History hasn’t been on their side in the past, but Coach Dustin Sollars has made it a point to convey what this year’s team could mean to the school. He turned a portion of practice each day into somewhat of a history lesson where they talked about some of the school’s most successful teams, brought in former players, and even challenged them to find the last first place trophy won in the building to demonstrate how long ago it was.

What’s made this year’s team stand out from years past? Sollars believes it comes from players who are loyal to each other, willing to listen and work hard to try new things.

“And it doesn’t hurt that we’ve got some pretty talented players with us,” Sollars added.

The reward for a potential victory against Winnetonka would be a likely matchup against the number one ranked team in the state, Rockhurst, who has been a soccer powerhouse in recent years. Like any team looking to make their mark, Park Hill will have to go up against the best in order to reserve the place in history they hope to earn.

“I bumped into an old coach of mine and he reminded me of a quote by Lou Holtz,” Sollars said of his team’s accomplishments looking forward. “Goes like this, ‘If what you did yesterday was big, then you haven’t done much today.”

Trojans clinch playoff spot, look towards Indians in season's final week

A 28-3 Park Hill victory over Oak Park last week clinched the Suburban Big Six Conference championship and a playoff spot for the Trojans, putting them in position to win their ninth district title in the last ten years. The Trojans, now 8-1, will play for a district title and important first-round bye this week, but based on other district results will have a huge role in deciding who will be the second team to advance to the state playoffs.

“When you get down to this point, there are a lot of factors you don’t have control over,” Coach Greg Reynolds said looking forward. “Sometimes it comes down to breaks going your way and different matchups you get.”

The St. Joe Central Indians will meet the Trojans this Friday. The Indians come in with a 3-6 record, 1-1 in district play. Coming off a 6-3 victory last week against Park Hill South, Central will look to a successful defense of late. With their starting running back lost for the season due to a broken leg, Malkaam Muhammad and quarterback Ryan Wallace will lead the offense.

Last week, Corey Sterling hit Nick Hughes for a 43-yard pass setting up a two yard touchdown run from Sean Gorman for the game’s first score early in the first quarter. An Oak Park field goal resulting from a Nick Elmore interception in the second quarter would be the only score of the game for the Northmen. Park Hill’s Adrian Esaw caught a 10-yard touchdown reception capping off a 62-yard drive to close the first half with the Trojans up 14-3.

“We’ve gone real far, with help from the starters and getting better in practice,” Esaw said of his increased role on both sides of the ball.

“This was a good defense and some of their schemes were a problem,” Reynolds said of Oak Park’s defense. Park Hill extended the lead to 21-3 in the third quarter when Gorman scored a two-yard touchdown. A content Trojan defense kept the Northmen from creating much offensively. Interceptions byDe’Aris Flint, Adrian Esaw, and Bryan Dale ended three Northmen drives.

“It feels pretty good,” Dale said of a lineman getting an interception. “When I got the ball, it was right there and I just kept going with it.”

Dale has seen a change in his role as he has moved from the outside of the line to the inside.

“His job is to tie people up and pass rush,” Reynolds said. “He’s going to be a guy that doesn’t get the stats he has in the past, but for them running away from him most of the night, he did a pretty good job.”

Trace Norfleet added a 15-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter for the game’s final score.

As the season goes into the final stretch, it was evident last Friday that the vocal Park Hill coaching staff wouldn’t accept some of the miscues that had taken place earlier in the season.

“We’ve had a little too much of that tonight, but we’re going to get it fixed,” Reynolds said.

District football math mayhem

(insert school of choice here)

The last week of the regular season will be interesting for teams in District 11 of Class 5. Margins of victory could decide who goes home for the season and who plays on. The Class 5 playoffs begin next Wednesday, November 4th with the regional round followed by the sectional round played on Monday, November 9th. The district runner-up will play the winner of the William Chrisman/Winnetonka game (Oct. 30th) in regionals while the district champion will take on Fort Osage in sectionals after receiving a first round bye.

A two-way tie for first or second place will be determined by head to head matchups, a three-way tie will be decided by margins of victory.

Current district standings with record and margin of victory up to +/- 13 points per game:
Park Hill (2-0, +26)
St. Joe Central (1-1, +2)
Oak Park (1-1, -12)
Park Hill South (0-2, -16)

If Park Hill wins by 13 points or more over St. Joe Central and Park Hill South wins by 5 points or more over Oak Park:

Park Hill - district title, 1st round bye in playoffs
Park Hill South - runner-up, playoff spot

If PH wins by 13 points or more over Central and South wins by less than 5 points:

Park Hill - district title, 1st round by in playoffs
Oak Park - runner-up, playoff spot

If PH wins by 13 points or more over Central and South losses:

Park Hill - district title, 1st round bye in playoffs
Oak Park - runner-up, playoff spot

If PH losses and PHS losses:

3-way tie between PH, OP, and STJ for district title and runner-up will be broken by margin of victory up to +/- 13 points per game.

If Park Hill losses and PHS wins, no matter what the margin:

St. Joe Central - district title, 1st round bye in playoffs
Park Hill - runner-up, playoff spot

If Park Hill wins by less than 13 points, Park Hill South will have to win by 5 points plus however many points Park Hill losses by that are less than 13.

For example, if Park Hill wins 17-10, Park Hill South would have to win by 11 points (5+6).

Park Hill looks to clinch district title, South still alive in playoff race after matchup last week

When Park Hill and Park Hill South come together to play, you realize exactly why Park Hill District Stadium has dedicated one end-zone to a solid purple and the other, a bright red. You wished that every high school football player had the opportunity to play in a rivalry game like last Friday’s, when you saw Trojan red across from Panther purple in a matchup between two district rivals.
The nostalgia ended there though, as the game’s first sparks happened quickly. On the second play from scrimmage Park Hill’s Sean Gorman powered through the South defense for a 64-yard touchdown run. Both teams exchanged two three-and-out drives before South punted again with about 2:30 left in the first quarter before it landed at the 27-yard line where the ball hit a Trojan blocker. South picked up the ball and ran it in for what some thought was a touchdown. Officials ruled the ball was dead and PHS would gain possession at the spot. Four plays later Chris Hamilton connected with Aaron Williams for a 19-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7-7.
Soon after, PH’s Corey Sterling hit Nick Hughes for a 36-yard pass to set up Gorman, who dove into the end-zone for his second touchdown of the night. Several penalties and turnovers throughout the game prevented South from getting into the offensive rhythm they had hoped for. With a slip-screen in mind late in the first half, South’s Hamilton floated a pass into the hands of Park Hill’s DL Mark Rollison for an interception which allowed the Trojans to go six plays in 1:04 to score on a Corey Sterling touchdown run. The score was 21-7 with Park Hill up at the half.

“We ran the ball well and got some long drives that we may not have finished, but we ate a lot of clock,” Park Hill’s Greg Reynolds said.
South wasn’t able to convert two Park Hill fumbles into points late in the second half. Their closest opportunity came with 9:33 left in the fourth quarter. With the end-zone in sight and the ball on PH’s 15 yard line, Hamilton bobbled a bad snap allowing Park Hill’s Adrien Esaw to recover the fumble for the Trojans.

“Adrien stepped in and played really well, made some good breakups,” Reynolds said.

But the fourth quarter belonged to Trace Norfleet when he turned on the speed with touchdown runs of 66 and 59 yards. Norfleet finished with 15 carries for 202 yards along with Gorman’s 18 carries on 149 yards. As a team, they collected 415 yards rushing while only completing two passes. South added a touchdown with seconds to play when Hamilton passed to Kevan Reardon for a 22-yard touchdown grab. The final score, 35-13, improved Park Hill’s record to 7-1 while Park Hill South fell to 4-4 on the year.
This Friday, Park Hill will host Oak Park (3-5) who beat St. Joe Central (2-6) last week in a very low scoring game, 7-6. A win will secure a play-off spot for the Trojans. Last year, the Trojans pulled out a close win at Oak Park by a score of 17-14.

“Oak Park is going to be riding high after their win, and we’re going to have to handle them by worrying about ourselves and getting healthy,” Reynolds said of the Northmen.

Park Hill South, with wins in its final two games can still be playoff bound, travels to St. Joe Central. Last year, the Panthers lost to the Indians 42-35.

It's the little things that count

As sports enthusiasts, we thrive on the competition and excitement we gain from watching, playing, or coaching. Wins and losses make it sometimes easy to forget how sports wouldn’t enrich our lives as much without the important individuals that influence us in the process.
Park Hill High School lost one of these individuals early last Friday. Jerry Alexander, 52, a science teacher, assistant football coach, and JV basketball coach passed away after an extended battle with heart problems. Alexander, most well known as one of the top basketball players to ever play at Drury College in Springfield, led them to the 1979 NAIA National Championship and was inducted into the first Hall of Fame class at the school after scoring more than 2,200 points. After graduation, he postponed a professional career to become a coach and teacher.

Prior to the rivalry game against Park Hill South last week, an emotional Park Hill team joined the crowd in observing a moment of silence in remembrance of his contributions to the district. I was never able to meet Coach Alexander, but in the brief time I was able to speak with some of his colleagues last Friday night, I learned a great deal about him and it would only be fitting to let them tell you about the man, who only in his third year of teaching at Park Hill had become a favorite among students and faculty. Coach David Garrison, Varsity Basketball Coach:
“He came from Center High School. I was at Excelsior Springs and we were in the same conference where we played each other twice a year. We got to know each other pretty well and formed a good friendship from competing with each other. It was kind of fate that we ended up at Park Hill the same year and started coaching together. As a person, you couldn’t help but not like him. He always had a smile and was always joking around. There just wasn’t anybody that couldn’t get along with him.”

Bill Sobbe, Athletic Director:
“He was a great role model for our kids and expected kids to do things the right way. He expected them to get through their academic struggles and then work as hard as possible at the sport they chose. He was the greatest basketball player in the history of Drury College. What he brought to the table was a great ability to connect with students.”

Jennifer Paschall, teacher:
“Kids would come by everyday to ask how he was doing. He was always joking around and so easy to get along with. We started collecting money while he was sick and you wouldn’t believe the outpouring of support from our staff. Not just the science department or the PE department, it was everyone.

Steven Clark, senior football and basketball player:
“I played with him for two years, one of the best experiences I’ve had and I learned so much from him. He was a great basketball player when he played and an even greater man when he didn’t.”

Daniel Jessen, senior football player:
“I loved being around him, even though I wasn’t around his specialty. He still affected me in a great way that I will never forget.”

Coach Greg Reynolds, Varsity Football Coach:
“Our players came through in a very emotional game after a very tough day. We’ve got a lot of kids that were very close to him, not only on this team, but also in basketball. Coach Alexander coached with us for one year and he fit in right away because he believed in the little things. With running backs, he knew he had a lot of talented kids where the most important things to teach them was blocking, pass protection, pass routes, and the little things. Trace is going to be remembered for his two long runs tonight, but those don’t happen unless Sean Gorman, who couldn’t block like that last year, worked and drilled on it last year with Coach Alexander. In basketball, I’ve watched him coach on the little things like picks, moving your feet on defense, and not worrying about how many points you scored or how many blocked shots you had.”

Trojans, Panthers meet for annual 'King of the Hill' matchup

After containing one of the state’s top backs last week in Winnetonka’s Darrell Jobe, the Park Hill Trojans (6-1) will faceoff against Park Hill South (4-3) in the annual matchup between the two rivals to determine who will be this year’s ‘King of the Hill’. Not only will it be a battle between two district foes, it will be a battle of two very different football styles as well, with Park Hill’s power football approach going up against South’s spread offense and quick defensive strategy.
Homecoming festivities were underway last week at Park Hill as alumni and other fans joined the crowd for a large turnout. Although more fans than normal, last week will be nothing compared to this Friday’s anticipated game.

“Good to have a big crowd tonight,” coach Greg Reynolds said after Park Hill’s 35-21 victory of Winnetonka last week. “It will be double (the crowd) next week, but we’ve been there before and will be fine.”

Looking back to last week, it could have been a different game if it wasn’t for a two score swing mid-way through the third quarter. On a Winnetonka 3rd and 12 play, quarterback Nick Powell hit receiver Tyler Henley for what would have been a 76 yard touchdown play. But as Henley streaked down the sideline, Park Hill’s Corey Sterling came out of nowhere to take Henley down before reaching the goal line. The impact jarred the ball loose for De’Rion Rambo to recover the ball at the one yard line. Four plays later, Sterling, now in his role as quarterback, sent a spiral into the hands of Rambo once again as he ran untouched for an 80-yard touchdown. This put Park Hill up 28-7.
Trace Norfleet produced 109 yards on 16 carries resulting in two touchdowns behind continued quality offensive line play. After missing the previous two games, Josh Eatman came back with a renewed sense of energy as he added the Trojans final touchdown in the fourth quarter. Also back was fullback Sean Gorman. With the Trojan backfield healthy, Reynolds talked about what they bring to the field. “You’ve got one guy that’s very fast (Norfleet) and another that is slippery (Eatman),” Reynolds said. “Sean’s a good blocker and breaks people down.”
Park Hill defeated South last year 28-7 as the ‘home’ team, but this year they’ll switch sides to play as the visiting team and look at the sideline they usually hold as their own. Emotions will be running high for the game each team marks their calendars for each year.
On offense, the Panthers will look to get their pass game going with quarterback Chris Hamilton and wide receiver Austin Green. Hamilton will also be involved in the running game as a lot of the offensive schemes revolve around the quarterback’s ability to run.

“We’ll adjust to their passing game,” Park Hill linebacker Daniel Jessen said.

“We have great d-backs,” Sterling added. “I think they’re going to step it up.”

The excitement of each team’s first district game will also add to the mix. For many teams, it’s a chance for a fresh start to the season. Reynolds talked about how his kids have looked at it differently.

“We’ve made every game feel like a playoff game and the kids have taken that to heart,” Reynolds said. “We’ve used every game as a challenge to us.”

The Panthers will come in as an underdog, but with a team that came alive at this time last year to end the season 3-1 and a more experienced group of players, there’s no telling what can happen when you put the southern Platte County rivals together. One thing to be assured, the atmosphere on hand at Park Hill District Stadium on Friday will be enough to excite any sports fan.

“You don’t have to try to get us hyped, it’s already there,” Park Hill’s Sterling said.

“To beat Park Hill,” South’s Chapman Williams said earlier this year about his team’s goals.

PH, PHS softball teams both end up and down seasons with something to be proud of

To say Park Hill and Park Hill South’s softball teams seasons’ were up and down would be an understatement. Park Hill started their season with a huge victory at Oak Park, an opponent they hadn’t beaten in over a decade. But after that, they played decently before falling into a deep slump which included a nine game losing streak.

On the other side of the hill, Park Hill South started out slow with conference losses to Oak Park and Truman. Coach Josh Walker had told his team to just look ahead to districts, but after storming back, they beat Winnetonka two weeks ago on the heels of pitcher Jessica McCoy’s one-hitter to claim the school’s first conference championship in softball.

Two teams, two different seasons, but they came together this past weekend in the district semi-finals. #1 Park Hill South facing off against #4 Park Hill, who last week beat #3 St. Theresa’s to advance when Bethany Sullinger hit a walk-off solo homerun in the seventh to break a 0-0 tie.

After losing both games to South during the season, the Trojans came into the game as a slight underdog. The Trojans struck first in the bottom of the second when . South quickly struck back with a run of their own to tie it up at 1-1.

Michele Rupard hit a solo homerun in the top of the 7th to make the score 3-1. The Panthers added a run in the bottom of the 9th, leaving her at third. But Park Hill’s Kati Snodgrass struck out the next two batters to complete the upset.

“We’ve always had one player step up every game and they’re starting to believe,” Park Hill coach Stuart Sullinger said after his team’s semi-final victory. “It’s incredible to be in this situation and playing for a district title.”

“We had a great year in winning conference and setting a team record for wins,” South coach Josh Walker said on his team’s season.

Park Hill went on to play #2 Staley in the district championship, but fell short to the Falcons as the game went into extra innings and the Falcons won with a game winning walk-off homerun in the ninth inning.

Trojans, Trace to tangle with Tonka

You won’t be hearing a lot from Trace Norfleet over the next two years, but you’ll be hearing a lot about him. The soft-spoken junior running back for the Trojans won the state championship in the long-jump last spring and now he’s making noise on the football field this fall. Sharing time with senior Josh Eatman through the first four games, they served as great complements.
With Eatman out with an injury the past two weeks, Norfleet has been able to showcase what he can do. Two weeks ago against Truman, Norfleet rushed for 144 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown, and then bested his previous performance this last week against William Chrisman by gaining 169 yards on 11 carries with three touchdowns as the Trojans shutout the Bears 46-0. Keep in mind, Norfleet along with a majority of the Trojan starters only played in the first half of both games.
“Just gaining more confidence,” Norfleet said when asked what the increased carries meant.

Score aside, the game on paper may have looked closer. In the first half Chrisman held possession far longer, allowed only five first downs, and didn’t punt. This was mostly due to the Trojans’ drives resulting in long scoring plays including a Norfleet 69-yard touchdown run on the game’s second play, another Norfleet 64-yard touchdown run, and a 40-yard touchdown pass from Corey Sterling to receiver Nick Hughes. Hughes’ first touchdown catch of the season has been in the making, as him and Sterling had barely missed opportunities earlier in the season to connect on the long ball.
“It was bound to happen at some point,” Hughes said. “I think we understand each other a little more now.”

Well deserved credit should be given to the Trojan defense in their second shutout of the season. In addition to constant pressure from the defensive front, several big plays were made by LB De’Aris Flint who was involved in a pair of fumbles. DB De’Rion Rambo intercepted an early first half pass to put the Trojan offense only 20 yard away from another touchdown.
Park Hill (5-1) will come home to play Winnetonka (5-1) as a part of the school’s homecoming festivities this weekend and a chance at redemption as the Griffins edged out the Trojans 28-27 last year. Winnetonka is coming off a 21-6 victory against Truman last week. The story for the Griffins this season has been running back Darrell Jobe, who had 236 yards on 40 carries last Friday. With the amount of carries he gets, it’s no secret what the Trojan defense will be targeting this Friday.

“They’ll have a good running game and it’s always our focus to stop the run so we’ll be working really hard to do that,” Coach Greg Reynolds said. “On offense, we’re hoping to be a little more diversified with being able to run and pass.”

Park Hill Volleyball looking to pull all the parts together

Consistency. If there was one word Park Hill Volleyball coach Janell Deville could use to describe what her team needs to do to be successful, consistency would be it. As the Trojans go into the final three weeks of their season, they have seen their share of ups and downs, but are optimistic about the rest of their season.

After a victory against Raytown last week in consecutive sets (25-15, 25-7) featuring 7 kills from Alex Leggett and six digs each from Halley Knudson and Kelsey Borgardts, Deville believes her team has a lot of potential and is a lot better than their 8-10-1 record might indicate.
“We’ve got a lot of volleyball ability and experience on our team,” Deville said.

When Park Hill is playing well, their strength comes from their passing game and the attack sets that are created from it. Another area they draw success from is the excitement and ‘go-getting’ attitude they can bring to the court.
One aspect of their game the Trojans have been missing lately is the leadership and play of senior Heather Schieber, who has been troubled with an ankle injury. This has led to the opportunity for other seniors to step up who Deville has said will shape the direction of this team. They’ve also changed a few things up and moved people around, especially when it comes to underclassmen that have been expected to step in and play at a higher level.

Park Hill comes into this week in 3rd place in the conference standings with sights beginning to be set on the district tournament which starts October 26th. Although they will come in as underdogs, Deville believes anything can happen.
“Regardless of what seed we are, I think our district is wide open,” Deville said. “Some of the higher seeds can be upset by the lower seeds.”

Although only halfway through the season Deville sees some big improvements over last year, especially in regards to team cohesiveness and overall atmosphere within her program. This will play a big part for the Trojans as they head down the stretch.

Trojans keep rolling

As thrilling and emotionally draining as Park Hill’s upset victory against Liberty two weeks ago was, it wouldn’t have been surprising if the Trojans weren’t able to match the same intensity against a struggling 1-3 Truman team. Not this time. In fact, Park Hill racked up 389 total yards…. in the first half. Yes, the Trojans started against the Truman Patriots in the same place they left the Liberty Blue Jays. Park Hill methodically gained a 35-0 lead going into halftime before going on to win 41-14.
Park Hill’s backfield depth was impressive early as starting running back Josh Eatman and starting fullback Sean Gorman were unavailable to play due to injuries. Taking their place were Alex Kennedy and Trace Norfleet. There was no letdown, as both contributed with touchdowns. Norfleet who has shared duties at running back since the beginning of the season had a breakout game gaining 144 yards on 18 carries.

“I knew I had to step up,” Norfleet said of his opportunity.
The Trojans focused on a steady dose of their basic offensive package. Quarterback Corey Sterling completed seven passes on eleven attempts for 158 yards including three touchdowns, one to WR De’Rion Rambo and two more to TE Daniel Jessen, who also caught a touchdown from backup QB Nathan Wilson later in the game. As the season has progressed, Sterling has become more comfortable moving outside the pocket and recognizes this strength.

“I’m a shorter guy, so sometimes it’s harder to see when I’m in the pocket,” Sterling said. “I feel more comfortable in space and being able to see everybody.”
Truman’s only offensive opportunities against Park Hill’s first team spurred from two long kickoff returns, but both drives ended with turnovers in what has been a frustrating theme recently for the Patriots, fumbling the football. The two touchdowns came in the fourth quarter against Park Hill’s second team.

The Trojans, now 4-1 with a 1-0 conference record, go into their next conference game against William Chrisman where they will once again travel to Independence and play on the same field Chrisman and Truman share together. Chrisman will be coming off a loss to Park Hill South last week by a score of 42-0, dropping their record to 2-3 on the season. First year coach Mark Simcox is a former defensive coordinator for Park Hill so look for them to try to counter Park Hill’s power by putting up to eight defensive players in the box. On offense, a run heavy team will rely heavily on running backs Caleb Sims and Scott Cates to return from ankle injuries to carry the load for the Bears.

“It’s going to be a short game with two teams running the football,” Park Hill coach Greg Reynolds said. “It’s going to be about who gets off the ball best and if we do what we’re supposed to we’ll be alright.”

Panthers Softball Team Looks to Pivotal Week

Park Hill South at 10-9 is in the middle of a tough stretch of games this week which include matchups against Truman, Park Hill, Kearney, and Oak Park. With the district tournament next week, these last games will determine a conference champion and help build momentum going into the postseason. After early conference losses to Truman and Oak Park, Coach Josh Walker didn’t think the conference title would be very attainable, but after a stretch of wins, they’ve made their way back into the conference race. Rematches with Truman, Park Hill, and Oak Park, all conference rivals, will go a long way in deciding this year’s champion.
To start off the season the Panthers’ strength was in their defense, but lately their bats have come alive in a string of games where they have double digit run totals. Pitcher Jessica McCoy has done her part by putting together solid performances all year and has an earned run average just below two.

On the defensive side, Val Pollan has been impressive in leftfield along with third baseman Alyssa Weatherly and Mallory Land who has stepped in as a freshman at catcher to replace Maci Fisher who went down with a PCL injury. Weatherly has also been tearing it up on offense behind outfielder Bailey Peterson, who leads off for the Panthers.

“I hate to use a clique, but it’s going to come down to pitching and defense,” Walker said.
The district tournament starts up next Wednesday, October 7th with the championship game being played on Saturday morning. Park Hill South will be looking to put together the strong defense from the beginning of the year with the solid hitting performances they’ve had of late to make a run at both the conference and district titles. As Coach Walker mentioned at the beginning of the year, and still holds true today with pivotal games fast approaching, “we’re looking to make some noise.”