Week 2 won't be as easy as Trojans' opener

After soundly defeating the North Kansas City Hornets last week 30-0, the Park Hill Trojans will face off this Friday against last year’s Class 6 state runners-up, Blue Springs South. The Jaguars come into Friday’s game with a record of 0-1 after a 35-13 loss to Rockhurst in the opening week.

The Trojans and Jaguars are no strangers. In an exciting finish last year, the Jaguars barely defeated the Trojans 35-34 in overtime after the Trojans were denied in their attempt for a two-point conversion, which would have won the game. They also met in Jamboree action two weeks ago.

As an opponent in one of the top match-ups in the metro this week, Blue Springs South will have a balanced passing game featuring quarterback Calvin Jacobson looking for standout wide receivers Dominique Wright and Logan Moon. The Trojans will look to their defense once again as a source of strength with another strong pass rush from the defensive front.
Trojan fans received the best gift a team can give to kick off the season last Friday. De’Rion Rambo returned the opening kickoff back for a 97-yard touchdown. After a three-and-out series for the NKC Hornets, the Trojans started their second offensive drive from midfield at the 50-yard line.
Park Hill then went on a seven-play, 50-yard drive, concluded with a 22-yard touchdown run from Sean Gorman on a fullback trap. To start off the second quarter, Park Hill went 58 yards in six plays, capped off with a six-yard touchdown run by Trace Norfleet. The point after attempt was no good.
“Trace has another gear of speed that a lot of guys don’t have,” head coach Greg Reynolds said. “Josh (Eatman) is more elusive so it’s a good one-two punch, but it didn’t seem like we had the ball enough to get them into a rhythm.”

With Park Hill up 20-0 at this point, the Trojans had yet to allow a first down. This was in large part because of the continuous pressure from the defense, which included sacks by defensive end Bryan Dale and linebackers Daniel Jessen and John Eblen. The Trojans added on a 39-yard field goal at the end the first half to make it 23-0.

Park Hill struck quickly with 8:49 left in the third quarter. After a series of incomplete passes, quarterback Corey Sterling hooked up with receiver De’Rion Rambo for a 31-yard touchdown pass putting the Trojans up 30-0.

“We knew we were going to make them earn everything they got, but we weren’t as consistent as we need to be to be really good,” Reynolds said of the importance to improve.